Page 21 of Midnight Hunt

Because they’d given me a clue. A necromancer who needed to prove themselves to their family? They were definitely in their graduating year, someone in power, and from an important lineage.

I hated to admit it, but I was about to commit more than one questionable crime. I needed to get back to my cauldron and do what I do best—make a potion.

Chapter Thirteen:

~Lochlainn O'Hare~

“Randolph, it is best if you do not speak of what you saw.” I grimaced at my RA. He made a face, a mix of confusion and awkwardness.

“The part where I saw you and Valerie?” he squeaked, putting his back to the cave wall.

“Correct,” I sighed heavily. “Look, Randolph—”

“Professor, it’s none of my business. I mean, Valerie’s a grad student, and you’re not really the type to, well, you know—you’ve never been THAT kind of professor that makes it weird. Plus…if we’re being honest…Kahrina kind of owes me five gold now.”

“What?” I barked, baffled—nay, bewildered, as I stumbled backward.

“I may have thought you two were already, you know, banging. I mean, why else would she get special treatment?” Randolph shrugged with a ‘sorry, not sorry’ expression plastered to his face.

“I have given her no special treatment!” I defended, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Sir, you moved her into The Grove without a second thought, she was given a single room, when most initiates are bunked in clumps of four, and you eat breakfast with her most mornings. It took me three months as your RA to get even lunch with you once a week.” He flashed a knowing smirk at me. I scowled, but my underling only smiled to himself as he averted his gaze. “I’m not saying she’s getting any perks that matter in the grand scheme of things. Kahrina told me you haven’t graded her any easier, and I mean, I’ve seen her working. She’s not getting special treatment in anything that changes anything, but…she is for things that I notice because I know you, Professor. Kahrina bet she was secretly related to you, but I bet the more realistic case that you two were romantically involved. I mean, come on, Valerie is-”

Randolph let out a low whistle, then peaked up at me, “And let’s not mention how pretty you are, Professor.”

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. “Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Randolph.”

“All I’m saying is I’m not surprised and it’s still none of my business.” He threw his hands up like white flags.

“Thank you,” I snorted.

“And I mean…get it.” He snickered to himself before shamefully looking away. “Um, you should see if she’s dressed. Kahrina is probably worried or something.”

I sent him awe will discuss this laterlook before pushing open the cave once more. The fire went out, so I ripped off a thick branch near arm and fashioned a hasty torch. Igniting it, I found Valerie leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths while glaring at a particular spot across the cave. I glanced at it, but found no one else in there with her. “Valerie, are you alright?”

“Just wobbly, all things considered,” she chuckled, winking at me. I smiled involuntarily, extending a hand to her.

“Good, then we need to be off.” She crept toward me. I scooped her up to my side, glancing behind her one last time. As if willing whoever or whatever she was staring down to show itself. It did not. I returned my focus to her. I would come back later to retrieve all our stuff.Well, my stuff; I’d torn her clothes off.

She ducked through the cave entrance and gave Randolph a weak, two finger salute. He smirked, returning the motion. “Good to see you’re alive.”

“More or less,” she ended with a squeak as my palm found it’s way to her ass cheek sharply. Valerie glared at me over her shoulder but scurried through the trees. “How bad is the damage?”

“To The Grove? Not bad, given that half our building is made of wood and leaves, but thankfully all the students rallied together to put out the flames. Only two rooms were destroyed,” he explained as we steadily climbed the hilly forest. It would be faster if I wild shaped, but then I’d arrive without pants once more.

“Mine being one,” Valerie grumbled, “I just bought new shoes too.”

“And Kahrina’s.”

“What!” Valerie and I barked. Valerie continued without missing a beat, “Is she okay? You said she helped, so she’s okay, right? She’s not…”

Randolph put up a hand, her worrying words died down with a huff. “Kahrina, as per usual, was in the lobby working on her project with a few other druids. She wasn’t even near her room.”

“The Oak Father blesses us this day,” I exhaled heavily. “We should hurry.”

“You two go ahead,” Valerie flapped her hands ahead of her, shooing us.

“You know I can’t do that. Likely what the arsonist wants is to get you alone,” I warned, stopping us. “Randolph, help me summon a tree-to-tree portal.”

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