Chapter 30

30

N either one of us went to class the next day. The daylight hours passed with Noah's arms around me in his bed, drifting between states of consciousness. I didn't mind missing class for once and knew that I wouldn't be able to even look my best friend in the face if I ran into her.

"Darling, would you like to go for a walk?" Noah stroked an arm up and down my back, his whispered words sending tingles along my skin. If I wasn't in love with him before, I surely was now. The way he took care of me and allowed me to be hurt without trying to force me out of it did not go unnoticed.

I rolled onto my back, opening my eyes for probably the first time this hour. He was there, just as he had been since last night, waiting patiently for my answer. I knew that if I said no, he would just pull the blanket over me, pour another cup of tea, and read to me while I remained silent. It was what he'd done in the moments when I couldn't sleep.

But the idea of strolling in the evening breeze didn't have my insides recoiling. With a brief nod, I agreed to leave the comfort of Noah's flat.

Slowly, I moved to the end of the bed, letting my feet dangle. As I stared at my toes, I made some decisions. Today would be the last day I grieved over what happened. I would relax and enjoy the evening with Noah, and then I would return to school and let things go back to normal, at least for myself. Eventually, I would talk to Ivy and tell her she would have to turn herself in. Our friendship was shattered, and I didn't know if mending it was possible, but the least she could do was not make me harbor her truth for much longer. I wouldn't be able to hold on to such serious information for her, not knowing how detrimental her actions had been for the entire academy.

Noah returned to me, holding my uniform skirt and a sweatshirt for his favorite football league. "The sweatshirt will be too big, but it's chilly out tonight."

"It's perfect," I whispered, changing into the clothes right there. We were far past any shyness I might have felt weeks ago. The second the sweatshirt slid over my head, I wrapped my arms around myself and just inhaled the scent that had already enveloped me for hours.

"I was thinking we could go get pizza as well. If you're up for it?" Noah led me out to his car, opening the door for me, like always.

"Perfect."

Noah helped me out of his car as always, gripping my hand as we walked down the cobbled streets. Just as he'd said, the air was crisp, a light wind biting at my face.

Wordlessly, Noah led me through the streets. Many couples were out, strolling just as we were. Friends shared triple-stacked cones of ice cream, smiling individuals walked their dogs, and couples did an appropriate amount of snogging out in the open.

"Do you remember the last time we were here?" Noah asked lowly, and for the first time today, I laughed.

"Of course I do," I answered, removing my fingers from his and wrapping my hand around his sweater-clad bicep instead.

"I was so nervous, Henri."

I tilted my head to him, raising an eyebrow. "Why would you be nervous? We were just getting pizza."

"No, we weren't, and you know that. I think you knew then, too." Noah chuckled under his breath, grabbing the hand holding his arm and bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

"Please, I would never have believed that you fancied me in the slightest," I responded, laughing with him. Had I missed the obvious signs? Surely, I'd been blinded by the rivalry I'd kept alive between us and the panic I'd had for being out in public with him.

"Only because you were so busy hating me. You have been for years now." The tone in his voice was teasing, but it gave me pause.

"Years?" He'd told me it started in Potionry 101, but that was under the love potion. I wanted to hear him say it with nothing influencing his words but the truth.

"Yes, Henri. Years. You've despised me for years. Meanwhile, I was just hoping for a second's attention from you."

I stopped walking at his words, finding them incredibly…

"Pathetic of me, yes?" Noah looked embarrassed as I tipped my head up to capture the look on his face, an endearing mixture of embarrassment and nervousness.

"Not pathetic in the slightest," I whispered, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him down to my height. Our lips met tenderly, and it washed away any other feelings that might have tried to creep up. "I'm only sorry it took so long for me to finally see you."

Noah carried every bag we'd acquired in our short walk through the shops downtown. Despite multiple protests, he bought me both things I needed, and also things that were completely unnecessary—candles charmed to burn with no flame since my dorm prohibited flames, books on the macabre history of cauldrons, far too many novels with shirtless wizards or mystical creature-hybrids on the cover, and a belt with a hidden potion holder—though I wasn't sure what use I would have for such an item.

We'd made it around the streets to the familiar Italian restaurant and, once inside, we were immediately seated at a cozy booth in the back.

"Could this be considered our first date?"

Noah opened his mouth to respond but was cut across by another voice.

"If it isn't two of my favorite students! Two who missed my class today," said Professor Fortenberry as he approached our table. I tensed but managed to look up at him. Though his words seemed scolding, he only had a broad smile on his face. "Both of you seem in good health, so what kept you from attending?"

Thankfully, Noah answered; my mouth was far too dry for me to consider speaking. "We had an outing with my parents this morning, which we unfortunately couldn't miss. Funny you ask, though, because Henri and I were both discussing earlier how much we hated to miss your class."

"You're always too good with your words, Mr. Lawrence. I'm sure you two weren't that disappointed to miss." Fortenberry was relaxed, jovial, even. With a relaxed finger, he motioned between the two of us. "When did my two best students become a couple?"

Noah chuckled, leaning back against the booth. My favorite smirk adorned his face, and I loosened up slightly. "Call it the work of the love potion."

"It had some positive benefits, then." Fortenberry looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. As soon as a strange look passed over his face, it was gone, and he grinned. "I'd always worried that one day, the two of you would end up in a duel in the middle of class."

"Don't worry, that could still very well happen." Noah glanced over at me, giving me a salacious wink before looking back at our professor, who was laughing at Noah's charm.

"Well, I hope the two of you have a lovely evening. I'm only here to pick up an order and then spend the night grading projects." Fortenberry reached out to pat me on the shoulder, and I gritted my teeth.

"Enjoy your night, Professor."

As soon as Fortenberry was far out of earshot, Noah leaned in. "He's lucky I don't take part in public violence. I should take his hand just for touching you." His cool demeanor was now covered with dark worry, even though I'd relaxed. My insides flamed at his protectiveness.

"I forgot to tell you something." I checked my surroundings once more, just to ensure Fortenberry hadn't made his way back here. "Ivy claimed she knows nothing about a love poison."

Noah kept his expression schooled, but I saw the twitch in his brow. "Do you believe her?"

"I never would have thought she would be the one behind the potion, so I don't know who I can trust. But I also don't know that she's capable of murder," I whispered, tears coming to my eyes. I wondered how long it would be before I could think about Ivy without the emotion.

"Hey." Noah got up and walked around to my side of the booth, sliding in next to me. With an arm around my shoulder, he turned in to look at me. A gentle thumb brushed away the tear that escaped. "I'm sorry, darling."

I nodded, sucking in a deep breath. "I'm sick of being upset about it. There is still a poison out there that could be weaponized against the campus."

"If it isn't Ivy," he said gently, "then who else could it be?"

"Fortenberry," I whispered, seeing the recognition cross his face.

"Shit," Noah said under his breath.

"He's the only person I can think of. The way he acted towards me that day in the courtyard, what he said…"

"Why would he do something like poison the academy, though?"

"He was in a relationship with Professor Aster for a long time, remember? And she cheated on him with Professor Halen." I couldn't raise my voice above a hushed tone for fear that anyone could be nearby.

"He could do it for revenge." Noah followed my line of thought now that he understood we needed to be on the defensive.

"Or his sick version of justice."

"But if he isn't responsible for the love potion, then he won't spell-cast the poison."

"Unless the potion gave him an idea." I nearly choked on the idea, knowing Ivy could have inspired the poison being cast to the entire academy.

"I don't think we should go looking for answers to this, Henri. This could be the person who left us the note with your dorm key."

"We have to, Noah. What if it's cast to the entire campus and ends up killing people?" I didn't want to think about the result of something that catastrophic, but I wasn't willing to risk it. No one else knew about the poison as far as I was aware, and I felt personally responsible for preventing it.

Noah ran a hand over his face, but we didn't get the chance to discuss more, because the waiter came to take our order.

"Let's figure everything out another time, Henri." Noah leaned down and pressed a kiss to my lips, which I easily returned. "I want us to enjoy our first official date. Just us. No love potions or poisons."

He was right. We couldn't solve this tonight, and we could get to the bottom of it tomorrow. A smile overtook my face as I pulled him in for another kiss.

The world could fall apart around us, but right here, he was all I needed. The rest could wait.