Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(24)

Beside me, Amelia chuckles. "He's a good witch, but not the best teacher."

Professor Turlington runs a hand through his unruly wavy hair and opens the finally-located book. He clears his throat.

"Right. Ah. Last week we identified the plants needed in the potions we'll make in a few weeks. This week I'd like you to study where to find this list of flowers, and how to dry them."

"I can find all these ingredients in my father's cupboards," mutters Andrei.

Professor Turlington flashes him a look. "Perhaps, but you need to know this in order to pass your exams, Andrei. That involves fully involving yourself in lessons and assignments."

His mouth curves into a sneer and he pulls out his phone. I stare in disbelief as he begins typing, but Professor Turlington merely tuts and turns back to the engaged pupils.

"Wow. That wouldn't be allowed at my old school," I whisper.

If anybody behaved like that towards a teacher at my old school, they'd be thrown out of class and into detention for a week.

"Andrei's family hold the purse strings here," explains Amelia. "He gets away with more than he should."

Andrei hasn't spoken to me since last night and, although he helped, I'm wary of him and the vampires. Now I understand his amusement at me telling him to 'bite me' the other day, and my cheeks heat at my stupidity.

After searching through his soft brown briefcase for several minutes, Professor Turlington pulls out a sheath of papers, which he passes around the room.

Worksheets.

I sink back in my seat and chew on the end of a pen. "Who knew magic studies could be so fun?" I mutter sarcastically.

"Don't worry," whispers Jamie. "There's a practical lesson in a couple of weeks."

As with the werewolf trials research, Google is not my helpful friend, and I need to search for answers to a quiz through a strange text book. I never knew most of these plants existed, but I'm no gardener. I didn't know with the right combination and magic, they could make you invisible or compel someone to do as you ask.

The lesson drags as I struggle to answer the questions. At this time of day, I'm usually in bed watching shows or already asleep. I've two more lessons to go and if they're as boring as this, I'll find out how much trouble falling asleep in class causes.

There's a ten-minute break between classes and I dig out the can of energy drink I'd brought with me. Amelia and Jamie sit with me on the bench outside the classroom. I look around for Ash. He wasn't in the Potions class, and he isn't waiting for the Mental Magics class either.

"Is Ash okay?" I ask Jamie.

He looks up from the laptop balanced on his lap. "Ash? Gilgamesh students don't attend potions and mental magic lessons. They spend the time on physical training classes."

"Yeah, learning to control their animal instincts." Andrei sits on a bench opposite, eavesdropping and smirking.

"You can talk," retorts Jamie. "How's the bloodlust control going?"

Amelia shoves him in the shoulder. "Jamie! Don't you think Maeve's freaked out enough without making her worry vampires will attack her."

"I don't worry," I lie.

Andrei rests his elbows on his knees, hands beneath his chin as he gazes at me. "I couldn't thrall her. She's a witch. I tried."

"What?" Jamie scowls at him. "When did you try?"

"In the library. Don't look at me like that, I wanted to confirm my suspicions, not drink her blood."

His eyes remain on mine and I hold his look. Why hasn’t he changed his attitude towards me after helping last night?

Katherine walks by and halts when she catches our conversation.

"Whose blood do you both drink?" I ask Andrei.

"He drinks animal blood," Katherine says and wrinkles her nose. "I don't drink blood."

"But you're a vampire," I blurt.

She smiles and runs her tongue along her bottom lip. "Not all witches are the same, and neither are vampires."

I'm unsure whether to be relieved that Andrei doesn't drink human blood or concerned exactly how Katherine gets her energy. Didn’t Theodora say she was a lamia?

Katherine gives up waiting for me to respond and changes tack. "I heard you had an unfortunate time after your allegiance swearing last night."

Jamie leans over to whisper, "Nobody knows what really happened apart from us."

"I thought Ash liked you," she continues. "I saw him looking for you. Worried his prank had gone wrong."

"Ash didn't prank me," I say.

"Oh? Then who did?" Katherine sits and places her bag o her lap.

Jamie nudges me with a knee. "I don't know," I reply. "Someone from Gilgamesh."

Andrei's attention switches to his phone again and his lips press together. I'm impressed if he's kept his mouth shut about last night.

"Did you see anything, Andrei?" she asks.

"Me? Why would I?" He looks up from his phone.

With a knowing smile, she pulls an emery board from her bag. "I saw you sneaking down to the servant’s quarters again, at around the same time."

"I wasn't sneaking anywhere and the humans who work here aren't servants," he retorts.