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

“It’s my fault,” he repeated. “I was the one who wanted to go on that stupid hunt. If I hadn’t gone, none of my friends would have either. Erika wouldn’t have done it without me.”

“I doubt that very much, Cory,” Isaac said. “From your description, it sounds like she was under a compulsion. Certainly, you did not put it on her. The question is, who did?”

Cory shook his head. “I should have done something. I should have stopped her somehow.” His voice cracked as he spoke, his sorrow still fresh. “If I hadn’t waited in the trees for so long, if I’d pulled her away faster—”

“You did everything you could.” I tried to make my voice warm. It still came off as stern, but it was better than last time. “You fought to save Erika, and you fought to save yourself. You weakened Jude. If you hadn’t, Sebastian wouldn’t have been able to kill him.”

“But if I’m the reason the guy was there. If he was supposed to find me and kidnap me, then it is my fault. If I weren’t at Vesperwood, Professor Romero would be okay, and Erika would still be alive.”

“If you weren’t at Vesperwood, it’s quite possible you wouldn’t be alive,” Isaac said. “You certainly wouldn’t have your freedom.”

“So I’m supposed to trade my friend’s life for my freedom? How is that fair?” The raw edge of Cory’s voice quavered.

“It’s also possible that if you’d never come to Vesperwood, your power would be used against you to kill thousands, if not millions, of other people.”

“What power?” Cory said. “I can’t even do anything. I couldn’t even save—”

“You did your best,” I said, cutting in before he could spiral any further.

I understood his feelings, but I really didn’t want him getting it in his head that he was too blame.

“You did everything you could. Vesperwood is safer tonight because of your actions. If you hadn’t been there, Jude would be roaming around campus, and I can promise you, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill other students in his search to find you. ”

Cory shuddered.

“But he’s dead now,” I added. “He can’t hurt you.”

Cory didn’t seem to find this very comforting. “I still don’t understand why ,” he said. “Why would someone want me so badly that they’d try to abduct me?”

“As I said before, the less you know, the better,” Isaac said.

“But that’s—”

“The truth, Cory,” Isaac said. “I promise you that. If I thought sharing more information would keep you or the rest of the student body safer, I would. But the fact is, the danger you’re in increases directly with the amount that you know about what’s going on.

Suffice it to say, someone is looking for you because they want to add your power to theirs.

The more you know about them, the easier it will be for them to find you.

I suggest you do your best to forget the names you heard here tonight. ”

“But I don’t have any power to take,” Cory objected.

“Which brings me to my second point.” Isaac looked at me. “If there are forces willing to attack Cory, attempt to abduct him, possibly kill him, then it’s critical that he be able to defend himself, while awake or asleep.”

His look grew harder, and my stomach roiled. I had a bad feeling about whatever was going to come out of his mouth next.

“Sebastian will be relieved of all teaching duties for as long as he needs to recover—an as yet unknown amount of time. I can find someone to cover his classes, but I can’t assign just anyone to take over his private lessons with Cory. It will have to be you, Noah.”

I was right. My stomach dropped. I felt sick.

“Isaac, no,” I said, at the same time that Cory said, “ What ?”

He looked confused. I couldn’t blame him. But I wanted him to stay that way.

“I can’t,” I told Isaac.

“You can.”

“I can’t. Not don’t want to. I physically can’t . You of all people should know that.”

“What I know is that I’ve had enough of your childishness. The situation is far too serious for it to continue. You will teach Cory and teach him well.”

“But how?”

“You will find a way, and you will do everything in your power to ensure that he has the strength and skills he needs for what’s to come.”

“And how are we going to explain this to anyone who notices the lessons? I’m not Sebastian. I can’t say I’m catching him up on what he missed.”

“Then you’ll say you’re helping him with his combat skills.”

Isaac’s eyes pinned me down. I wanted to squirm, but it wouldn’t do any good. When Isaac made a decision, he was unmovable. I could complain for the rest of the night, raise objection after objection, and I’d get nowhere.

I risked a glance at Cory. Teaching him what he needed to know would ask things of me I wasn’t prepared to give. And I still didn’t trust myself in the same room with him. My body would betray me.

But there was no way out.

Cory looked exhausted. The blood had dried and cracked over his face like peeling paint. He’d lost a friend, almost been kidnapped, seen Seb on the brink of death. He had to be falling apart inside. He needed to be in bed, as soon as he got cleaned up.

And I wasn’t making things any easier by stalling.

“Fine,” I said, with a heavy heart. “I’ll fucking do it.”

Cory darted a wounded glance at me, and I suppressed a shudder. What a mess.

“Cory,” Isaac said, “I trust I don’t need to tell you that nothing you heard here tonight leaves this room. It could jeopardize not only your safety, but that of your friends and everyone at Vesperwood.”

“But you were talking about people who work here,” he said. “Isn’t Sheridan the name of one of the professors? I swear I heard Felix talking about—”

“Best to forget what you heard tonight,” Isaac interrupted smoothly. “Trust that Professor Braverman and I will keep you safe.”

Cory nodded uncertainly. “Yes. Um, Sir.”

I couldn’t help feeling some misgivings myself. Could I keep him safe? I’d do my best.

I could only hope it would be enough.