Page 68 of Fated for Flames

A few days later, we were all having lunch in the cafeteria. Theo hadn’t shown up and wasn’t responding to my texts.

I choked on my bite of fries, my eyes widening as I finally saw him stroll past us. His unfeeling gaze didn’t even acknowledge me as he moved in the direction of Lia’s table.

“Theo?” I called out.

He pivoted, his eyes cold. “Don’t talk to me,” he spat out, his words hitting me like a slap in the face.

“What?” I sputtered, my mind spinning. “Theo, can we talk?”

“I’m never talking to you again. You’re a liar.” He bit out each word like a venomous curse. “I might have fallen for your act if I didn’t know any better. But I’ve learned the truth now: you’re just a spoiled, manipulative witch who betrayed her closest friend. All for what? Sleeping with shifter scum.” He turned his icy glare toward Adrien. “You should run as far away from her as possible before she poisons you with her lies.”

Adrien stepped forward, raising his hands in a calming gesture. “Theo, I think you’re overreacting. You know Evelyn. She’s the least manipulative witch we know.”

Theo scoffed dismissively. “I’m done talking.”

With that final declaration, he turned and strode toward Lia’s table.

My stomach churned violently, and for a moment, I thought I might throw up right there in the middle of the cafeteria.

Adrien and a few others at our table exchanged baffled looks. A burst of laughter echoed from the witches at another table.

“I need to go,” I said to my friends before pushing away from the table.

My heart pounded as I sprinted through the maze of hallways to Lucien’s office. The corridors blurred past me as I ran. This was exactly what had happened last time. I only focused on one thought: there was no way I was losing Theo again.

42

Evelyn

Several hours later, I was once again in Lucien’s office waiting, anxious. The school day was now over, and the room had a thick tension hanging in the air. Rafe was by my side, a comforting presence despite the worry etched on his face. Across from us, Lucien sat at his desk, a portrait of concentration as he readied himself for what was to come.

The door opened, and in walked Chad. Behind him loomed Ryker. Although I was surprised to see Ryker, their arrival did nothing to ease the knot of anxiety in my stomach.

When I had rushed into Lucien’s office earlier that day, spilling out my suspicions about Theo being hexed, Lucien had listened with grave concern. After he’d asked Rafe to “bump” into Theo to assess the situation, it had been confirmed that there was indeed something off.

Lucien had then sent for Theo under the guise of a potions meeting. Not wanting to take any chances, he’d also asked me tobring Chad along for extra muscle, just in case things got out of hand. Without hesitation, Chad had agreed and brought Ryker along too.

Lucien had erected a magical barrier around his office to ensure our privacy. No sound would escape its confines.

The silence was broken by the sound of a knock on the door.

Theo stepped in, and his eyes found mine with a sneer. “What is the lying witch doing here?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Chad and Ryker jumped on him, securing him tightly in their hold.

I watched as Theo thrashed about like a trapped, wild animal. The obscenities he hurled were like shards of ice aimed to wound me. I felt each word cut deep, his venomous glare piercing through me. But beneath the fury, I recognized the puppet strings of the coven manipulating him, twisting his actions and words. This was a replay of the past but with a crucial difference: last time, I’d been alone, without allies or the knowledge of Theo’s manipulation.

My heart ached not just for myself but for him, too. They had turned him against me before, using him as a weapon to inflict maximum pain. I was determined not to let them succeed again.

Rafe moved forward, his gentle touch soothing Theo’s raging emotions. The trashing subsided, replaced by curses.

After a moment, Rafe’s diagnosis was grim; Theo was under a spell that had tampered with his memories. It would be a difficult task to reverse the effects, but they had to keep him conscious.

I couldn’t help the tears as I tried to comfort him.

“It’s okay, Theo,” I whispered despite his continued curses.

Lucien and Rafe got to work immediately, meticulously purging the dark magic infesting Theo and untangling the web of false memories implanted in his mind.

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