Catching A Wizard
Heartbroken and rejected, Daphne has to find a way to carry on if she wants to stay at Grimalkin Academy following the events of Catching A Vampire.
With her brother still intent on finding the old family spell, and his best friend still trying to get Daphne to agree to a date, she has her hands full. Even if what she really wants to do is make a vampire forgive her.
Can they find the spell? And can Daphne convince Heath to forgive her?
Grimalkin Academy: Catacombs Series
- Catching A Vampire: books2read.com/catchingavampire (part of the Paranormal Academy boxed set)
- Catching A Wizard: books2read.com/catchingawizard (releases 16th September)
- Catching A Warlock: books2read.com/catchingawarlock (releases 30th September)
Please Note
Copyright 2019 Laura Greenwood. This is an unedited excerpt and is still subject to change.
Excerpt
I don't look at Heath as I sit down in my seat. It's been weeks and he still won't talk to me, even when he should for class. And every damned time it breaks my heart. We may only have been out on a couple of dates, but apparently, that's enough to have my heart beating over time and make me desperate to win him back.
Which is hard when he won't even look at me. Though on the plus side, if he's going out of his way to avoid making eye contact, he probably feels the same way I do. At least, that's what I'm hoping.
"Alright, settle down, class," Professor Phillips announces, tapping a wooden ruler against his chalkboard.
Everyone instantly does as he says. I think it's a vampire thing because I still can't get my head around how young he looks. The others aren't phased by it at all.
"Today we'll be learning about Edward T. Burke. Can anyone tell me who he is?"
My hand shoots up in the air.
"Yes, Miss Chambers?" He smiles at me, probably because he likes having a witch in the class. On a technicality, all the classes at Grimalkin can be taken by vampires or witches, but we very rarely mix.
Come to think of it, it's a little odd there aren't any other supernaturals in the Academy, but maybe they study at other places.
"He's the first supernatural to become a member of parliament," I say.
He nods. "Indeed he is. At first, he refused to reveal what kind of supernatural he was. Why do you think that might be?" He looks around the room for the next person to choose to answer.
I long to put my hand back up in the air, but I refrain. It's already been made clear that the fellow students in my politics class don't like it when I try to answer everything, so I'm trying to hold back.
"He didn't want anyone in the parliament to know his weaknesses," Emma answers.
My lips curl into a snarl. Just her presence in the same room gets to me. It's bad enough that she's a rival for my spot as the best in class, but she's also interested in Heath. Which is a mild way of saying they're sort of engaged but not really.
Professor Phillips nods again. He does that a lot, I think it must be some kind of personal weird trait.
"Exactly the case. He was a shifter, though it still remains a mystery as to what kind he was." He pauses, looking around the room again, probably to check who's paying attention. Probably everyone, he has a certain way about him that commands the attention of the room.
"Sir?" one of the guys at the back asks.
"Yes, Terry?"
"Why did we elect a shifter to represent us?" Terry asks.
The professor takes a deep breath, probably buying himself some time to come up with a way of answering the question that didn't make Terry feel stupid. Professor Phillips is good at that.
"We, as supernaturals, didn't vote for him. He was mixed in with the rest of the candidates for parliament and was voted for by supernaturals and humans living in that constituency. We believe there may have been supernatural candidates before, but they didn't get into power. However, there are no real records of this, so it's just hearsay."
I scribble down notes as he talks. I still don't know how this class is being graded, but I suspect it's going to be an essay or research project of some kind. Most of them seem that way. Surprising, given we're first years, but I love doing the research, so it's hardly an issue.
But that means I need to write down everything. I never know what might seem insignificant now, may turn out to be just the thing I need further down the line.
"I want you to turn to the person next to you," Professor Phillips starts.
A lot of shuffling follows, but Heath and I just sit still, eyes forward and refusing to accept one another exists.
"That's the person you're going to working with for the rest of the month. I want you to prepare a campaign much like the one Mr Burke did. You're running for office and everyone around you knows that you're a supernatural, but you're appealing to the human public. You have until the thirty-first to complete your task and hand in the assignment."
Heath's hand flies into the air, and dread fills me. What's he going to ask? Does he really not want to work with me this badly?
"No, you can't swap your partner." Professor Phillips gave him a disapproving look. "Besides, Miss Chambers is one of the smartest people in this room, you're lucky to have her on your team," he says softer, probably so none of the other students overhear by accident.
I should feel pride at his compliment, but instead, I just feel the reminder that Heath doesn't want anything to do with me. It leaves a rather bitter taste in my mouth.
