FALSE APPEARANCES

Magnus

I screamed Astrid's name before reality struck my memory again. I shouldn't tell her it was me if I wanted to break free from the spell, so I held my breath after she had spun to give me a frown. From her expression, it was obvious she didn't want anything to do with the older man before her, and I was crippled to tell her it was me, Magnus.

She had just confessed her feelings to Gaius, thinking it was me. I was contained by a mix of excitement and fear, the excitement that she finally confessed her feelings for me, but I was also afraid I might not be able to get my body and my life back if nobody found me in my desperation in the older man's skin.

Meredith was not here, so I had to help myself. Astrid could have tried to help, but she didn't know I needed help. "Common Astrid. You should sense that something is off. He is not who he claims to be," I muttered under my breath.