Page 53 of Twisted Ties

“Yes, you, Rhianna Blackwaters. She is not worth getting expelled over, even if that would deliver you straight back into the waiting arms of your very hot mate.” She tilts her head to one side. “You could always tell your mate what happened.”

I can feel my mate’s anxiety through the bond. I’m pretty sure he got a blast of my emotions during that shower ordeal and is obviously not very happy about it.

I reach into my locker, pulling out my phone and finding three missed calls and five messages from him.

“He’s definitely concerned,” I mumble.

“I bet he’d put an end to Summer’s mischief,” Winnie says darkly.

“I’m not having Azlan fight my battles for me.”

“Seriously? Because if I had a six-foot-five giant of a mate, I’d let him fight every single one of my battles.”

“Nope, I can take care of myself. He already saved my neck once, and look what it cost him.”

Winnie frowns.

“Cost him an amazing, beautiful mate.”

I roll my eyes and tap out a reply to Azlan.

Rhi:I’m fine. Just a disagreement with one of the girls in my class.

I addtwo smiley faces in the hope he’ll believe my bid to downplay the incident. I bet the man in black never uses emojis. I bet he doesn’t even know what a smiley face means. Then again, I’m not sure I do either.

Immediately, my phone rings in my hand, but I decline it.

Rhi:I’m about to go into class. I’ll call you later.

I shovemy phone into my bag before he can call again and tug on my uniform.

“Come on,” I say, beckoning to Winnie, “I don’t want a lecture from Dr. Johnson for being late. Let’s not give Summer that satisfaction as well.”

Practical Magicwith Dr. Johnson should, in theory, be one of my favorite lessons; a chance to test my actual magical abilities and stretch my wings. However, Dr. Johnson’s obvious infatuation with Summer has always made these lessons painful. The entire lesson often seems to be devoted to worshiping her favorite student, while torturing me. More often than not we’re forced to watch the head cheerleader perform for us and then made to clap whenever she demonstrates yet another magical skill. Plus the doctor has a great knack for turning a blind eye to Summer’s cruel remarks and mean behavior.

It’s the last thing I need.

Today’s lesson, however, turns out to be different. Dr. Johnson meets us at the classroom door and tells us we’ll beheading to the meadow at the far side of the academy’s gardens.

“We need outside space to practice this particular magic, boys and girls,” she says, her eyes straying to Summer and lingering on the neck of her shirt.

“What do you think we’ll be practicing?” I ask Winnie as we follow the line of other students along the pathway and through the gardens, the heady aroma of blossoms hovering in the sunlit air and bees buzzing eagerly from flower head to flower head. Flowers that wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my labor in the gardens.

“Hmmm,” Winnie says, twisting her braids around her head and pinning them in place as we walk. “Could be defensive or battle magic? We’d definitely require space for that.”

“Battle magic,” my spirits lift, “I like the sound of that.” I grin at my friend. “Especially if it means I can get a little revenge for all those smutty comments.”

“Smutty comments? Me?” Winnie says, with a feigned look of innocence.

I giggle and hook my arm through hers, relieved to be back in her company. The man in black may be hot but he’s also intense. I feel on edge in his company. With Winnie I can be myself – and not worry about saying the wrong thing, or having food stuck between my teeth.

However, any hopes that I might be paired with my best friend for this assignment are quickly squashed.

“You’ll be working in pairs,” Dr. Johnson says as the last student filters through the hedgerows and into the meadows. I’ve only been here once, when out searching for Pip and that day, low clouds had hung in the air, blocking the view. Today, the bright blue sky drags on forever and so do the endless fields and countryside. For a moment I’mmesmerized by it and almost miss Dr. Johnson’s next instruction. “Listen out for your names please.”

She starts to reel off names in pairs, several students either groaning their displeasure or thumping the air in triumph. I don’t know why. Dr. Johnson hasn’t even told us what we’ll be doing in this lesson. Of course, Summer is paired with Aysha and the two rush into each other’s arms like they’ve just been reunited after years apart. I throw Winnie an unamused look and she waves a little apology, already standing beside her partner, Andrew’s friend, Dane.

When my name’s called my gaze flicks away from the view and back to our teacher. The name that follows has most of the class gasping and then whispering behind their hands.