Beatrix returned to the stovetop and resumed stirring her batch of ghoulash.
Jackson and Autumn were quietly chatting, and Autumn mentioned how prom was likely going to be canceled this year.
"Really? Orion was gonna ask Howleen to go," Jackson said absentmindedly.
Autumn stilled. "Howleen? Clawdeen's little sister?"
Jackson's eyes went wide. "Oh no. Orion is going to kill me. P-please don't tell the fearleaders."
Autumn's stitched lips turned up into a sly smile. "I promise I won't—but on one condition. If prom ends up happening, you have to ask Frankie to go with you."
Jackson's face went red as a tomato. "W-what?"
"She's been dying for you to ask her."
"Really? I, um…"
As they were distracted, Beatrix held out her right hand and traced a symbol, the one Astar had shown her. Running her finger across her palm lines, she drew a small square with a few lines extending from it.
As soon as she'd finished tracing the shape, she heard Astar's voice behind her.
"And then I had that punk demon in a headlock, like this—whoah!" he exclaimed.
Beatrix turned to find Astar getting his footing, like he'd been knocked off balance. He'd clearly been pulled from a conversation elsewhere on campus.
"That was easy," Beatrix said, feeling a tingle where she'd drawn the symbol.
"Astar!" Autumn whispered. "When did you get here?"
The devil surveyed his surroundings and flashed Beatrix a grin of approval. "Usually, interruptions annoy me. But how can I be annoyed when my little Bee is summoning me?" he said.
Beatrix grabbed the devil by the arm and pulled him to the fridges. "None of you are supposed to be back here. So keep quiet."
Thankfully, Astar obeyed and tucked in his wings, squatting down beside Jackson and Autumn.
He smiled at Autumn. "Hey, Patches." Then he nodded at Jackson. "Four-eyes."
Jackson pushed up his glasses, peeved.
"What can I do for you, Bee Bee?" Astar asked. "Want someone devilishly handsome to chat with? Got another attic to clean? … Need another spell to try?" He emphasized that last part.
He turned to Autumn and Jackson. "Did you hear about her wild night out? She missed me so much she stalked me on the library roof."
"Yup, they know all about it," Beatrix said, attempting to sound agreeable despite how much that misconstrued story bothered her.
Astar smiled devilishly. "It's great to see you using new magic. I was wondering when you'd start experimenting again. Your ghostly adventure must've been fun."
Astar eyed the simmering ghoulash on the stove.
Beatrix forced a smile. "Thanks. I know you wanted me to do more magic this semester, so I figured it was worth a shot."
Astar looked shocked at how pleasant she was being to him. "Sounds like you're finally loosening up. Perfect, because I have so much to teach you. I've been wondering how you've been liking 'old magic.'"
"What do you mean 'old magic'?" Beatrix asked.
"That whole 'copying monster traits' thing you've been doing. You're using ancient techniques," Astar said. "It makes sense to draw inspiration from monsterkind, since the essence of their life force is from witchcraft. Witches used to create monster species to borrow and utilize some of their abilities from time to time."
As Astar spoke, Jackson furiously scribbled this new information in his notebook.
Beatrix lowered the heat on the ghoulash, scooped some into a bowl and subtly poured in the clear liquid from the plastic cup she'd put off to the side.
"Huh. Interesting. I have been drawn to copying monster abilities. Actually, that's why I summoned you," Beatrix confessed.
Astar perked up.
Beatrix continued, "Is there any type of magic strong enough to bend metal? I wanted to know because…" Beatrix glanced around. There was a dent in one of the metallic serving tables.
"I want to fix some of the wonky kitchen equipment in here. But I don't want to become a temporary werewolf again," she said. "I need something that gives me supernatural strength without transforming me into a beast."
Sitting on the tiled floor, Astar rested his chin on his knuckles.
"What about a mind compulsion power?" Autumn brainstormed. "You know how Draculaura and Dracula use mind control to make others do their bidding? Maybe Beatrix could use some telekinetic power to bend objects with her mind?"
The scarecrow seemed to be putting two and two together, understanding that Beatrix's true motive was to figure out how to break through (or at least bend back) the iron perimeter fence.
"Not mind compulsion," Astar shot down the idea. "Too advanced. Unless Bee wants to risk injecting herself with venom and becoming a vampire forever."
Beatrix thought back to the flames on Heath's burning head.
"What about fire?" Beatrix asked. "To bend metal, don't you have to get it hot? Like, super hot? How does Heath Burns control the flames on his body?"
"A fire elemental is a humanoid made of living fire, so his own element doesn't affect him," Astar explained. "Fire elementals are usually conjured by wizards. Lucky for you, fire is my speciality."
"What ingredients will I need? The closest witchy thing I can think of to replicate Heath's ability is a pyrokinesis potion. My aunts make pyrokinesis spells with eye of newt and other plants, but I don't have those ingredients here."
"I'll do you one better," Astar said. He got up, opened a kitchen oven, and scooped some ash from the bottom, gathering charcoal powder in his large, taloned hands.
Astar smeared the ash on both of Beatrix's palms. The ash had a deep black pigment.
Beatrix coughed. When was the last time the lunch ladies cleaned out their ovens?
"Ashes are a powerful tool for spellwork," Astar said, tracing unfamiliar runes on each of her hands. "With this, you'll be able to harness hellfire. It will feel hot to everything and everyone else, but it won't burn you."
He scanned the shelf of vegetable oils above the stove and grabbed a bottle of olive oil. Astar poured some onto Beatrix's ash-covered hands, rubbing the oil into the grooves of the rune symbols.
"Why olive oil?" Beatrix asked, grossed out by the slimy mixture of oil and ash.
"Helps energy align to a spell. Any oil can be used as anointed oil if you want it enough," Astar said, "and having a devil present to make it unholy helps." He winked. "Now, rub your hands together. Create as much friction as possible."
Beatrix started rubbing.
"Set your intentions," Astar ordered. "Focus. Visualize a flame in the center of your palms. Let the ashes' power seep into your skin. You're kindling a fire. It will burn like an open flame."
Beatrix kept at it, sliding her palms together faster and faster, creating more and more friction.
It was pretty uncomfortable, and it went on for several minutes.
Jackson and Autumn watched from a safe distance, probably anticipating a potential explosion if the spell went wrong.
"Concentrate. Strong mind, Bee!" Astar coached.
Soon, the center of both of Beatrix's palms started to sizzle, as if electricity was flowing out of her hands.
"Look! I'm doing it!"
Beatrix separated her hands. They glowed like embers.
Although she didn't feel anything, heat waves radiated off her palms. Her hands emitted an orangish-red color that pulsed in and out, almost like the heat was breathing.
Astar beamed, clearly proud of his work. "Now you can hold flames and meld whatever you'd like for an hour or so."
"Can I shoot fire?"
"Hell yeah you can." Astar looked thrilled at the thought of Beatrix wielding flames thanks to him.
"Is there a way to end this before the hour is up? I won't need the power for long," she said.
"To cool down, press your palms to the earth to discharge the energy. Just make sure you're away from dry grass and leaves. You don't want to set the mountainside on fire. When the color on your hands is gone, the heat will be too." Astar looked over the moon. "Practice this enough, and you could even create more fire elementals like Heath!"
"Another time," Beatrix said. "Now, I better fix some kitchen equipment. Oh, but before I do, could you taste test the ghoulash for me, Astar? I want to see if it's too salty. I would do it myself, but my hands are hot as furnaces right now."
Astar looked at the big pot on the stove. "Don't mind if I do…" he said, making a grab for the serving spoon.
"Not that one! I set some aside." Beatrix pointed to the bowl on the counter she'd prepared.
Without hesitating, Astar scarfed down the small serving of ghoulash in three seconds flat.
"Well?" Beatrix asked.
Astar wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Tastes wicked. But a little watery."
"Oh, that's actually a new cooking method I'm trying," Beatrix said, getting close to Astar's ear. Instead of explaining the cooking method, Beatrix lowered her voice and sang a line of the mermaid song she'd sung to Mr. Gore and Johannah in Downtown New Salem.
As the melody left her lips, Astar's upper body abruptly slumped down. The bowl clattered to the ground and his legs went limp. Astar started to slip from the countertop to the floor.