Chapter 48

Naomi

Calyx’s gaze lingers on me again, causing a flutter of nerves in my stomach as I pretend to browse the books on the shelves. “Let’s find these books then,” I state, trying to keep my voice steady as I scan the titles without really seeing them. Anything to distract me from the awkward tension that has formed between us. But Cal is one step ahead of me. “No need,” he says, holding up a book and placing it on the table before flipping through its pages. “I said we would be training and you need to know the basics.” His eyes meet mine, challenging me to object. With a deep breath, I approach him, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor.

The smell of old parchment and dusty tomes fills the air as I come closer, feeling his presence next to me like an electric charge. “We are going to start with some simple spells,” he explains, his voice low and smooth like velvet. “Then work our way up to a summoning spell.” My heart races at the mention of summoning magic. “You saw Odette per