Page 12 of Fated for Flames

This was it—my first solid lead—and I was determined not to let it slip through my fingers. I was damn sure not going to continue swallowing what could potentially be poison, as I had naively done in the past, especially not when it came from the very hand that had thrust me into the flames.

With one last breath to steel myself, I knocked on the door. As I waited for it to open, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making a huge mistake. But there was no turning back now. I was in this for the long haul, no matter where it led me.

One thing was for sure though: I would never let myself be the victim again. No matter who I had to face, no matter what I had to do, I would fight back.

After all, wasn’t that why I’d been given a second chance? To fight back against those who had wronged me? To reclaim my destiny and rewrite my story?

Yes, I decided, as the door finally opened. This was my fight. And I wouldn’t back down, not now, not ever.

As I entered Professor Lucien’s office, the rumors about his looks didn’t disappoint. He was tall, with dark, golden skin and piercing green eyes. His dark hair was tied neatly at the nape, giving him the air of a genius scholar straight out of the tales I used to devour as a child. His office was large and cluttered, books and scrolls piled high, and had an unmistakable sense of someone who lived amid their work.

Turned out the “he’d be happy to help” statement from Adrien was a huge exaggeration. The grumpy potions master was nothing like his shy yet friendly younger brother.

His demeanor was cautious and his wariness palpable. He eyed me with a mix of curiosity and disdain; the Luminary Coven’s reputation clearly preceded me.

“You need help with an elixir?” he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Nervously, I retrieved the small bottle from my bag. At the sight of it, Professor Lucien’s expression darkened, and he swiftly grabbed the bottle from my hands.

“This stuff is illegal,” he barked, anger flaring in his eyes. “I should report you for possessing it. It reeks of black magic.”

Shit.

This was a mistake.

I shouldn’t have come here.

I hurried to explain, panic rising. “I had no idea,” I stammered. “I’ve been taking it since I was a young girl. It was given to me…for my seizures.”

Professor Lucien continued to scowl, staring at me, the air thick with tension.

He turned his eyes to the bottle, and I slowly exhaled.

Curiosity morphed his expression as he examined the potion more closely. He uncorked the bottle and placed a few drops into a small, enchanted basin, murmuring incantations that made the air thrum with power.

“This potion…it has a dual purpose,” he mused after a moment, his frown deepening. “But I’ll need to investigate further. It seems it might be a conduit; I believe someone has been siphoning your magic.”

What the fuck?

Professor Lucien suggested calling a friend over, one who was a healer, capable of scanning me to verify the nature of the seizures and the potion’s effects.

“I… I suppose that’s all right,” I conceded, a mix of fear and hope battling within me. Trusting Professor Lucien felt like a leap into the unknown, but the chance to unravel the mystery of my condition left me with no other viable option.

“I’ll make the call,” he said, reaching for his phone.

As he spoke to his healer friend, I became lost in thought. My magic was being siphoned. My mind raced, tracing back through recent events, especially the lunch with Lia. Her appearance had been noticeably diminished, almost as if she was withering away. Could it be that she was the one benefiting from my stolen magic? Although, she did not seem to know why her magic seemed off.

The thought sent a shiver of inhibited rage down my spine.

Had the matriarch orchestrated this so Lia could leech off my strength and amplify her powers?

Lia was not a powerful witch despite being the matriarch’s daughter, but the idea that they would resort to theft was not entirely shocking given what I had been through.

Was this why I had been sacrificed? Chosen to be drained for the sake of bolstering Lia? My magic was potent, but to think it was being illegally siphoned behind my back and used to empower someone else was a betrayal of everything I believed our coven stood for.

Being targeted, weakened, possibly even endangered, all so Lia could rise on the back of my strength. It was an immoral gamble with my life and essence.

As these thoughts swirled through my mind, I began seething. I needed answers, yes, but more than that, I needed justice.

---