Page 12 of Bonds of Magic (Vesperwood Academy: Incubus #3)

“You really don’t have to—”

“I’ll see you later, Seb. Glad you’re doing okay.”

***

Teresa was the head of Hex. Most of the havens had houses elsewhere on Vesperwood’s grounds, but the three oldest—Hex, Hunt, and Heal—had their headquarters within the manor itself.

Hunt’s were on the lower level, and restricted.

Heal’s were unassuming and located on the second floor.

But Hex had laid claim to an entire wing of the third floor, and their crossed wands and stars were carved proudly into the massive doorway that led to their wing, announcing to the world that this was their demesne.

I wasn’t sure what exactly I was going to say to Teresa, exactly, but I supposed I’d ask her if she’d noticed anything odd happening among the student body.

My cover story was that I thought someone was targeting freshmen, after all, and that might be a way to bridge into asking about those files she kept in her study.

If she agreed to talk to me at all. It was a big if.

I knocked on the door to her rooms, ornately decorated with Hex’s symbol worked in ruby in the center.

There was no answer. It was the middle of the lunch hour, and I’d checked the refectory.

I knew she wasn’t there. There were common areas farther into Hex’s hallways, but I didn’t want to run into anyone else if I could help it.

I knocked again, and again got no answer. It probably meant nothing, but my brain was primed to be suspicious. I wondered if she was in there right now, avoiding me on purpose. I raised my hand to knock again.

“She’s not there, Noah,” said a voice behind me.

I turned quickly, excuses and denials flying to my lips, only to see Nat, another professor in Hex, standing behind me.

“Oh.” I felt sheepish. It wasn’t like I needed denials anyway. Especially not with Nat. I could be looking for Teresa for perfectly innocent reasons. “Do you know where she is?”

“Down by the lake,” Nat said. “She and a few of the seniors are working on battle spells with water.” She tilted her head to the side. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” I waved her concern away. “It’s fine. I wanted to ask her something, that’s all.”

“She should be back before Third Hour.”

“Yeah.” I nodded absently. “I can catch—” but I broke off, a thought occurring to me. “Does she do that a lot? Work with students on battle spells?”

“Sometimes.” Nat shrugged. “All Hexers are expected to be able to control the elements in a fight, even if battle magic isn’t their speciality.”

“Is it always Teresa who teaches them?”

“Not always.” Nat’s brow furrowed. “Is there something about Teresa that you want to know? Because I’m getting the feeling that your question for her isn’t as casual as you implied.”

I sighed. I’d never been good at this kind of work. But I knew enough to know that it was stupid to have this conversation in front of Teresa’s door.

“Walk with me,” I said.

Nat gave me a curious look, but matched my pace as I set off down the hall, out of Hex’s quarters. I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject with her subtly. But maybe I didn’t need to. Nat was a friend. Sure, she was a member of Hex. But she was a good person. Of that, I was positive.

“Has Teresa been acting odd at all, lately?” I asked.

“Odd how?”

“Odd like doing secretive things with groups of students. Students who she has files on in her rooms? Including freshmen who haven’t even been initiated into Hex yet?”

Nat arched an eyebrow. “And how is it that you know about those files?”

I gave her a flat look. “I just do.”

She shrugged. “Well, I’ve never heard Teresa talk about anything like that. But that’s not really surprising. She’s a very private person. Even as head of the haven, she doesn’t share a lot about herself. Sort of like someone else I know,” Nat finished, with a meaningful look.

I snorted. “Yeah, yeah.”

“There is one thing, though.” Nat paused, thinking.

“I needed her to sign off on a senior thesis proposal from one of my students. I stopped by her rooms about a week ago for it. And she was very, very weird about me coming inside. I was pretty sure there were other people in there—I heard hushed voices. But she didn’t want me to see who they were.

She basically took the folder and slammed the door in my face. ”

“Interesting.”

“Interesting, yeah. But I don’t know that it’s sinister.” Nat gave me a sidelong look. “That’s why you’re asking, right? You think she might have had something to do with everything that’s going on here? The moraghin, Erika Martinez’s accident?”

“That obvious, huh?”

“Subtlety isn’t really your strong suit.” She grinned. “That’s why I love playing poker with you.”

“Whereas you’re excellent at bluffing,” I said wryly. “It’s probably too much to ask you to keep this conversation to yourself, though.”

“It’s not,” she said. “Not if you want me too.”

I blinked. “But Teresa’s the head of your haven. Don’t you owe her loyalty or something? I thought you had to take vows when you got initiated.”

“I also vowed to uphold the safety of Vesperwood’s students when I came here. Well before I swore anything to my haven. That oath is the most important one I hold.”

I felt a rush of gratitude. “Thanks.”

Nat shrugged. “I trust you. If you think something might be up—”

“I don’t know,” I said quickly. “I’m asking around, is all. Worried about the freshmen.”

“Well, my lips are sealed until you tell me otherwise.”

“You’re a good friend.”

“Good friend, better poker player.” She laughed lightly. “Actually, I think that might be my one request of you, in return for my silence. It’s been a while since you joined us for a game.”

“I’ve been trying to keep what little money I make. With the way you play, can you blame me?”

“That means you’ve got some saved up to lose. Wouldn’t want your wallet to get too fat.”

“It’s touching to know you’re always looking out for my well-being.”

She smiled. “What are friends for?”

I was lucky to have her, I thought as I walked back towards the gym to prepare for my next class. Maybe I should drop by one of her poker nights soon. I could always fold early. There were worse ways to spend an evening.

Such as spending one with Cory Dawson in my cabin, infuriatingly attractive and just as infuriatingly off limits. I had another lesson with the kid in two nights.

I hoped I could keep myself in control.