Page 263 of The Blairville Legacies

His whisper reached my ear and I thought I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, causing goose bumps to spread up my neck.

And there it was again, the light citrus note mingling with his masculine scent.

I didn't know which Greek god was with me at the moment, but I found the courage to turn my head in his direction without being frightened by the proximity of his face.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

It was strangely mesmerizing to look up close at how his jawbones moved and how much masculinity the shimmering golden three-day beard gave him.

“You knowexactlywhat I'm talking about, Julie,” I looked up automatically and our eyes met. That was the second he turned away from me and walked past me. “Blair...”

He headed for the windows facing the courtyard, where some stone Greek gods lounged in the center of a fountain.

“Let me guess.” He stopped and turned back to me with his hands behind his back. “Earth Quatura?” I couldn't help my eyes widening.“No?”He smirked and came back. “Then all that's left isair.”

He stopped half a meter in front of me and looked down at me as if he wanted to humiliate me. As if he wanted this tingling sensation to spread through my stomach while I lost all control over my facial expressions.

“How...” I barely managed to get out.

I knew I had lost. And the only thing that could help me was the bottle in the top pocket of my rucksack.

“I would be lying if I saidresearch,” he continued in a lowered, sharp voice, a slight smirk on his lips. “So, let me put it this way.” He stepped toward me, but this time I stepped back, toward the table where my backpack was. He followed me.“Old unpleasant acquaintances...”

Without hesitation, I reached for my backpack, but someone placed his hand on the top pocket. A hand on which a ring I didn't recognize was enthroned. A signet ring with a snake and a raven,not the wedding ring.

“Did I say you couldleave?”

I looked up from the bag and his defined hand at him, probably like an idiot, unable to defend herself.

He gave me a devastating smile, and immediately the chill from earlier shot back to my fingertips.

“Don't you eventhinkabout telling anyone about our little conversation.”

So, he was actually planning tolet me go?

This hope made me scrape together the last of the courage I needed to open the small side pocket of my backpack and pull out the transparent vial with the thorny rose seal. The symbol of the Councils...

I wanted to slip it unnoticed into my side pocket and continue walking backwards, but the professor was quicker and grabbed my wrist, freezing me in mid-motion.

His hands were incredibly warm. Or was I just...cold?

For a moment he stared concentrated at my wrist, then he lifted it.

“Open it, orIwill!” he ordered in a calm voice, and I opened my hand.

It was too late anyway.I had lost.

If the Circle – or worse – the Councils, found out about this, they would take care of the professor, but I wouldalsoreceive a suitable punishment for not reporting the problem immediately.

How could I have thought it would be a piece of cake to make this person forget?

Professor Tiberius took the vial from my hand and slipped it into his pocket before jerking me toward him and forcing me to look into his eyes.

“I can do things to you that will make you wish you had never challenged me, Julie.” Heat shot through my body. “And don't youeverthink of erasing my memory again.” Another strand of hair fell into his forehead, right in front of his left eye. “I'll be able to erase yours before you take your next breath.”

Wait...what?Was he joking right now? Was that an empty threat? How on earth... Did he really think he could use the forgetting serum on me that he had just stolenfromme?

If only he knew that I drank it every week and that it had long since lost its effect.