I couldn't help but make the next comment.

“From people who confuse intelligence with wisdom and don't actually attend your seminar to further their education.”

His smirk returned, and he walked past me on the left.

I didn't dare turn to the side. Not even when he stopped next to me.

“From humans, Miss Blair,” he whispered, continuing to walk around me, and this time I had to swallow. “Don't you think you are a little close-minded about the truth?” He came to a halt on my right. “One might assume you know more than you're willing to admit.” He stared at me, piercing me from the side with his gaze, and it was as if I felt him on my bare shoulder, especially when he leaned down toward me. “Is that why you get insulting?”

His whisper reached my ear and I thought I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, causing goose bumps to spread up my neck.

And there it was again, the light citrus note mingling with his masculine scent.

I didn't know which Greek god was with me at the moment, but I found the courage to turn my head in his direction without being frightened by the proximity of his face.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

It was strangely mesmerizing to look up close at how his jawbones moved and how much masculinity the shimmering golden three-day beard gave him.

“You know exactly what I'm talking about, Julie,” I looked up automatically and our eyes met.  That was the second he turned away from me and walked past me. “Blair...”

He headed for the windows facing the courtyard, where some stone Greek gods lounged in the center of a fountain.

“Let me guess.” He stopped and turned back to me with his hands behind his back. “Earth Quatura?” I couldn't help my eyes widening. “No?” He smirked and came back. “Then all that's left is air.”

He stopped half a meter in front of me and looked down at me as if he wanted to humiliate me. As if he wanted this tingling sensation to spread through my stomach while I lost all control over my facial expressions.

“How...” I barely managed to get out.

I knew I had lost. And the only thing that could help me was the bottle in the top pocket of my rucksack.

“I would be lying if I said research,” he continued in a lowered, sharp voice, a slight smirk on his lips. “So, let me put it this way.” He stepped toward me, but this time I stepped back, toward the table where my backpack was. He followed me. “Old unpleasant acquaintances...”

Without hesitation, I reached for my backpack, but someone placed his hand on the top pocket. A hand on which a ring I didn't recognize was enthroned. A signet ring with a snake and a raven, not the wedding ring.

“Did I say you could leave?”

I looked up from the bag and his defined hand at him, probably like an idiot, unable to defend herself.

He gave me a devastating smile, and immediately the chill from earlier shot back to my fingertips.

“Don't you even think about telling anyone about our little conversation.”

So, he was actually planning to let me go?

This hope made me scrape together the last of the courage I needed to open the small side pocket of my backpack and pull out the transparent vial with the thorny rose seal. The symbol of the Councils...

I wanted to slip it unnoticed into my side pocket and continue walking backwards, but the professor was quicker and grabbed my wrist, freezing me in mid-motion.

His hands were incredibly warm. Or was I just...cold?

For a moment he stared concentrated at my wrist, then he lifted it.

“Open it, or I will!” he ordered in a calm voice, and I opened my hand.

It was too late anyway. I had lost.

If the Circle – or worse – the Councils, found out about this, they would take care of the professor, but I would also receive a suitable punishment for not reporting the problem immediately.

How could I have thought it would be a piece of cake to make this person forget?

Professor Tiberius took the vial from my hand and slipped it into his pocket before jerking me toward him and forcing me to look into his eyes.

“I can do things to you that will make you wish you had never challenged me, Julie.” Heat shot through my body. “And don't you ever think of erasing my memory again.” Another strand of hair fell into his forehead, right in front of his left eye. “I'll be able to erase yours before you take your next breath.”

Wait...what? Was he joking right now? Was that an empty threat? How on earth... Did he really think he could use the forgetting serum on me that he had just stolen from me?

If only he knew that I drank it every week and that it had long since lost its effect.

His stare was too intense, his gaze so menacing that all my rational thoughts went into overdrive and his grip so firm and warm that my heartbeat started to go crazy.

Suddenly he pushed me off him and I stumbled back.

This was my chance.

In a hurry, I grabbed my backpack, trying to ignore my blue fingers, and dashed backwards across the room.

He remained standing there, his face as hostile as ever, as if he hated everything about me, as if he hated those like me.

But by then I was already wheeling around and sprinting out of the seminar room and into the corridors of the west wing of Vanderwood.

Chapter 58

Bayla

When I opened my eyes again, the memories flooded into my head. And not just any memories, no. All of them.

I tossed and turned under the pounding headache I now had, even after waking up. And just for the record: My hair loss was still a disaster.

I groped for the alarm clock that must have woken me up, but there was nothing there, just a black notebook. The one Alarik had given us.

I had spent hours trying to note down everything I knew about Blairville so far in order to get a halfway overview.

I would have preferred to read, but my professor's book was gone, and I was annoyed that I hadn't been able to assess Mum better. She had stolen it. I was sure of that. And I had to get it back, because what was I supposed to tell Alarik?

Sorry, but your former university friend took your book away from me. Why? I have no idea.

I didn't understand. What was so wrong with this book?