“I know,” I said, looking down at my feet. I really didn’t want to think about how someday I’d have to choose between Bran and Lachlan. It was like choosing which hand I wanted to cut off—I just didn’t see how I could do it.
“Getting Marked by two boys isn’t the only thing she’s done!” Morganna exclaimed. “Why don’t you ask her about what she did to her mother’s landlord?”
“Ah yes, you did mention something about that.” The Headmistress frowned at me. “What exactly did you do, Miss Plunkett? I believe that Miss Starchild said you caused his nose and his, er, penis to switch places?”
I felt my stomach drop to my shoes all over again. I still didn’t know how Morganna had found out about what I had accidentally done to Mr. Groperson. Probably she’d been spying on me in some way. But now the fact that I had been doing magic outside of school grounds was going to come out and I knew that was an expulsion offense.
“Yes, I did,” I said, lifting my chin. “I didn’t mean to, though. He dragged me into his apartment and he was…was trying to attack me and I got freaked out and lost control of my magic.” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t do it on purpose and I’m really sorry. But Megan’s Aunt Deli says that Mr. Groperson has bothered other women in the past,” I added defiantly. “So maybe he got what he deserved.”
“That’s not for you to say, Miss Plunkett,” Headmistress Nightworthy said sternly. “And it is not for us to punish with the magic the Goddess has given us—those of us she has given it to. However,” she went on, when I opened my mouth to defend myself. “I believe you when you say you didn’t do what you did on purpose and I can certainly understand how an attempted attack would make you lose control of your magic. So for this once, we will overlook that particular offense.” She looked at me seriously. “It was only an attempted attack? This Groperson didn’t actually succeed in hurting you?”
“No, he didn’t,” I said quickly. “I, uh, switched his parts before he could do anything.”
“It’s a good thing you did, or I might have to pay him a visit myself.”
The Headmistress bared teeth that were very long and sharp looking and I remembered all over again that she was a Nocturne and a formidable predator. I shivered—I was glad that look wasn’t directed at me!
“All right, I think I’ve heard enough,” she said, clasping her hands together. She fixed Morganna and me with a stern frown. “This private little war you two girls have been conducting stops now. No more magic on either side, or teasing, or pranks, or anything at all. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Headmistress,” I said quickly. That was all I had wanted in the first place—just an end to the endless bullying and general nastiness coming from Morganna.
“Well?” Headmistress Nightworthy lifted an eyebrow at Morganna. “Miss Starchild? Do you promise to end this conflict here and now and leave Miss Plunkett alone?”
Morganna glared at me.
“I don’t see why I should! She’s a nasty little wanna-be and look what she did to my hair!”
She pointed at her bald head again.
“Ah, yes—the hair.” The Headmistress nodded at me. “Miss Plunkett, have the goodness to use your magic to restore Miss Starchild’s hair.”
“I…don’t know if I can,” I said hesitantly. I was thinking of how I’d tried to switch Mr. Groperson’s parts back and had only succeeded in making matters worse.
“What? But you’re the one who did it! That means you’re the only one who can undo it!” Morganna shrieked at me. “Give me back my hair right now you little bitch!”
“Miss Starchild—language!” Headmistress Nightworthy snapped. She turned to me. “Try, Miss Plunkett.”
“All right,” I said doubtfully. “I’ll try.”
Closing my eyes, I reached for the golden ribbon of power and tried to focus on restoring Morganna’s hair. Taking a deep breath, I shoved the power out towards the nasty Fae girl.
A gasp from both the Headmistress and Ms. Yasmeen, who was still standing quietly to one side, keeping the truth spell up, made me look. I had not succeeded in restoring Morganna’s long, lustrous golden hair.
What I had done was make her eyebrows and eyelashes disappear too.
There was an antique mirror hanging on the far wall of Headmistress Nightworthy’s office. Staring into it with a look of horror, Morganna felt her face, as though she just couldn’t believe what I had done to her.
“What did you do? What did you do to me, you bitch?” she screeched. Turning, she launched herself at me, her fingers hooked into claws, but Headmistress Nightworthy caught her around the waist before she could reach me.
She might have silver hair, but the Nocturne Headmistress was strong. She held Morganna effortlessly as the Fae girl screamed in fury and tried her best to wriggle loose and claw at me with her perfectly manicured fingernails.