I glanced at my watch, realizing I still had several days of freedom ahead of me. No swimming, no parents, no expectations... just time to figure out who I was now. The old Theodore would have spent this time catching up on assignments or doing extra practice, but I wanted something different.
I gathered up my homework and those fantasy novels I’d been reading, stuffing them into my bag. The library would be quiet this early, a perfect place to hide away and think. Maybe I could even look for information about that mysterious swimmer, though I had no idea where to start. All I knew was his appearance and that he was an art major who painted.
The campus was beginning to stir as I made my way to the library, other early risers heading to breakfast. Every stepstillcarried that pleasant ache, a physical reminder of what I’d experienced. My body felt different somehow. Used but in thebest possible way. I caught myself smiling at the memory and quickly schooled my features. Old habits died hard.
The library was nearly empty when I arrived, just a sleepy-looking witch at the front desk who barely glanced up as I entered. I found a secluded table near the art section, spreading out my books as a pretense while I tried to organize my thoughts.
What did I want now? That was the question that kept circling in my mind. One taste of freedom, one night of passion, and suddenly everything I’d been working toward seemed hollow. Swimming, grades, my father’s approval… none of it had made me feel the way Neptune’s touch had. None of it had made me feel alive.
But I couldn’t just abandon everything. My future was mapped out, expectations set. The Voss name came with responsibilities I couldn’t simply shrug off because I’d gotten laid.
“This is stupid,” I muttered to myself, earning a sharp look from a nearby student. “Sorry,” I whispered, ducking my head in embarrassment.
I opened one of my textbooks, trying to focus on the spellcraft diagrams, but my mind kept drifting back to Neptune. The way his hands had felt on my skin, his voice in my ear, the perfect weight of him pressing me into the mattress...
“Focus, Teddy,” I hissed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Maybe if I knew who he really was, I could get some closure. Or maybe I’d discover he was someone I could actually see again. The thought sent a thrill of both excitement and terror through me.
I abandoned my textbook and moved to the art section, scanning the shelves for anything that might help. Student exhibitions, faculty profiles, anything that might mention a talented redheaded painter.
After an hour of searching, I’d found nothing useful. The academy had too many talented artists to narrow it down without more information. I was about to give up when I noticed a flyer pinned to a bulletin board near the art books.
JUNIOR ART EXHIBITION THIS FRIDAY - BURROW GALLERY FEATURING WORKS BY WIDDERSHINS’ MOST PROMISING TALENTS
It wasn’t much, but it was something. If Neptune was as talented as he seemed confident, he might have work in the show. At the very least, I could browse the exhibition and maybe he’d be there?
I carefully wrote down the details, tucking the note into my pocket. Friday. That gave me a whole week to work up the courage to go. A week to decide if I really wanted to know who Neptune was outside of our magical night together. Or if he wanted to know me.
I returned to my table and tried once more to focus on my homework, but it was hopeless. My mind was too full of possibilities, of what-ifs that I’d never allowed myself to consider before. What if I could have more nights like last night? What if there was more to life than making my father proud?
What if I could actually be happy?
I packed up my books, abandoning any pretense of studying. The crisp autumn air hit me as I stepped outside, and I took a deep breath, letting it fill my lungs. For the first time in years, I felt like I could breathe properly. Like some invisible weight had been lifted from my chest.
Whatever happened next, whether I found Neptune again or not, I knew one thing for certain. I couldn’t go back to being the old Theodore. That version of me had died last night, somewhere between our first kiss and the moment I’d felt him inside me.
I just had to figure out who I was now, and how much of Theo I could keep in my everyday life.
Chapter 12
Nerion
When I woke, golden sunlight was streaming through the window, painting the room in warm hues. For a moment, I was disoriented, my head slightly fuzzy from the enchanted punch. Then I remembered him, Theo, the man I’d accidentally fallen asleep with in my bed.
I turned to look at him, but the space where he had been was empty. The sheets were still warm, suggesting he’d only recently left. On the pillow where his head had rested lay his mask, the golden ginkgo leaves already beginning to crumble at the edges as the spell that held them together faded with the morning light.
My heart sank unexpectedly. He was gone, without even saying goodbye. I reached out, carefully picking up the deteriorating mask. It was beautiful craftsmanship, especially for temporary magic. As I held it, a few leaves broke free, disintegrating between my fingers like golden dust.
“Well, what did you expect?” I muttered to myself, setting the mask back down. This was exactly how these things were supposed to end. Anonymously, with no strings attached. It was perfect, really. No risk of accidental enchantment, no danger of real feelings developing. It was the way I always wanted it.
So why did I feel so hollow?
I sat up, running a hand through my tangled hair. My own mask lay between the pillows where it must have fallen during the night. The blue-purple flowers Linden had enchanted into it were still vibrant, though they’d begun to close again. Unlike Theo’s temporary creation, Linden’s work would last for weeks, maybe longer.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, wincing slightly as my feet hit the cold floor. The reality of morning was setting in, washing away the magic of the previous night. I had a meeting with the Dean today about my little singing incident, and a painting due for Professor Aurelia’s class that I’d barely started. Not to mention, I still had to pick out a piece for the Junior Art Exhibition that was coming up at the end of the week.
Life was calling me back, and Neptune needed to become Nerion once again.