Page 24 of An Arcane Education
I raise my hand before I can think better of it. A part of me wants to hide in shame, but a larger part of me has been burning with frustration at his intentional misdirection from our previous meetings.
His eyes lock on me, and I’m even more annoyed when he doesn’t address me by name; he points and says, “At the top, in the blue.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “It’s Aconitum napellus, also known as wolfsbane. It’s dangerous because all parts contain aconite alkaloids. Even skin contact can cause absorption.”
“Correct. And why might a magical practitioner cultivate it despite that danger?”
Thankfully, the question is for someone else to answer, because I don’t have the slightest clue.
Another student explains, “Aconite has been used historically in defensive wards. When properly prepared, extremely diluted, it can be incorporated into barrier spells that cause severe discomfort to anyone attempting to cross them. It's also a component in certain antidotes.”
“Good.”
He moves on, discussing the importance of being able to identify toxic plants not only for the danger they pose, but for their potential uses in both magical and non-magical applications. He elaborates on how and why some plants create toxic chemical compounds through specialized metabolic pathways, finishing the lecture by tying the specific topic into the overall course topics.
When he finally dismisses us at eleven thirty, reminding us that lab hours start next week, I’m deliberately slow with packing up my backpack, taking a moment to chat with AJ before telling him I’ll catch up with him at the dining hall. Other students file out in clusters, their conversations fading down the hallway.
Within ninety seconds, the classroom is empty except for Alaric and me.
He's erasing the chalkboard with methodical strokes, ignoring my presence, or perhaps unaware of it. I wait, hoping he'll turn around and say something, but he doesn’t, even when I ensure my footsteps are audible as I walk toward the front of the room.
“Alar—I mean, Dr. Vale,” I finally say, unable to handle the awkwardness.
He pauses, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, then continues what he's doing. “Miss Harver. Was there something you needed?”
“I just wanted to—I didn't know, obviously, that you were?—”
He cuts me off. “A professor. I gathered that.” He finally turns to face me, and his expression is neutral. There’s no warmth, no teasing half-smile or sense of familiarity.
“If I'd known, I wouldn't have—” I stop, not entirely sure how to finish that sentence. Wouldn't have what? Sat at his table? Asked questions? Attempted conversation that borders on flirting?
“It’s fine,” he says. “I’m a professor, you are my student, and that’s all there is to it.”
Despite the perfectly reasonable statement and his understandably professional demeanor, my chest is heavy with disappointment.
I nod. “Okay. Glad we cleared that up. See you Thursday,” I mutter before rushing out of the room.
This is fine, I assure myself as I walk out of the building and toward the castle. It’s awkward, yeah, but now there’s no gray area to worry about. He made the boundary very clear, and I’ll respect that.
But he should have just told me outright. Why didn’t he say anything yesterday or the other night? It’s not like he didn’t know I was a student. Hell, he even knew I was a botany student and made a comment in the greenhouseabout being certain we’d run into each other. Was this just some convoluted power play for him?
By the time I get to the dining hall, I’m riled up again. But I grab food and find AJ and Joanna, who scoot over to make room for me.
Two other women from our last class are sitting across the table, pausing the conversation briefly to acknowledge me and introduce themselves as Kaylee and Shayna before returning to what they were saying.
“There’s no way,” Kaylee says. “Sure, he’s hot as hell, but didn’t you hear what happened to his TA from last year?” Shayna shakes her head before taking a bite of her sandwich.
AJ nudges me with his elbow. “They’re talking about Vale.”
My ears perk up at his name, even though—or especially—because I’m pissed at him.
Kaylee continues, “Yeah, apparently she tried to sleep with him and was pretty aggressive about it. Like, showed up during his office hours constantly, kept finding excuses to touch him, flirted more and more until he couldn’t ignore it anymore.”
“What did he do?” Joanna chimes in.
“Reported her immediately, and apparently he wasn’t the first professor she’d tried to make a move on. She got expelled. He apparently wrote a pretty lengthy report regarding her lack of professional boundaries and inappropriate conduct.”
“Damn, that’s harsh.”
