Page 58 of Fated for Flames

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My heart pounded as I walked into the cafeteria the next day. I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes on me, but I held my head high, my spine straight, my steps firm.

I scanned the room, my gaze landing on a table where three witches were sitting.

As I approached, their conversation trailed off, and their smirks faltered as they took me in.

“Hello, witches,” I greeted coolly, sliding into the seat across from them.

Their smirks were gone now, replaced with wide-eyed surprise.

“I believe I owe you thanks for the dorm makeover.” I met each of their surprised gazes with a steely one of my own. “I love it, actually.”

Their eyes widened further as I let out a small ripple of magic. It wasn’t much, just enough to make them flinch. My ears felt hot because of how angry I was and how I wanted to contain myself, so I forced myself to remain calm and composed.

“But let me remind you who I am,” I continued, “as it seems some of you might have forgotten.”

The cafeteria was deathly quiet now; everyone had felt my magic ripple through the room.

I pointed at my eyes. “You see these gold eyes?” My voice was low but carried throughout the room. “Well, it means that I have more power in my little finger than the three of you combined.”

To emphasize my point, I let out another powerful ripple of magic that created creases on the wooden table. This time, they didn’t just flinch; they cowered.

A few people in the cafeteria yelped.

“And let’s be clear,” I added when their faces had turned pale with fear, “since I have everyone’s attention: I am not a traitor.”

I pushed myself up from the table on shaky legs. My vision was speckled with black spots, and I felt weak, but I refused to let it show. I made my way to Theo’s table and slid into the seat next to him, grabbing his juice for a sip.

As the buzz of the cafeteria started up again, I winked at Theo.

“I heard,” he said, his voice filled with concern. “Are you okay, Eve?”

“Always,” I replied with a smile. “Just needed to teach some silly witches a lesson.”

Hopefully, that power display would put an end to the hazing and make them think twice before confronting me again. I knew flaunting my power would enrage Lia, revealing my strength for all to see, but I was no longer the shy, broken witch standing on the sidelines.

Even if they were unaware of my magic restrictions, standing up for myself was non-negotiable. I just hoped it would deter them, as I wasn’t sure I could withstand another display like that.

37

Evelyn

Life settled into a routine, my days blending into one another as I juggled training, classes, and the ongoing mystery of my bound magic.

The bullying had stopped. Whispers lingered, but my display of magic had reminded everyone of my true power.

I was happy when Saturday arrived since weekends were my favorite.

Mornings with Chad were a whirlwind of laughter and sweat, his easy charm and playful jibes keeping me on my toes. But lately, training sessions had become more…interesting.

It had started subtly at first. He’d remove his T-shirt during our workout, citing the heat as his excuse, but it was late November! I’d catch him flexing his muscles more often, the sight of his lean, sculpted torso causing a flutter in my stomach.

His half-naked physique became an increasingly familiar sight during our training sessions, drawing my attention to hischiseled abs and sculpted pectorals glistening with sweat. The visual treat left me breathless every time he shed his shirt in faux innocence.

“Did you know I can do a thousand push-ups without breaking a sweat?” he asked one day, flashing me a wide grin as he dropped and started doing push-ups.

I sat on the grass, watching him with an amused smile. “Impressive.”

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