Page 119 of How to Flirt with a Witch

“I get that magic is a weapon and has to be regulated,” I say, trying for calmness. “I just hoped that…” I wave a hand, unsure how to finish the sentence in a way that isn’t selfish or naive. What, did I hope I was special because of my ability? Do I want to be the exception to the rule because I’m Natalie’s squeeze? I huff and change topics. “Have the Madsens ever managed to steal real magic? Or just Oaklyn’s dagger?”

She lifts a shoulder. “To our knowledge, they’re limited to the dagger. We have our suspicions about the dog, too.”

“You think he has magical properties?”

“There’s something abnormal about him.”

A chill ripples through me at the memory of Wyatt’s sharp gaze and chattering teeth. “Freddie already knew a vial is needed to neutralize a curse, but he didn’t seem to know much beyond that.”

Natalie freezes. Her face slackens, her eyes widening as if she’s spotted a monster. “What did you tell him?”

Oh. Shit.

“Nothing,” I say quickly.

“Then what did you mean bybeyond that?”

I open and close my mouth as her shock melts into something more dangerous. Her eyes narrow and her nostrils flare.

“I—I only mentioned Alchemy 13,” I say, hot shame returning. “That’s it.”

She throws her arms up. “Jesus Christ, Katie. What were you thinking?”

I try to stand, hiss at the pain in my ankle, and point to her instead. “I was thinking about how fucking angry I am that you’ve spent all this time lying to me about who you are and what CSAMM stands for!”

“So you agree with the Madsens, then?” Her voice rises, ringing through the room. “You’re ready to feed them information to help their cause?”

“That’s not what happened!”

My eyes burn, fury bubbling up. I’m angry at Natalie, at the Madsens, and now I can add myself to the mix for carelessly throwing around those words about the vials. What if I compromised CSAMM?

Natalie runs a hand through her hair and paces, her tension palpable. “Katie, what you’ve seen so far is magic in its most benign form.”

The statement takes a moment to sink in, oozing through the cracks this conversation is opening inside me.

Did she just call the ability to throw boulders at peoplebenign?

“Earth magic isn’t the only type of magic,” she says. “There’s another that’s completely forbidden—and it could bring the world to its knees if the Madsens got it.That’swhat you don’t understand.That’swhy our secrets are so important and what you don’t seem to grasp when you’re out there throwing information around to dangerous people.”

This news hits so hard that I forget to be angry. Is this what everyone’s so afraid of? Not earth magic, not anything I’ve seen, but a power so terrifying that nobody can even talk about it? “What kind of magic is it?”

She spits out a humorless laugh. “You think I’m going to tell you? Fuck, this was a mistake.”

The sting of her words is worse than anything else, hitting me like a punch to the gut. “What was? Bringing me here?”

She says nothing, pacing.

There’s a sensation like ice sliding down my back. Shecan’tmean it. I wait for her to soften, to apologize for saying something so hurtful.

Instead, she steps closer, her expression stern and her voice low. “You took an oath of secrecy. Amazing, really, how quickly you broke it.”

Gritting my teeth, I stand successfully this time, steady despite the pain. “Natalie, I amnotspilling secrets to the Madsens, and the fact that you don’t trust me is bullshit!”

“Well, you certainly told them something they didn’t knowbefore.”

Hot, furious tears prickle in my eyes. My nails dig into my palms. All this anger and she doesn’t even know how much I’ve been telling Hazel. Is this dumpster fire of secrecy and mistrust really what I signed up for when I swore my oath? How does anyone function here?

“Get out of my room,” I growl.