Page 133 of Revenge of the Forgotten

Vega pushed those thoughts out of her mind, focusing on what she could guarantee—not getting caught in the main library of Littera by the enemy.

She looked behind once more, and with her eyes focused in the wrong direction, Vega came crashing into someone. A startled peep escaped the woman now on her ass from the collision.

Vega whipped her head around, eyes landing on Colette. A smile pulled at her lips, still hidden behind the hood cloaking her. “Oh my gods. I’m so sorry,” she cooed, reaching out to help her up.

Colette’s soft voice murmured her own apology, accepting the helping hand. “You’re fi?—”

Vega let her hood down, releasing Colette’s hand.

“Vega,” she hissed, pulling her behind an open door. “What are you doing here?”

What am I doing here?

Vega found her words before speaking. “I have a couple of books I wanted to return.” It was partially true. She dug around in her bag and pressed two against Colette’s chest.

The blonde’s eyebrows met in a V shape. “You shouldn’t be here. There are too many eyes. The books could have waited.” Her voice was a hushed murmur.

“Well,” Vega paused, biting her lip. It’s now or never. “That’s not the only reason I’m here.” She looked around the room, catching a student ogling at her from the corner.

Colette followed her gaze, snapping her fingers at the young boy. His eyes diverted from them, and he tottered away.

It wouldn’t be long before people learned Vega was here.

“Colette, I need your help with something. You told me to tell you if something in one of the tomes worked.” Vega pulled the last book out of her bag.

Colette shook her head, placing a finger over Vega’s lip. “Not here.” She grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a small office. The lights winked to life as they walked in, and the door squeaked shut. “You don’t have much time. Start talking.”

Vega swallowed her fear and delved into the gritty details. As she spoke, she flipped to the page numbers she’d memorized. Vega pointed out the most important details, not missing a beat.

“I keep getting pulled back to Earth. That has to mean my curse is there, tied to that world somehow. Maybe the key is just being able to outsmart it… but regardless of what it is, I need to get back to Earth, and I need to trick this curse into thinking I’m dead so I keep my memories this time.” Vega felt breathless after spilling her guts to an ally who might be too new to trust—an ally who was the granddaughter of one of Marlena’s most loyal praefecti.

Colette shook her head, the ends of her blonde hair rustling over the shoulder of her robe. “I can’t help you with this.” She walked to the door and peeked outside, searching the corners for watchful eyes.

Vega stepped forward, reaching for her hand, but Colette pulled back. “Colette, please. You’re my last hope.”

“No. It puts me in too much danger, and I refuse to be put in the middle of a war I can’t fight myself out of.” Colette’s bronze skin had gone pale, fear prickling her skin.

Vega’s expression was tight, lips pursed. “You’ve already put yourself in the middle by helping me.”

“I owed Urban a favor. I do not owe you anything. I got you out of here safe, and now I must protect myself. My grandfather has been babbling about seeing you here for days. It’s only a matter of time before Marlena shows up here, questioning all of us. Or that Bridger shows up with his army ready to burn this place to the ground for harboring secrets we’ve been keeping for centuries.” Colette ushered Vega out of the door and back down the hall. “I’m sorry I’m not the fearless ally you were hoping for, but I want to live just like the others here in Littera. I will do what I can, when I can to help, but this is not something I will help with.”

Colette pulled Vega’s hood up for her, moving them quickly through the halls.

Vega wanted to argue with her, to fight and claw to get her way—but she wouldn’t. That was what Marlena did, not her. Vega would find another way. She always found another way.

When they got back to the door Vega entered through, Colette stood outside on the stoop and bowed her head as Vega descended the stone stairs. “I am sorry, Vega. Truly. I’m rooting for you, but I am not equipped to fight off Marlena if this goes badly. And I am certainly not sure I’d want to have an angry Arlet or Khort on my ass, either.”

Snowflakes were coming down thicker, a white coat layering the ground she stood on. “I hope you know this will end in war, Colette. It’s already started. My sister has gotten away with far too much already. I will not rest until she is dead, but first, I have to get the upper hand and break the curse she’s been using to keep me prisoner inside my own body.” Vega turned, heading back to her horse. “If you’re not with us when it’s time to choose a side, you’ll be dead too,” she called back to the young girl standing on the steps of a building Vega would watch crumble if she had to, taking all of Tolevarre’s history with it.

Vega was sick of people playing whatever side benefited them. Colette would have to choose, one way or another.

Her borrowed horse whinnied when she walked up, his head falling to Vega’s pocket where more sugar cubes hid. She reached in and nabbed another for him to crunch on while she readied herself to get back and start formulating a new plan.

Vega began to untie the horse’s reins from the tree when a voice froze her in place.

“How far are you willing to go to set your scheme into motion?”

Quicker than she’d ever moved, Vega twisted away from the horse, and lightning licked at her fingertips with power so strong it raised the heat inside her body.

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