Page 25

A s much as I wished I could forget all I’d learned from Liam that night, the next few days only added to my confusion.

He’d wanted me to work with him to find my Quirk .

.. had asked me to trust him. And then?

He disappeared. When we’d returned to Typhon’s class the next day, Liam wasn’t there, and no mention of him, either.

When Fable asked when he would be coming back to class, Typhon had told her that he had other matters to attend to.

But as luck would have it, Julius was still very much with us.

Although he tried to act decent when we were in class, he and his boy gang had taken to lobbing spitballs at us in the dining hall and making sure to let everyone he spoke to know that, as far as wizarding went, we all sucked.

Through it all, I had to listen to her berate me and put down the rest of House Phoenix.

By the end of day four, my ability to compartmentalize was fading rapidly as her digs continued to ramp up. Worse, I couldn’t stop staring out the window, waiting for the next full moon, knowing it was now part of a countdown.

The last ten minutes of our History of Magic class were spent on historical places that Nocta might try to use to gain power, or as a strategic holding point for his army. “Places where power is inherent,” Nikita said, tapping the map on the wall behind her. “Name one.”

Zeed leaned back in his chair. “Hidden places, like the old Welsh Dragon lairs, or the Waters of Pain near Heathermoor.”

Nikita gave him a begrudging nod. “Correct. Places where great power once resided will leave a lingering residue. But even something as simple as a wishing well can hold power in the Dwimmer world, because it takes on the wishes thrown carelessly into it. Words have power, even those cast without caution.”

Fable scribbled down notes as Nikita went on to talk about how most places of power were well hidden from plain sight, to keep people from using them.

“But Nocta will be looking, you can count on that. He’s cunning, and he knows that any advantage he can find will help him win this war.

” The gong sounded, announcing the end of classes for the day.

Time for dinner, and no more need to actually interact with Nikita.

If I didn’t count her hovering nearby at dinner.

Waiting for me outside of the bathroom.

Stalking my bedroom door.

I blew out a sigh.

The other students filtered out in their groups of two. Ellie and Zeed both gave me a pitying glance. I shot Fable a wink and mouthed a thank you. She smiled, ducked her head, and then they were gone, leaving just me and my shadow.

“Really, it’s a wonder any of you even bothered to come back to Neverthorn.” She bent over her desk, taking her time to tidy the books, papers and the like littered across it. There was no point in reminding her that it hadn’t been my choice.

“Nocta is the strongest Dwimmer our world has seen in a thousand years. And they think one of you middling wizards has a chance to even get close to him? Not a Quirk among you thus far.”

I leaned against the wall, knowing better than to argue. I’d heard worse in my life, and as much as I disliked her, I did have the ability to just ignore her – or pretend to ignore her. That seemed to bother her more than when I fought with her.

“What are you grinning about?”

I pressed my hands flat to the wall behind me. “Just thinking of how a fight would go between us if we weren’t inside these walls with all their pesky rules.”

One brow rose and she shot me back a smile of her own. “You’re kidding, right? You think you could best me? At rune casting?”

“Nope.” She started to nod, and I pressed on, “I know I could.”

“You trained for less than four months before quitting. I’ve been teaching magic for longer than that. Your confidence borders on delusional.”

“You’ve practiced magic in a vacuum, protected by your position. I’ve used it to survive all these years. I promise you, Nikita, there is a difference.”

She turned away, but not before I saw the fury tighten her lips.

“You don’t know anything about me, Harlow.

You come back with your tough-girl boots and bad attitude like you’re doing us a favor.

” She let out a hollow chuckle as she turned back to face me.

“Tarquinius is compelled by the prophecy and needs to do his due diligence, but I promise you, no one wants you here. You’re nothing but a thorn in our collective side. ”

Hot embarrassment raced through me, because I knew she was right on all counts.

“And, honestly, it’s sort of embarrassing watching you moon over Typhon.

He’ll toe the line because Tarquinius asked him to, but you were nothing to him when you came here the first time around, and you’re nothing to him now.

We’re both just waiting for everyone else to realize it so we can send you packing. ”

Just hearing her use the term “we” for her and Typhon was enough to turn embarrassment into fury. I spun the rune before I thought better of it, the same one I’d used on the creature that had attacked me in the Nevershoppes. One for breaking down doors.

Nikita’s eyes widened and she dove to the side an instant before a satisfying crack filled the air and the stone wall behind her splintered.

She stared at me, wide-eyed, and shook her head.

“By Hecate’s heart, you’re a menace. Lucky thing your half-assed little rune didn’t hit its mark.”

I didn’t bother to tell her that if I’d actually wanted to hit her, she’d be on the ground.

“Yeah, I’m a wildcard. I could’ve killed you. I think we can both agree it’d be best for everyone involved if I got a new partner for this rule of two thing.”

“Tarquinius is the one who assigned me to you, and he’s not going to change his mind.” She let out a weary sigh as she motioned to the notebook on her desk. “So do us both a favor, Harlow, and wish us the hell out of this.”

She turned on her heel and stormed from the room.

Still buzzing with adrenaline, I glanced down at the page she’d flipped to.

Wishing Wells in the Northern Hemisphere

While there are arguments that no true wishing wells exist any longer in the southern hemisphere, that does not hold true for the north. Three wells are known to be in existence, though hidden from Dwimmers and Dims alike, for their power is unlike that of any other artifact or place of power.

The first of the wishing wells is hidden on an island on the west coast of the continent. Known as the well of rain, it has been cloaked from sight for years. The last known wish was that the region be inundated with rain after a particularly bad drought, hence the name.

The second of the wishing wells has been masked effectively, and resides in Greece, not far from the ruins of Troy.

This second wishing well is known to be particularly specific and so the language used when making your wish must be exact.

This well was used to help Achilles achieve his strength, but he forgot to mention not having any weakness.

I almost stopped reading but pressed on when one word caught my attention.

Neverthorn.

The final well known to be in existence is within the grounds of Neverthorn itself.

An island hidden from all, and protected by the strongest of Dwimmers, it would be the well that is best protected.

Legend has it that Tarquinius himself cast a hiding rune on the well after a student wished their nemesis away, and they were never found again.

I turned the page with a trembling finger. The top line had been erased, but the next was all I needed.

The use of a wishing well is simple. A valuable offering must be made, then your desire spoken both in mind and by mouth. If the offering is acceptable, then the wish will be granted.

It didn’t say anything else, not about the exact location of the well, or how I could find it. But ... Nikita had just given me a way out. Not just out of our bond, but out of this place.

Forever.

Words I’d thought would never come out of me were whispered over that simple notebook. “Thank you, Nikita Elmwood.”

If I found the well, I could literally wish me and Opie anywhere in the world, never to be found again. I could get us away from Nocta. Away from Nikita.

Away from Typhon . . .

Brushing my fingers across the page, I knew in my heart that it was for the best for me but especially for Opie. I had to get her out of here before she realized the truth.

I could do this. I knew I could.

Because if there was one thing I was good at, it was finding things that were meant to stay hidden.