I slowly looked myself over, feeling slightly depressed by what I saw. I was back in my plain form, having changed back with the rising of the sun a short time ago. And though I was relieved to be back to normal, I couldn’t help but feeling small, flat-chested and plain as well…especially in comparison to how I’d been built last night.

My thoughts kept going back to the events of last night, to the way I’d actually kissed Todd. Even now, my body still became excited. I’d wanted him so badly and he’d just walked out the door, leaving me high and dry. The only consolation was that he’d probably gotten a pretty bad case of blue balls as a result.

I still had mixed emotions over what had happened with Todd…and what nearly had. I’d thought that my emotions would have become more clear once I changed back to human form, but that wasn’t really the case. I was thankful that Todd had kept me from giving into my succubus instincts and desires, but I also felt…hurt. Wasn’t I good enough? I shook my head, trying not to think of that.

My thoughts also turned to Amylia and her revelation that she was a hybrid as well. I was excited to discover that I wasn’t alone, that there was someone else who’d gone through much the same things I had. Or at least, much the same things when it came to being both Touched and Were…sorceress and mythic. Gayle might understand something of what it was like going through a gender change, but since she could change back to a guy, she couldn’t understand completely. And as for my being a succubus… Well, no one else could understand that one.

A few minutes later, I was ready to go grab breakfast and then head to my first class. I was just about to leave my room when I was surprised by someone knocking on my door. My first thought was that it had to be Todd coming back, but when I opened the door, I was surprised to Sylvie standing there instead.

“Hey,” Sylvie greeted me, looking extremely self-conscious. “I was wondering if you wanted to have breakfast together.”

“What?” I asked, a little startled by that. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“I’m sorry,” Sylvie blurted out, looking guilty. “I totally freaked out when you changed the other night…” She grimaced and admitted, “I really thought you’d lost control and were going to eat me…”

I snorted at that. “I prefer bacon.”

Sylvie shook her head and sighed. “I know…now. I’m sorry. I just freaked out and lost my head. I mean, you were just trying to help us and have never been anything but friendly.” She paused, looking as though she couldn’t decide how to say what she wanted to say. “I REALLY don’t like that I’ve been acting like Teressa. Can we still be friends?”

I hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “Okay.” Then I admitted, “Maybe I should have told you that I turn into a succubus. It’s just…really embarrassing.”

Sylvie nodded at that, then said, “Just do me a favor…” She paused for a moment before asking, “Can you let me see you like that again some night? I mean, I’d like to see what you look like changed under better circumstances.”

“I…I can do that,” I responded with a faint smile.

After this, Sylvie and I went to the cafeteria to grab some quick breakfast before class. I didn’t see any sign of Kimberly meeting us there, and from the look on Sylvie’s face, I realized that she wasn’t going to. Sylvie might have decided that she still wanted to be my friend but Kimberly was still keeping her distance.

While Sylvie and I were eating, a blonde girl who couldn’t have been any older than 7 years old came in and sat down at the table. I immediately recognized Eve and her own sorcerers mark, having seen her like this several times before. She didn’t say a word at first, not until she’d taken a bite of her breakfast.

“So, a Were succubus,” Eve commented, giving me a grin. She looked cute and adorable, and if I didn’t know better, I might have bought into the idea of her being a sweet and innocent kid. “That’s a lot cooler than turning into a kid.”

“I hadn’t really thought of it that way,” I told her with a weak chuckle.

“It gets pretty weird changing like this,” Eve told me, gesturing down at herself. “I mean, I look different. I feel different. And even people who know who I am still tend to treat me like I’m a kid.” She gave me a thoughtful look and said, “I kind of figure that this is sort of what it’s like being a Were.”

I was a little startled at that but nodded. “Something like that.”

“So, you’re not mad at me anymore?” Eve asked.

“What?” I asked in response, feeling confused.

“You were avoiding me for the last couple days,” Eve said, “so I thought I must have done something to make you mad.”

“No,” I told her quietly, staring down at my food and not quite being able to meet her eyes. “I thought you’d be mad at me too…” I quickly glanced to Sylvie.

“Well, you made me feel like I must have done something wrong,” Eve said calmly.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized.

Eve just grinned at that. “No problem. But next time, don’t treat me like you’re mad at me just because you’re afraid of something I might do.”

“I won’t,” I promised her, wondering how this had gone from Sylvie apologizing for her behavior to me being the one to feel guilty.

“So everything is hunky dory?” Sylvie asked with a grin. “Good. Then you won’t mind if I help myself to some of your breakfast…” She leaned over to snatch some food off Eve’s plate.

“Hey, I’m a growing girl,” Eve protested. “Don’t make me throw a temper tantrum…”

We all laughed at that and the rest of breakfast was much lighter. Other than Kimberly being absent, it was just like before I’d revealed my succubus side. That only made me think that maybe I really should have told my friends about it before then. It might have made things a little easier

A few hours later, I was in a class being taught by Master Tonkas. Today, the class was being treated more like a study hall where we all gathered in the gym and practiced spells while the instructor checked up on us and offered advice. Sylvie and I were taking turns working out of the same spell circle and had been double checking each other’s work.

“My sponsor gave me this spell,” Sylvie told me after she’d just demonstrated a spell to create a conjuring of a glowing wall of energy. It was a form of force field, though I understood that there were several other spells that could give similar effects.

“Pretty cool,” I agreed. I pulled out the stack of different spells aunt June had given me and held up the one I wanted. “I think I’m going to try this one next. It’s an itching spell.”

Sylvie laughed at that. “I think I know who you intend to cast that on.”

“Well, our duel is tomorrow,” I responded with a grin. “And I’m sure it will be difficult for Teressa to focus if she’s too itchy to even think straight.”

“Yeah right,” exclaimed one boy who’d been standing nearby and had apparently overheard our exchange. Jonah hadn’t seemed to care one way or another about my being a Were, at least not until what kind had been revealed. “You’ll never beat Teressa… Maybe after she kicks your ass, you’ll get the hint and leave the Academy.”

“Shut your mouth,” Sylvie blurted out, glaring at him.

Jonah spat out, “The Academy is for touched…not monsters.”

Sylvie snarled and looked as though she was about to attack Jonah. Suddenly, Master Tonkas stepped in front of her and exclaimed, “Enough of this.” Master Tonkas stood there for a moment with a grim expression, looking at all three of us one at a time. Then his attention settled on Sylvie and he stated, “If you wish to fight Jonah, you will do it in the dueling circle…not my classroom. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir,” Sylvie responded with a grimace.

“And you,” Master Tonkas snarled in annoyance, making me gulp and brace myself. But to my surprise, he didn’t look at me but at Jonah. “There will be no more rumormongering or slandering of other students in this class.” He raised his voice to make sure that he was heard by everyone nearby and stated, “These insults are ignorant and disrespectful, not only to those you insult but to me as well. Anyone who continues to disrupt my class in this fashion WILL be given detention.”

With that, Master Tonkas gave Jonah a steady look and then looked around the room to see how many other people had heard him. I could only stare at Master Tonkas in stunned silence. Sure, he’d jumped to conclusions about me several times in the past, but he’d always been fair to me in class. I just hadn’t expected him to put his foot down so firmly in my defense.

“Wow,” I said, suddenly having a new respect for the pompous instructor.

Once Master Tonkas walked away, I tried to remember what I was doing. I’d gotten a little distracted during the brief confrontation and had dropped several of the spell notes. I quickly grabbed my notes and then went to work drawing the lines and symbols I’d need to guide me through this spell. The itchiness spell was one that I hadn’t cast before but it was fairly complicated so I was eager to try it out.

I focused on the magic and began drawing it out and forming it into the pattern. It was like assembling a puzzle and I only needed to make sure all the pieces were in the proper place. It took me half an hour to complete the pattern and as soon as I did, I bound the magic into the rock that I was making into a token.

“Nice pattern weaving,” Sylvie said from beside me, looking impressed. “I don’t think I can do one that complicated yet. You’re really picking this up.”

“Indeed you are,” another voice said. I turned to see Master Tonkas standing there, watching me with a thoughtful look.

“Um…thank you,” I told him.

Master Tonkas stared at me and then the spell circle I’d just finished using. Then he said, “I thought you were only a class four.”

“I am,” I responded in confusion.

Master Tonkas gave me a skeptical look and pointed to the spell circle. “This is a class six spell.”

“A class six?” I asked in surprise.

I picked up my notes and looked more closely, suddenly realizing that I’d gotten distracted and cast the wrong spell. This wasn’t the itchiness spell. This was another one of the spells I’d asked aunt June to give me, even though I knew I’d never be able to cast it.

“By Grabthar’s hammer…” I blurted out, staring at the token in my hand that contained the spell based off my mom’s talent.

“Obviously, whoever measured your magic level didn’t do so correctly,” Master Tonkas stated in his usual pompous tone. “I recommend that you find someone more competent to measure you. I’d do it myself but I don’t have time at the moment. Come see me after class is over today and I’ll find what level you really are.”

“No way,” I whispered once Master Tonkas walked away. I couldn’t believe that I’d just cast a level six spell…and a transformation spell at that. I turned my attention to Sylvie and grinned mischieviously. “So…you wanna test out my new spell?”