Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 130924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
I stand there and I suddenly think, these aren’t my parents.
These aren’t my parents!
They are just people pretending to be my parents.
Playing a role, just like the performance I did at school last week when I was in the background of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s all acting, all make believe, made by somebody else.
But I have to shake that thought out of my head. It’s pure nonsense. Of course they are my parents.
They just don’t care about me, that’s all.
And it doesn’t matter in the long run.
I don’t need my parents to love me.
I’m going to marry Katrina Van Tassel.
Chapter 15
Crane
“Good morning, Professor Crane,” Paul says to me as he walks in my classroom. His voice has a knowing tone to it, and when I look up from my books, he’s smirking to himself as he goes over to his desk.
Then I see Kat in the doorway, and my heart blooms in my chest at the sight of her sweet, beautiful face, a halo of blonde hair around it, an angel descending to my domain.
Until I see Brom close behind, towering over her, his eyes meeting mine. And, though I also feel something soft inside for my beautiful boy, it’s getting tangled up in a tight knot of jealousy, because why are they together? I thought I told him to stay away from her?
But that dark look in his eyes, the way he lifts his broad chin, he’s telling me he’s going to do what he wants, regardless of what I say.
White-hot anger flares inside me but I remember where I am and I swiftly swallow it down.
Bastard. He just loves punishment, doesn’t he?
They take their seats, and it takes me a moment to get sense back into my head. I open my desk drawer for chalk and see the tincture I made for Kat in the corner. After our visit to the herb garden yesterday, I spent the evening making this tincture for her. Brom was with me after nightfall—a miracle he still willingly lets me bind him in chains—but when he asked what I was making, I just said it was for Kat and didn’t explain what it was. It’s not an abortifacient per se, though I’m sure it could have those affects, rather that it prevents pregnancy from taking place.
I can’t help the pinch in my chest. It must be done in the event that she could become pregnant with Brom’s child, and if that’s what the coven really wants from their union. But if I happen to get her pregnant and we…no, I don’t want to think about that potential loss.
Either way, I’m hoping to hell that the two of them didn’t just fuck on the way over here because Kat does look a little guilty as she sits in the front, and that defiant look in Brom’s eyes is telling me he at least wants me to think that, and if that’s true, I’m going to rip his fucking head off.
I take in a deep breath, and as the last student comes in, I motion for them to close the door.
“I hope you all had a nice weekend,” I say to the class, though I have to admit I have no idea what the students get up to here when they aren’t in class. It’s not as if they can go into town for a change of pace. “Did anything interesting happen?”
“Someone was murdered in Sleepy Hollow,” Martha says, looking a tad too excited for the subject matter. “Again.”
“Headless horseman cut a man’s head off and left his body outside the bonfire,” adds Josephine. “They never found the head.”
“Oh?” I say. “I hadn’t heard about that. That is interesting.” I meet Kat and Brom’s eyes for a moment and then clap my hands together. “Alright, so we have a murderer on the loose. Anything else? Anyone pick up any magic or spells?”
No one says anything for a moment.
Then Martha says, “Who do you think the headless horseman is?”
“Yes, Professor Crane, is he real?” asks Mark.
“You know what, class, I’m not sure,” I say, pressing my palms together. “But if there’s been a murder, I am sure the police in Sleepy Hollow are dealing with it.”
“Yeah,” speaks up Matilda. “We’re safe here at the institute. The wards will keep the horseman out.”
A nervous laugh escapes my lips. I can’t help it.
“Alright, time to get on with today’s lesson,” I say, turning around and writing the words ENERGY AUGMENTATION on the chalkboard.
I turn back around, and everyone squints at it.
“What does that say?” Paul asks, pointing at the board.
“It says energy augmentation,” I snap, looking over my shoulder at the board. Clearly that’s what it says. “And what is energy augmentation when it comes to magic? Good question. Energy augmentation differs from bestowal and absorption, because it’s about the ability to weaken or enhance someone else’s powers. Why, you ask, would we want to know how to do that, especially the latter? Well, let’s take the headless horseman for a moment.”