148. Sweet Failures & Dangerous Temptations
Marcelline's Villa — Training Wing
Marcelline stood barefoot on the glowing sigils etched across the marble floor, her hair tied up, eyes sharp with focus. The teleportation circle sparked in pale gold, trembling like a stubborn child refusing to behave.
Leo stood opposite her with his arms crossed, looking like he belonged on some celestial throne and not in a messy training room.
"Again," he said.
Marcelline sighed dramatically. "I DID it again. The circle did not listen."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "You kicked it."
"I KICKED it because it wasn't listening," she corrected proudly.
He rubbed his temples like the elder sibling whose patience was a national treasure. "That's not how magic works."
"That's how MY magic works," she countered.
He opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. She had a point.
---
After 37 tries, 2 random explosions, 5 dramatic sighs, and 1 argument about 'attitude,'
…the teleportation enchantment finally stabilized.
A soft hummmm filled the room — the good kind, not the "I might explode your eyebrows off" kind.
Marcelline grinned, triumphant.
Leo grinned too — relieved.
"Finally," she said, stretching her arms. "If this works right, I won't end up in the wrong place again."
Leo snorted. "Yes. Like that time you teleported straight into
enti—"
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT," she cut him off immediately.
She could still feel the afterimages of that moment:
One blink.
And suddenly—
Maximilian's bedroom.
He freshly came out of shower.
Water dripping his sexy strong body.
Their lips brushing .
His hiding blush..
And him looking at her like she had appeared straight out of his forbidden imagination.
Her face heated just remembering.
No. No. No.
Not doing that again.
Leo continued anyway, enjoying himself. "—in that mansion . How exactly did you end up there?" Leo was clueless about Marcelline's little fun time.
"It was the enchantment's fault," she declared.
"Mhm."
"It pulled me."
"Mhm."
"I didn't WANT to go."
Leo looked at her… and smirked.
"You teleported right in that mansion.Where you thinking about it ."
"That was DARK SORCERY," she insisted, pointing at the circle. "NOT me."
Leo gave her the "I know you're lying" face, but he let it go.
---
He stepped closer.
"You sure you don't want me to accompany you this time? Just in case it misfires?"
"No!"
Her answer was immediate. Too immediate.
Leo blinked. "Why?"
Marcelline bit her lip, her mind sneaking back to a very improper thought:
What if it misfired again… and she landed somewhere even worse this time?
Like his bathroom.
Or his shower.
Or his closet while he was changing.
Or—
Oh gods.
Her smirk curled like a wicked flame.
Because wouldn't that be deliciously chaotic?
A sweet 'accident.'
A perfect opportunity.
And no audience.
No Leo hovering.
No witnesses ruining her fun.
Just her…
…and her very pretty mortal toy.
She flicked her hair back.
"No backup. No babysitter. I handle this alone."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you smiling like you're planning a crime?"
"Because," she purred, stepping onto the sigil, "I always plan crimes."
Leo groaned.
"Marcelline—"
"Relax," she winked. "If the enchantment fails again… I'll deal with the consequences."
Leo muttered under his breath, "That's exactly what worries me."
She ignored him, her smirk sharp as sin.
Because deep inside her mischievous heart, she whispered a little dangerous hope:
Come on, enchantment… fail one more time.
Just one sweet failure.
I don't mind landing on him again.
---