Page 44 of Hexmate

I swallowed hard, feeling sweat begin to bead on my forehead. “My father... he, um, he has some influence with the board. He got me special permission.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. Damien Cromwell did have considerable sway at the academy, though I’d never actually used it. The thought of asking him for anything made my skin crawl.

The professor studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she nodded slowly. “I see. Well, Mr. Cromwell, I applaud your initiative. And I hope to see you put just as much effort into your future projects as you did this one. Should you continue this trend, I see no reason why your power should not grow along with it.”

I nodded, relief washing over me. “Thank you, Professor. I’ll do my best.”

As I turned to leave, Professor Blackwood called out once more. “Oh, and Mr. Cromwell? Do try to stay awake in my class from now on. Whatever is distracting you is not as important as what you’ll learn in this room.”

I felt my face flush hot with embarrassment. Had she noticed me daydreaming about Atlas? Was I that obvious?

“Y-yes, Professor. It won’t happen again,” I mumbled, hurrying out of the classroom.

My heart was still racing as I made my way down the crowded hallway. That had been too close. I needed to be more careful, both with my assignments and my behavior in class. The last thing I needed was for my father to catch wind of any of this, especially since the professor seemed to tell him everything.

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the figure passing me by until I accidentally ran into its shoulder and stumbled.

“Watch where you’re going, idiot!”

I looked up into the face of Rowan Hargrove and gasped. It was the first time I’d seen him since that night on the mountain. Three long scars ran across his face, one of them crossing over his eye. They were fully healed and pink but striking to say the least. He really was disfigured from Atlas’s attack. However, that didn’t put as much fear in my gut as the one milky eye looking back at me that had once been emerald green.

No words left my lips as he slipped by and continued down the hall, his friends all burning me dirty looks.

I stood frozen in place, my heart pounding in my chest. The encounter with Rowan had left me shaken. Those scars, that milky eye—they were a stark reminder of what had happened that night on the mountain. A night I’d been trying desperately to forget. One that I knew would come back to haunt me eventually.

After a moment or two, I managed to shake myself out of it and head toward my next class. Herbalism was next and my last one for the day. But it was my favorite subject, so at least it would help me clear my mind a bit.

As I entered the herbalism conservatory, the warm, humid air enveloped me, carrying the scent of earth and exotic plants.I breathed deeply, letting the familiar aromas calm my nerves. Professor Paulson was already at the front of the class, her silver hair gleaming in the filtered sunlight.

“Today, we’ll be working with moonflowers,” she announced, gesturing to the delicate white blossoms on the table before her. “Can anyone tell me their properties?”

I raised my hand instinctively, grateful for the distraction from my earlier encounters. “Moonflowers are used in sleep potions and divination rituals. They’re also known to enhance psychic abilities when used correctly.”

Professor Paulson nodded approvingly. “Excellent, Mr. Cromwell.” She walked over to one of the plants, their blossoms wound up into a tight spiral. “However, they only open at night. Their herbal properties are stronger when picked at night, but we have an overabundance of them at the moment, so they need to be pruned. That’s what you’ll be doing today.”

After a demonstration of the proper harvesting techniques, we began our practical work, carefully picking the moonflower petals and extracting their essence. I felt myself relaxing, losing myself in my work. This was where I excelled, where I felt most at home. My fingers moved deftly, almost of their own accord, as I prepared the delicate flowers.

As I worked, my mind drifted back to Atlas. I wondered what he was doing right now. Probably in wrestling practice, his muscular body glistening with sweat as he grappled with his teammates. The image made my cheeks flush and my heart race. And seeing him in that tight little singlet… woof, that did something to me on a spiritual level.

“Mr. Cromwell, are you alright?” Professor Paulson’s voice snapped me back to reality. “You look a bit flushed.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, focusing intently on the moonflower in my hands. “Just... concentrating.”

She gave me a skeptical look but moved on to check on other students. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I needed to get a grip. This obsession with Atlas was becoming dangerous.

An hour later, class ended and I packed up my supplies, I felt a familiar tingle at the base of my spine. My magic was reacting to something. Or someone. I turned to see Atlas leaning against the doorframe, his golden eyes fixed on me.

“Hey, Caden,” he said, his deep voice sending shivers through me. “Thought I’d surprise you after class.”

I fumbled with my bag, nearly dropping it. “Atlas!” I stammered, my heart racing at the sight of him. “I-I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He pushed off the doorframe and sauntered towards me, a predatory gleam in his golden eyes. “Thought I’d surprise you. Got out of practice early.”

I could smell his musky scent as he drew closer, still slightly damp with sweat from wrestling. It made my head spin.

“Oh, that’s... that’s nice,” I managed, trying to keep my composure. “Did you want to hang out together or something?”

Atlas chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. “Not exactly what I had in mind, but I’m fine with that.” He glanced around the now-empty classroom, then back at me. “How about we go to the library?”

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