Page 4 of These Unhallowed Halls (Equinox Seasons Duet #2)

W e’d barely gotten settled in the dorm room, which was just as stately and filled with dark wood trim as the rest of the academy’s interior, when Lizzie dragged me out of the room to “explore.” As much as I wanted to stay back in the dorm—and maybe pretend to be asleep when Lizzie went to the bonfire—I had to admit that I was interested in seeing the rest of the campus.

There were so many buildings and dorms, but the sun had set fast after we’d arrived.

Or at least it had felt like it, considering it was the night before the equinox and all.

And that had meant that I wasn’t able to get a good look at the structures in the light.

Even still, the place was lit up by glowing street lamps that flickered beautifully, and I’d swooned over them plenty.

“And look at that, it’s about midnight. I managed to keep you walking around this place for a full three hours.

” Lizzie smirked over her shoulder at me, still wearing the same black, low-cut shirt that sat off the shoulder, even though the temperature had dropped considerably since the sun went down.

“You have no choice but to go to the bonfire with me. No pretending to be asleep.”

I gaped at her and then stomped my foot down, crossing my arms over my chest, which was thankfully covered in a thick black sweater because I wasn’t getting cold. I hated to be cold.

“Don’t read my mind, Elizabeth.” She narrowed her eyes at me, dropping her head over her shoulder as she mirrored my arm cross. “We talked about this.”

“I’m aware we talked about it, Temperance . And it doesn’t take a mind reader to know that was your plan. I’ve lived with you for three years, dude. I know how you get out of things.”

We were at a standoff now because I didn’t think she was lying to me, but she’d still manipulated me into staying out when she knew I wanted to go back to the dorm and avoid the raucous socialization.

“Come on, Temps. I want to meet people and see what the community is like. This is as new for me as it is for you, and believe it or not, I want to make some friends.” I eyed her.

“Okay, at least some acquaintances. Plus , I want to do this with you . We did it. We made it to the academy without our parents freaking out and shit. Let’s celebrate. ”

Dammit. She had me there. I couldn’t deny her when she was actually being genuine with me. It would forever be my weakness. Lizzie said so much as one sweet thing that she actually meant to me, and I was a goner.

“Fine, but you owe me.”

Walking over to her, I looped my arm through hers, a dumb move but one I was doing anyway because I was nervous as hell to make an ass out of myself at what could like be a Mabon bacchanal.

“I will let you have all the time with the dusty, old books tomorrow. Promise.” She practically crooned the words, leading me to the center of campus where we could see the glow of a fire even from here.

It had to be huge, and I was glad I’d chosen to wear my thicker leggings and boots so that walking across the cobblestones didn’t hurt my feet so much.

Lizzie was at the very least covered there because she never went anywhere without wearing her trusty Docs.

She could use that leather jacket she liked so much with the chill in the air.

However, I supposed that the fire would be able to keep us warm enough.

We arrived at the bonfire a few minutes later, our walk filled with casual conversation about what our classes would be like.

Obviously, I was most looking forward to Alchemy 101, and Lizzie was excited for the telepathy course she’d signed up for.

By the time we reached the massive inferno that towered into the sky, I was ready to stand by the flames and warm up.

“I still can’t believe you’re not cold.”

Lizzie smiled, unhooking her arm from mine and doing a little spin as she closed in on the fire. “Who could be cold around you?”

My cheeks heated, and I swallowed hard. I wasn’t about to respond to that one, and unfortunately, Lizzie was already weaving her way through the massive crowd toward the front so that she could have ring-side seats to the fire’s flickering yellows and oranges.

At least it would be warm if also densely packed with bodies.

“Wait up!”

Hurrying up to her, I made sure I didn’t lose Lizzie in the crowd, grabbing her hand again so that we didn’t get separated. All she did was laugh and smile at me, and damn her for being so damn gorgeous in the light of the fire.

For too long, I was silent, just staring at her while Lizzie danced without letting go of my hand, her movements matching the beat of a drum circle I couldn’t see.

Her full lips were split into a wide grin, her loose braid bouncing this way and that as she forced me to dance with her.

I shook my head, smiling even as I cursed my lack of rhythm and frail body.

Years of being a “hospital baby” had taken their toll, and even just remembering it made the scar on my chest burn.

It was this dumb psychological reaction, my useless embarrassment over the fact that I’d had heart troubles as a kid and needed surgery.

Three, in fact. But once I’d grown into an adult, all that was required was the annual check-up to ensure the old ticker was still working correctly.

I was all good now, really, even if the genetic abnormality had made me the “runt of the litter,” so to speak. I was short, thin, and just a bit too delicate-looking. Not that I was. I could run and do sport, not that I was interested in that, but all in all, I was normal.

You know, except for being a witch…and attracted to my stepsister.

Don’t go there, Temps. Your mother would have a coronary.

And even when I was objective, I wasn’t sure that her reaction wouldn’t provoke a literal heart attack.

My mom’s weird obsession with religion since Dad’s death had gotten less than queer-friendly.

She’d never said anything about it before, but now, it was all “it says in the book” this and “it’s just not natural” that.

Stupid .

“Ooh! There’s Mabon cider!” Lizzie’s voice threw me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see her pointing at a quaint little stand off to the side. “Want some?”

“Sure.” I nodded, forcing a smile. “Grab us both one. I’ll wait here and hold our spot.”

“Cool, cool.”

Lizzie ran off, and I waited by the fire, going utterly still and silent.

I had to pry my eyes away from watching her leave, her skirt swishing just below the curves of her ass as she did.

I hated how I couldn’t stop myself from fawning over her as much as I did.

I felt weak for not being able to keep myself in check, but at least I had the company of the fire to keep me distracted for a bit.

I let my mind go empty as I stared into the flames, eventually holding out my hand and twirling my fingers to make the ones closest to me dance how I wanted them to.

People nearby, witches who played tricks on each other or held polite conversation like the adults they were, created a din of constant sound all around me.

But as soon as I’d gotten comfortable in the moment, the group closest to me left, leaving a hole in the gathered crowd.

Unable to keep myself from glancing that way, I stared across the courtyard toward the next person to take up space on this side of the fire.

Oh .

The man standing there was staring right back at me, our eyes meeting and holding like I was under some kind of spell, which wasn’t totally out of the question considering where I was. I needed to look away. It was bordering on rude now, but I just couldn’t .

He was older than me for sure, but the man was undeniably attractive, his dark hair curled and falling over his forehead in little curly-Qs that I wanted to run my fingers through.

He had a thick beard as well, manicured and trimmed, but dark and framing his full lips.

I couldn’t tell what color his eyes were in this lighting, but they peered into me regardless, the light catching on streaks of white that cut through his bangs.

I had to assume he was a professor here, wearing the apparently standard tweed jacket over his shirt. It was a brown color, muddled in the glow of the fire, and a soft-looking scarf wrapped around his neck.

He even has a vest on. Fuck, Temperance, no. Stop staring. You’re being a weirdo.

But as I stood there, finally able to pull my eyes away for just a moment before I was looking back up again, the professor was crossing the distance, headed right toward me.

“Oh no.” I fumbled in place, looking this way and that for some escape route I could take back to the dorms, but every other inch of this place was crawling with students and faculty. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit.”

This was bad. Had I broken some unspoken rule? Was I not supposed to stare at handsome professors for another reason besides the fact that it was sort of rude? Oh, my gods. I’m going to get kicked out of school on the first night?! Do something, Temps!

He was closing in on me, and all I could do was start practicing what to say to him in my head, ways to plead for him not to throw me out on my ass.

Why did my damn hormones have to be such assholes?

I was just beginning a new chapter of my life, and already I was plagued with this nonsense that was now stretching beyond Lizzie and to another forbidden person—a professor.

“Hey,” Lizzie was suddenly in front of me, and I’d never been so glad to see her in my entire life, “you want to head back? I did drag you out, and I suppose I can be nice.”

I shot a glance past her shoulder, watching the professor stop short and then dart his eyes away, turning around and getting the hell away from the fire about as quickly as I wanted to.

Keeping my voice as level as I could, I plastered on a grin and took the cider she offered me. “Yes. Yes, I do. Thanks, Lizzie.”

“Of course, Temps. What are sisters for?”