The knock on Professor Horne's office door echoed through the quiet corridor. Valentina took a deep breath, her heart racing.

  "Come in," came Horne's voice, full of tension and caution.

  Valentina entered. Professor Horne sat behind his massive desk, his hands restless on the polished surface.

  "Sit down, Valentina," he said, his eyes wary.

  She took a seat, her back straight, her hands calmly in her lap. The tension in the room was almost palpable.

  "You wanted to see me, Professor?" Valentina began, her voice deliberately neutral.

  Horne nodded slowly. "Yes, I think there's a lot to talk about. Your... Behavior lately has been quite conspicuous."

  Valentina raised an eyebrow. "Conspicuous? In what way, Professor?"

  "Careful, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered. "He's trying to draw you out."

  Horne leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers. "Let's stop playing games, Valentina. We both know there's more going on here."

  Valentina felt her heart beating faster. She had to be careful, she couldn't take a wrong step. "I don't understand what you mean, Professor."

  A soft, humorless laugh escaped Horne. "Oh, I think you do. The looks, the hints... You know something, don't you?"

  There was silence for a moment. Both looked at each other, searching for a weakness, a sign of insecurity.

  "Perhaps we should be more open, Professor. I know about your... special interests in your female students."

  Horne froze, his eyes widening briefly before he regained his composure. "Those are dangerous accusations, Valentina. Do you have any proof?"

  "Be careful," warned Vyxara. "He might try to lure you into a trap."

  Valentina hesitated. She had to play her cards right. "Let's just say I have enough to raise awkward questions." Finally, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment from Horne's notebook.

  Horne leaned back, his face a mask of calculation. "And what exactly are you trying to achieve? Blackmail me?"

  "Not blackmail, Professor," Valentina replied gently. "More like... a mutual understanding."

  A moment of silence followed in which they both reassessed the situation. The air seemed to crackle with tension.

  Finally, Horne sighed deeply. "All right, Valentina. Let's speak frankly. What exactly do you want?"

  Valentina felt her stomach tighten. This was the decisive moment. "I want to learn, Professor. Everything you know. The advanced techniques, the secret Weaving patterns. The things you don't teach anyone else."

  Horne frowned. "That's dangerous knowledge, not suitable for beginners."

  "I'm no ordinary beginner," Valentina countered.

  A slight smile flitted across Horne's face. "No, you're really not." He paused, seemed to be thinking. "And what are you offering in return?"

  Valentina swallowed hard. Here it was, the moment of truth. "Discretion, of course. And... perhaps a certain... willingness to fulfill some of your fantasies. Within limits."

  Horne's eyes widened, a spark of interest and desire flashed in them. "That's... an interesting offer." He leaned forward. "But do you understand the risks? If anyone finds out about this..."

  "Then we'll both lose everything," Valentina finished the sentence. "I am aware of the dangers, Professor."

  Another moment of silence followed, in which they both weighed up the situation. The decision they made now would change everything.

  Finally, Horne nodded slowly. "Very well, Valentina. I think we can come to an... an agreement. But the rules must be clear. Absolute discretion, not a word to anyone."

  Valentina nodded seriously. "Agreed."

  Horne stood up and stepped around the desk. He held out his hand. "Then we have a deal?"

  Valentina stood up, her heart beating wildly. She grabbed his thin, wrinkled hand. "A deal."

  Professor Horne looked at her in utter disbelief, as if he hadn't expected her to really go for it. "If you're really serious about this, I'll expect you tomorrow evening for... um... our first session," Professor Horne said as he led her amiably but a little shocked to the door.

  When she left the office, Valentina felt like she was in a daze. She had done it, she had negotiated a deal.

  "You played really well, little Weaver," Vyxara murmured. "But I'm sure you'll be able to get even more out of it."

  Valentina nodded slightly, her head buzzing with possibilities and dangers. She had struck a deal that could give her invaluable knowledge, but could also cost her everything.

  With mixed feelings, she made her way back to her room.

  ~

  Dusk was falling over Bridgewater University when Valentina made her way to Professor Horne's office the next day. The corridors were deserted, with only the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards breaking the silence. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her hands were clammy with nervousness.

  "Be not afraid, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered in her head. "Remember, you're in control. You decide how far it goes."

  Valentina nodded slightly, more to reassure herself than in response to Vyxara. Once outside Horne's office, she took another deep breath before knocking.

  "Come in," Horne's voice rang out, like a déjà vu from the day before, only this time Professor Horne's voice sounded much more surprised, more expectant.

  She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The office was bathed in warm candlelight, shadows dancing on the walls. Professor Horne stood at the window, his gaze fixed on the dark streets outside. When he turned around, Valentina saw that his eyes were full of desire and uncertainty.

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  "Valentina," he said, his voice rough. "I... I must confess, I wasn't sure if you would really come."

  Valentina forced herself to smile confidently. "I keep my promises, Professor."

  Horne nodded slowly and stepped closer. "Very well. Then... how do we proceed?"

  Valentina felt her heart beating even faster. She was grateful for the dim lighting, which hid her nervousness. "Maybe we should talk about the... boundaries first?"

  "That's good," praised Vyxara. "Set the rules before the game begins."

  Horne nodded again excitedly, his eyes never leaving Valentina. "Yes, that... I suppose that would be appropriate. What do you suggest?"

  Valentina took a deep breath. "No intercourse. And when I say enough is enough, it's enough. Agreed?"

  Horne looked disappointed for a moment, but then he nodded. "Agreed. That's... fair."

  An uncomfortable silence spread. Neither of them seemed to know exactly how to begin.

  "He's waiting for you to make the first move, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered. "Show him that he can take control now."

  Valentina swallowed hard and then took a step towards Horne. Horne's eyes widened and his breathing quickened.

  Professor Horne cleared his throat, his voice sounding hoarse. "All right, Valentina. Let's get started then." He pulled her closer, his grip tight around her waist. She could feel him stroking her side with his other hand, from her hip up to her breast. His thumb lingered there, circling gently over the fabric of her dress.

  "Professor..." she gasped as his touch became more purposeful.

  "Shh," he murmured, his brittle lips close to her ear and his long, stringy gray hair tickling her neck. "You must learn to control yourself." His hand slid down and gripped her bottom firmly, squeezing and kneading the soft flesh through the fabric of her dress.

  "Now it's almost like that fantasy you had once, remember?" giggled Vyxara in her mind.

  Valentina remembered, yes, but it was one thing, Valentina thought, when a man more than three times her age featured in one of the sexual fantasies she shared with Vyxara at night, but quite another when it happened for real, in the flesh. She tried to control her breathing, but her body reacted involuntarily to his touch. She could feel her nipples hardening and heat rising between her legs.

  "Hands on the edge of the table," Horne ordered gruffly when he felt her move.

  She obeyed hesitantly, the blood rushing in her ears. He pulled up her dress, exposing her undergarment and then – very slowly – her bare skin.

  "By the Martyr," he whispered hoarsely when he saw her bare ass. "What a beauty you are." His fingers traced the curve of her hips, digging into the soft flesh.

  Valentina flinched when she felt his hand on her bottom. This was new, something she hadn't been prepared for.

  "Count," Horne said sharply, and the next moment his flat hand slapped her bottom.

  Once. Twice. Three times. She counted each time, her voice breaking with each touch. Valentina played her part, gasping in all the right places, moving as he expected. And all the while, she felt like she was watching from the outside, like it wasn't really her standing there doing these things.

  "You're a good actress," Vyxara said, chuckling in her head. "Maybe too good. Are you sure you're really acting?" Unseen by Professor Horne, Valentina rolled her eyes slightly at Vyxara's comment.

  The blows weren't hard enough to really hurt, but they still burned her skin. Her body reacted strangely to it – she felt a pulsing in her abdomen, a reaction that confused her.

  "Good girl," Horne praised when he had finished. "You take discipline well."

  Valentina stood still, her cheeks red with shame and confusion. She felt exposed and vulnerable, but at the same time she felt a strange tingling inside her.

  Horne let his hand glide over her bottom, gently stroking the reddened skin.

  "You must learn to control yourself," he said with satisfaction. "That's important for a young Essence Weaver like you."

  Valentina felt her body tense up and heat coursed through her at his words.

  "I... I think I understand, Professor," she whispered, her voice shaky.

  When it was over, she saw Horne as satisfied as she had ever seen him, his face flushed and his eyes shining with excitement and gratitude. "That was... very satisfying, Valentina. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it."

  Valentina forced herself to smile as she straightened her clothes. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Professor. And now... to your part of the bargain?"

  Horne nodded eagerly. "I'll send you something in the next few days that will fulfill my part of the bargain for now. You have my word."

  She nodded to him and when she finally left, the corridors were already dark and silent. Valentina felt exhausted and strangely empty.

  "You did well," Vyxara said gently. "The price may seem high right now, but once you have all the knowledge you've gained tonight, you'll find it was worth it."

  Valentina nodded tiredly. But as she returned to her room and dropped into her bed, she couldn't help but wonder if it was really worth it.

  "Oh no, little Weaver," Vyxara said teasingly. "You can't tell me that it left you completely cold, that you didn't like it at all, we share a head after all, you know?"

  Valentina sighed gruffly and thought back, "Yeah... Maybe. But that doesn't mean I have to like that I liked it. Good night, Vyxara."

  ~

  The days after Valentina's 'session' with Professor Horne passed as if in a fog. She moved through the corridors of the university like a sleepwalker, her thoughts a whirl of shame, accomplishment and confusion.

  "Don't overthink everything, little Weaver," Vyxara purred contentedly in her head. "Just look at the fruits of your labor."

  And indeed, the changes were unmistakable. He called on her even more frequently in his lectures, praised her answers extensively and her essays were returned with top marks and enthusiastic comments.

  "Impressive work, Valentina," Horne said one day after class, his eyes sparkling with barely concealed admiration. "I must say, your progress is extraordinary."

  Valentina smiled politely, ignoring the unpleasant tingling in her stomach. "Thank you, Professor. I'll do my best."

  Back in her room, a surprise awaited her. A sealed envelope had been slipped under her door, addressed in Professor Horne's old-fashioned handwriting.

  With hands trembling with excitement, she opened it. Inside she found several tightly written sheets of parchment.

  "Look at this," Vyxara whispered excitedly. "These are real treasures."

  Valentina read greedily. There were detailed descriptions of secret Amplifying Incantations that Horne knew, complex Weaving patterns that she had never seen in any book. At the end of the last sheet, she even found some of Horne's personal sigils – a gift of immeasurable value. Well, not really a gift. He expected something in return, after all.

  "This is... incredible," she murmured, overwhelmed by the possibilities that opened up to her.

  "And that's just the beginning," said Vyxara. "Just think what else he's hoarding if he's giving it out so freely."

  In the days that followed, Valentina immersed herself in the new knowledge. She practiced the incantations, traced the complex patterns and burned the sigils into her memory.

  In the library, she was suddenly granted access to areas that were off-limits to most other students. Matilda Ravencroft, the strict librarian, gave her a curt nod as she entered the restricted section.

  "Professor Horne let me know that you have his permission to enter the restricted section," she said briefly. "Be careful with the books and don't do anything stupid with them."

  Valentina spent hours poring over ancient tomes, soaking up the knowledge like a sponge.

  One chilly afternoon, she was sitting in the library with Innogen, who suddenly looked up from her notes and frowned.

  "Val, what are you reading? You're completely buried in books again. I've just asked you a question three times and I haven't gotten an answer."

  Valentina emerged from her book and looked at Innogen in confusion. "Oh sorry Innogen, I was completely absorbed in this book from the restricted section, it's incredibly interesting."

  Innogen put her quill aside. "What's this all about? Professor Horne's special treatment – there must be a reason for it."

  Valentina felt her heart beat faster. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean," Innogen said carefully, "that there are rumors. Some think you've found a way to cheat."

  "Careful, little Weaver," Vyxara hissed in her head. "Choose your words carefully."

  Valentina swallowed hard. "Innogen, I would never-"

  "I know," her friend interrupted her gently. "I know you. But Val, you need to understand what it looks like to others. This sudden improvement, the preferential treatment – it raises questions."

  For a moment, Valentina was tempted to confess everything. To take the weight off her shoulders. But the words stuck in her throat.

  Instead, she said, "Is it so hard to believe that a stupid poor peasant girl like me can be successful?"

  Innogen looked at her guiltily. "Of course not Val, you know I don't see you that way. I just want you to be careful."

  Valentina nodded silently as her stomach tightened.

  Later that evening, as she paced back and forth in her room, she suddenly stepped to the window and looked out at the dark buildings of the university. Somewhere out there were Innogen and Crispin, her friends who cared about her. And here she was, caught in a web of lies.

  But then her eyes wandered to the pile of forbidden books on her desk, to the complex Weaving patterns she had learned. Old Valentina, the pious girl from Palewood, who never lied, would never have had access to such knowledge.

  "Correct, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered. "Let's see what else we can learn tonight."

  And as the night wore on, Valentina immersed herself in her studies, trying to ignore the occasional whisper of doubt.