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I blew out a breath, conjuring a cleansing spell in a blink and propelling it toward my skin

The tingling sensation turned to a full-on burn, as if it were rejecting my spell with a barely restrained fury

I didn’t care, I tried fourthe rooy

I hissed froe

What the fuck?

So crashed onto the floor across the room, and I snapped my eyes up

Benedict gaped atbut a pair of slick black pajama pants, his chest and abs beautifully on display, a tray of coffee and pastries now a chaotic mess at his bare feet He slaht to the fact that I hadn’t heard hi to spell my way out of this mess

So clicked behind Benedict’s eyes, and his shoulders relaxed a fraction as he cae of the bed He pointed at his mark on my arm “I know you live to torment me, little witch, but that is a twisted joke”

“Me?” I gasped, extending ive him a better view of the ink “You did this! Used some weird, ruby dust-laced pen to put yourlast night, did you really need to brand me like I was your own personal cattle?”

His brow furrowed, and panic flashed across his eyes

“Stop it,” he said “It’s not a good joke Take it off”

“I’ve been trying to take it off!” I argued, splayingspell over the ink I gritted hed when the pain ebbed

Benedict moved so fast e of the bed and the next he sat next to ers slid over my skin as he examined the mark, and my entire body reacted to it And…I could feel his panic I didn’t kno to explain it, but there it was A cold, calculated, ancient panic crackling and spiraling right next to my own inside my soul

“You’re not joking,” he whispered

“And you’re…not?” I whispered back, and our eyesdown an endless tunnel of warht—

“Oh fucking hell!” I snapped, snatching my arm out of his

He backed off, giving th of his room “It’s not possible”