Page 29 of Hexed, Vexed, & Undersexed

"At least someone here is nice to me," I toss out, glaring back over at Bellamy.

Only. . . he isn't glaring at me like I anticipate—he’s visually throwing daggers at Bodie.

. . .

Is he jealous?!

Nah—no way in hell.

Shaking the distraction away, I restart my task. This time, though, I make sure to take my time.

Slow and steady wins the trial.

The cleansing and casting of the circle goes smoothly this time. As soon as the candles are lit and the elements invoked, I turn my attention over to the fake grimoire, ready to knock this spell out of the fucking studio.

Casting a spell is just like riding a bike,I note with a smile.

Step one: set up the ingredients on the altar

Step two: say the five lines

Step two and a half: lighting another candle while performing previous aforementioned step

I can totally do that.

As I arrange my pieces on the scuffed wooden altar, I hear a hissed mutter from behind me. I don't turn around, not wanting to mess up again—guess the oldtraditionalwitch is having some issues. Immediately after though, Bellamy curses, and this time I can't help myself—my eyes dart up from what I was doing and find that he's spilled the small dish of water from his altar onto the ground.

"Hmm, think you'll have time to do it all again,Bellamy?" I ask in a sickly-sweet voice, but my bright cheery smile is laced with a disdain as cold as ice.

There’s approximately two minutes left on the clock, and he has to start over completely.

Sucks to suck.

"Just you wait,Princess, I'm sure to amaze. More than I can say for you with all those craft herpes covering you," Bellamy snarks, his eyes trailing over my form leisurely.

My body sparks, enjoying his attention, but I narrow my eyes nonetheless.

"Poor Jake and Chance are going to be so upset knowing you insulted their amazing make-up job. How could you, you monster?" I scold.

"Who?" he snaps, clearly annoyed by my reprimand.

I tsk, shaking my head.

"Can't even be bothered to learn who helps run the show? How sad."

He growls, the deep and rough noise sending a shiver of pureneeddown my spine, but I force myself to focus on my task.

What I need is to say this damn spell.

Sexy man beasts—no matter how annoying—can wait untilafterI pass the first trial.

Stepping back slightly from the altar, I hold up the candle like I've been taught. As I strike the match to light the wick, I recite the spell word for word.

When I state the final line of 'blessed be", a wash of tingles run across my skin, and the circle below me illuminates just like the network instructed would happen. A cheerful ding fills the studio, signifying my completion of the trial, but the remaining sensation crawling over me puts me on edge.

No—that couldn't have been actual magic. . .

"It looks like Crystal Moon—" the host starts to say before another ding sounds. "And Bodaway have completed their spells!"