Page 5 of Strength of Desire

3

CORY

“What do you mean, moraghin want magic?” I asked Felix and Ash at dinner.

I kept my voice low. I didn’t think anyone at the other tables was paying attention to us, but I didn’t want to draw stares right now.

We’d gone straight to the refectory from the ball room. I was looking forward to changing clothes, but I wanted information even more. I set the bundled jacket Noah had given me on the floor by my feet.

“It’s what they eat,” Ash said.

I hoped that was some sort of exaggeration, but Felix nodded. “That, and the bodies of witches. We’re not exactly sure how it works, but moraghin only ever seek out witches. They feed on their power, and often that means feeding on them literally. Moraghin will kill regular humans or other paranormal beings if we get in their way, but it’s the witches that they really want.”

“They’re basically walking, non-talking, magical zombies,” Ash said, stabbing a piece of kale with his fork. “Their bodies are rotting around them, and the only thing that extends their life—if you can call it that—is feeding on more witches. They live to consume, and once they’ve got your scent, you either have to kill them or be killed by them. And even if you do kill them, if any of their blood gets inside you, you’ve got about twenty-four hours, max, before you begin to turn.”

He twirled the kale around on his salad plate and shuddered. I couldn’t stop myself from doing the same—the shuddering, not the kale. I’d opted for another plate of chicken tenders, but it was growing cold in front of me. I didn’t have much appetite.

“That’s awful,” I said. “There’s nothing you can do to stop it, if someone’s infected?”

Ash grimaced. “Not that anyone’s figured out. The kindest thing is to knock them unconscious and then, well, you know. You make it as quick and painless as possible.”

I stared at him, aghast. My mind raced back to Erika, up in the infirmary. Was that why Cinda had put her under a spell? Was she telling the truth about not knowing if Erika was infected? Or was she just trying to get us out of the room before she…

“Jesus.” I shook my head. It was horrible to contemplate. It did make a little more sense out of Noah’s actions, though.

He was afraid I’d been infected. That I was a danger to everyone else. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to look at me. He was probably envisioning having to kill me before I killed anyone else.

“Now you know why we were so happy you were okay,” Felix said, smiling warmly and, I suspected, trying to change the subject. “Although, I’ll point out, this does pretty much confirm that you’re some kind of witch.”

“That’s true!” Ash said. “I hadn’t thought of that. But there’s no reason for a moragh to go after you if you’re not one.”

I didn’t know what to make of that.WasI a witch? Surely the dean would have mentioned it if I were. But maybe eating an incubus was the one exception to the moragh’s dietary rule, their equivalent of a cheat day.

I was saved from responding when Ash caught sight of Min across the room and waved his fork to get her attention. His piece of kale flew off and landed on the worn brick floor.

“Hey,” Min said when she reached our table, Keelan trailing behind her. Their trays were piled with food. “Room for two more?”

“How are you guys?” Keelan added.

“Forget howweare,” Ash said over Felix’s, ‘Of course.’ “How areyouguys? We never got to talk to you after class today. Are you—have you been—” he broke off and winced. “Is there any more news about Erika?”

“She’s fine,” Min said, a relieved smile breaking across her face. “Cinda cleared her a few minutes ago—we were there when she told the dean. She said her whole bloodstream was clear of any infection. She has to stay in the infirmary for two nights to rest, and she can’t do Combat for a couple of weeks, but otherwise, she’s fine.”

“I’m sure the dean will make an announcement soon,” Keelan said. He sat down next to Felix, and Min sat on his other side, between him and Ash. I was grateful they were still wearing their grubby clothes as well. It made me feel slightly less noticeable. “He was still in the infirmary when we left.”

I could see tension drain out of Felix and Ash’s faces at the news. Felix’s shoulders fell away from his ears a little, and Ash actually ate a bite of his salad instead of just playing with it.

“Did the dean say anything about how the moraghin got in?” Felix asked, his brow furrowing.

Despite the day’s grim events, I had to stifle a chuckle. Relaxed Felix had lasted for all of five seconds.

“Not to us,” Keelan said with a shrug. “But I’m not sure he would.”

“He mentioned something about the wards to Cinda,” Min put in, “but they stopped talking as soon as they realized Keelan and I were in the doorway. Can’t let freshmenknowanything, right?”

She shared a dark glance with Ash, but then brightened and smiled at me.

“I’m Min, by the way. I know we’ve seen each other around before, but it feels weird to not introduce myself.”

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