Page 20 of Fated for Flames

Professor Lucien released Rafe and made his way over to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder for a moment before quickly pulling back, probably wary of sparking another reaction. The good news was, I was so exhausted that I didn’t even flinch. Then he turned and moved off to sift through various vials on a nearby shelf.

“We’ll try a new incantation next week,” he said, his voice carrying a note of finality. “I might have a potion that could help. If we combine its effects with Rafe’s unbinding attempt, we might have a chance.”

I glanced at Rafe, who gave me a reassuring smile despite his weariness. My chest tightened with gratitude for their support and determination.

“We’ll get through this, Evelyn,” Rafe said softly. “We’re not giving up on you.”

And with that promise hanging in the air, we agreed to meet again the following week. I didn’t know what would happen then, but I did know one thing: I wouldn’t give up.

15

Evelyn

Monday passed swiftly. That night, I sent a quick text to Lia, making sure everything was okay. I was getting worried, as she still wasn’t back. She replied, reassuring me that she would be back before the end of the week.

Then, before I knew it, it was Tuesday evening. I’d agreed to a movie night with Theo and had also invited Adrien. I was a coward, yes, but I wasn’t prepared to spend time alone with Theo. The memory of his former self was still too raw.

We gathered in Theo’s room, as his was the largest. His family, powerful and steeped in considerable magic, afforded him a few added luxuries at the academy. In contrast, my family’s modest means denied me such luxuries, though this would change when I could claim my inheritance at eighteen. I would finally be able to move out of the coven’s estate, Morgana no longer my legal guardian, and move into my parent’s home.Yet, I didn’t mind the lack of space, I actually loved my little room at the Academy.

A mountain of pillows was piled up in the middle of the floor, creating a comfortable nest for us to settle into. Theo and Adrien had already started to arrange themselves among the cushions, leaving a space for me.

I felt hesitant at the doorway. The old Evelyn would have died of envy just about now, but the new me was still traumatized.

“Come on, Eve,” Theo called out, his voice breaking through my thoughts. “You’re not going to watch the movie from there, are you?”

I forced a smile and moved toward them. “Only if it’s a horror movie,” I quipped, trying to lighten my mood.

Adrien laughed at that, his face brightening. “No horror movies tonight,” he assured me. “Theo chose the film, and it’s an action thriller.”

I settled down between them. Theo’s choice of movie didn’t surprise me. He always preferred films with fast-paced plots and unexpected twists. But as we started watching, my mind wandered elsewhere.

Being with them like this felt strange yet familiar at the same time. It reminded me of our younger days when things were simpler and my biggest worry was acing a class and not trying to get sacrificed or accidentally killing myself using my magic.

I snorted.

Both guys turned to me with elevated eyebrows. The scene in the movie was not a funny one; the guy was being tortured.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. We watched the movie, laughed at Theo’s commentary, and snacked on popcorn and soda.

It felt normal. It felt nice.

The movie finished, and we just chatted for a bit.

“I have to attend Mal-Intent tomorrow,” I groaned. The class from hell met not once, but twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“You’ve missed the last two classes,” Theo said.

“Yep.” I popped thep. “It was intentional, but the academic counselor told me I couldn’t miss another one or it would be an automatic fail.”

I couldn’t hide from Miss Crazypants any longer.

“Why did you skip?” Adrien asked.

“Miss Clarissa just freaks me out,” I admitted, opting for a vague explanation over the raw truth.

A snort of laughter escaped Theo. “Ever noticed how she gets this odd, aroused look whenever she’s demonstrating a spell, either on herself or some unwilling student?”

Her demonstrations often veered toward the painful kind, and I knew for a fact she did enjoy torturing others.

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