Mixed messages

When I was back inside my own room, I started to get to work. I read chapter after chapter about blood-bonded weapons until it felt like my eyes were going to bleed. Finally, I came to the section that explained how to forge a weapon after a sacrificial spell had been completed, and relief flooded through my body.

"Here we go," I muttered to myself.

According to the text, I'd need to acquire a cauldron, thistle, nightshade, snake-skin, yarrow root, and wormwood, and I knew I'd be able to find all these ingredients in Yennefer's classroom. For a split second, I worried what the professor would think if she discovered I'd broken into her room, but then I decided I didn't care.

Nothing was going to stand between me and passing the quiz.

So, I closed my textbook and swooped my cloak over my shoulders before I headed out. Then I quickly jogged down the staircase and toward the classroom, and I silently prayed the door wouldn't be locked. The light was dim in the halls, and I wondered just how late it was. I knew I'd been reading for hours, so it could have been midnight for all I knew.

When I reached Yennefer's classroom, I took a deep breath before I pushed the door open and stepped inside. I was lucky the classroom itself was left open, but what about her armoire? I quietly headed toward it and pulled back the doors.

It was locked.

"Damn it," I grumbled aloud.

I glanced around the dimly lit room, and my eyes fell on her desk.

Maybe she had a spare key in there somewhere?

As quietly as possible, I went to her desk and pulled the first drawer open. Inside, there was a small pendant, a quill, loose sheets of parchment paper, a needle, and chocolates.

"Shit," I muttered.

I checked the other drawer, and at first, I was surprised since it was completely empty. That made no logical sense to me, though. Why would one drawer be filled with random stuff while the other was bare?

I reached inside the drawer and touched the bottom slat of wood. It sank down, and I realized the bottom part could be removed. So, I lifted it up, and to my relief, I saw an iron key inside.

I smiled to myself as I retrieved the key and made my way back to open the armoire, where I punched the key into the lock and turned it clockwise. I heard a satisfying click and then pulled the doors apart.

Inside, there were rows and rows of ingredients, and luckily for me, everything was labeled in English. I spotted jars of rat tails, pig's feet, leathered human flesh, cow tongues, and various colored powders.

I grabbed everything I needed and set them on a nearby desk, so I could lock the armoire up and put the key back where it belonged.

But as soon as I turned around to close the armoire doors, I heard a deep, familiar growl behind me.

I slowly turned to face the doorway, and as I expected, Yennefer's wolf was sitting right there.

"Hey, there … Isobel," I whispered as I thankfully remembered her name. "Take it easy, girl."

She snarled again and then started to bark hysterically, and I knew she was trying to call Yennefer and bring her here.

"No," I hissed, "don't do that. Hey, how about a treat instead?"

The wolf stopped barking immediately and then tilted her dark head to study me.

"Yeah." I grinned. "You want a treat. Let's get you a treat."

I turned back around to face the ingredients, and I spotted the jar of flesh. I didn't bother to wonder what kind of meat it was exactly. I just unscrewed the lid and tossed a piece in Isobel's direction.

She walked over and licked the raw meat plastered on the ground. Then she snarled in satisfaction before she took the entire thing in her mouth and chomped down on it. After she swallowed and licked her lips, she whined and was clearly desperate for more.

"Here," I muttered before I tossed another piece into the air.

The wolf jumped up and caught the meat. She chewed loudly, and when she decided that she was done, she turned away from me and walked out the doorway.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I locked the armoire and then collected the rest of the ingredients and cauldron. Then I headed back to my bedroom and set up everything in an organized way.

My stomach growled loudly as I opened the textbook to the incantation page. I wished I had something to eat, but I knew I needed to finish this blood-bond weapon first. I was determined as hell to accomplish this in one night.

I read the steps and began to add the ingredients into the cauldron. To my surprise, it seemed to be a simpler spell, compared to the blood sacrifice.

Or maybe, I was just getting used to all these incantations and potions.

I couldn't be sure which one it was.

Once the brew was complete, I soaked the skull into the greenish-blue mixture, like the text said, and when I pulled it out, I read the incantation aloud.

"Alliges duplicia sanguinem meum," I whispered.

At first, nothing happened. I sighed in impatience and was about to try again until the skull started to shake on its own. Then I nearly dropped it as it began to morph into a long, shimmering dagger.

When it was complete, I studied the weapon in my hand.

The hilt was made of bone, but it was painted black and had a small skull carved into it. My name was engraved on the blade itself, and I marveled at its beauty. There was something so extraordinarily satisfying about crafting my own weapon. I'd made this with my own two hands, through my dark power alone, and it looked totally badass. I grinned as I tucked the blade into my waistband, and then I retrieved the other dagger from underneath my bed.

Now that I had my own weapon at hand, I decided right there and then I would return the first dagger to its resting place.

So, I left my bedroom and quietly made my way back to the armory. There was no sleeping wolf on the door this time, which I thought was strange, and as I pushed the door open, I was startled to see Yennefer was in there staring at the weapons.

"Ah, Neon," she said as if she'd been expecting me. "Come on in."

She stood by the table lined with blades, and it took me by surprise when I realized she was only wearing a black robe instead of her usual conservative dresses. The gown itself was so sheer it was difficult not to look at her breasts as she turned to face me, and her usually tied up hair was now in loose, dark curls that spiraled down to her slim waist.

"Professor," I said as I cleared my throat. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question." She smirked as she turned her attention to the blade in my hand and then laughed. "So, you were the one who took Matilda's blade? I'd been wondering where that went."

"You knew it was missing?" I asked.

"Yes." She shrugged. "And I had a feeling you were behind it … especially after I saw how immersed you were in the weapons chapter today."

"Right," I said as I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, I just came by to return it."

"Tell me … did the wendigo turn to stone and crumble into ash?" she asked as I placed the dagger back where it belonged.

I had to brush past her as I set it down on the table, and I could feel her warm breath on my neck as I did so.

"It did." I nodded. "How did you--"

"And did you manage to successfully forge your own weapon?" she cut me off.

Instead of answering her question with words, I pulled my own dagger out of my waistband and showed it to her.

"Ah," Yennefer mused with a furrowed brow, "so you did. I hate to admit it, but this is quite impressive."

"Thank you," I said before I tucked the blade away again.

That was the second time she complimented me today, and it felt good to hear those words coming from her beautiful lips.

We stared at each other for a long moment before she shook her head. Her breasts bounced as she did so, and again, I had to fight the urge to lower my gaze.

"Well, good night, Neon, and thank you for returning Matilda's blade." Yennefer studied me with an unreadable expression. "Try to get some rest, will you?"

As she brushed past me, her nipples grazed my arm, and I watched as she strutted out of the armory and down the hallway. I stared at her perfect body until it was entirely out of view, and I was left feeling confused.

"What the hell was that?" I asked myself aloud.

It seemed like she'd been flirting with me.

Well, almost.

I shook my head and made my way back to my bedroom, and I was slightly aroused and bewildered at the same time.

When I returned to my room, I was shocked to see a plate of hot food on my desk. There was roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and carrots on a golden platter.

I could only imagine this was Cordelia's doing.

"Thanks, Cordelia," I said aloud.

As I ate, I wondered more about the next class, which was

Premonition. I wondered who would be teaching and what the quiz would be like.

If it was anything like Blood Magic, I knew I would be faced with a set of new challenges, but I was ready to take them on.

In fact, I silently vowed to ace the next class, just as I had aced this one. More importantly, I couldn't wait to see the look on the other witches' faces when I beat them at their own game.

It was a delicious notion, one that I could already taste.