Page 17 of House of Ruin
If that was a copy, Blaze couldn’t imagine how the original looked.
Professor Namiad walked to a student sitting on the side of the auditorium, passing them the paper.
“Have a look at the spell yourselves,” Professor said, walking back to the middle of the dais. “Aether magic was dangerous even back then. But because witches respected the use of it, they could draw small amount for their sacred rituals without causing any disruptions amongst the three realms. It’s all about keeping the balance and taking just enough.”
Blaze yawned, tempted to let himself doze off for a bit.
“So,” Galia, High Priestess of the House of Rats, said, leaning forward in her seat. “Does that mean someone sacrificed Riverblood to draw magic for a ritual?”
Professor Namiad sighed. “You might have heard the rumors that the latest murder on campus was a Fanhy Coven witch’s doing. The scene of the crime makes it look that way. However, Riverblood wasn’t murdered by Fanhy witches.”
A wave of chatter went over the auditorium. Immediately, Blaze perked up, sitting straighter in his chair. Andro was tense as a guitar string, his knee bouncing.
“You see, because of the delicate nature of Aether magic, it’s very hard to conceal its use. Even if it’s used in a proper manner to fuel a ritual,” the professor continued, her eyes gliding through the crowd of students. This time, when her eyes fixated on Blaze, she didn’t look away. “Anytime a Fanhy practitioner casts a circle and channels the Aether magic, no matter how small the ritual is, the wards that meter the use of Aether magic around Inathis go off.”
She made a dramatic pause, and the classroom stayed deadly silent, waiting for her to continue.
“If Jack Riverblood’s murder was truly at the hand of a Fanhy witch to cast a circle and channel Aether magic, the authorities would have been notified immediately,” she explained, finally. “And so far, there hasn’t been a trace of Aether magic anywhere in Avalon State.”
Finally, Professor Namiad averted her eyes from Blaze, cracking a crooked smile. “Now, that doesn’t mean magic wasn’t channeled when Riverblood was murdered,” she said, nodding. “But it’s safe to say it wasn’t Aether magic.”
“What kind of circle was that then?” Hendrix snorted from the very back of the auditorium. “Were they trying to use poor Jack to summon the King of Hel or what?”
Andro’s bouncing knee threatened to shake the whole auditorium, so Blaze placed a palm over his thigh, squeezing it hard.
Blaze glanced at Andro, widening his eyes, but Andro just shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek.
For fuck’s sake, Andro’s anxiety was getting worse with age. Soon, that son of a bitch was going to be hyperventilating at the smallest inconveniences.
Blaze sighed, removing his hand from his best friend’s thigh.
“I’m not an expert on that, and neither do I have interest in speculating and spreading gossip,” Professor Namiad said, walking back to her desk.
Blaze glanced at Val on his other side, her face set in stone as she glared at the professor. She might have looked bored, but Blaze was sure the wheels were turning in her little mind, already calculating what all this new information meant for them.
If the murder was not committed by a Fanhy Coven witch, then they’d be looking inwards. Closer to home.
Right at the Snakes.
At Blaze.
He cursed himself for having been there when he was. For calling in the Dean for whatever fucking reason.
At least Blaze could afford a good lawyer.
Because this time, he wasn’t sure Galliermo’s stash of blackmail could save his ass.
8
The peace didn’t last long for the Inner Circle.
Three days after the body of Jack Riverblood was found, the five students were called into the Dean’s office for a chat.
“We’re so fucking screwed,” Andro said, chewing on his bottom lip, bouncing his knee like crazy.
All of them sat in the empty reception, waiting for the Dean to call them inside.
“Will you fucking relax?” Blaze growled, clasping his palm over Andro’s knee, squeezing it hard enough that Andro winced.
