Page 85 of A Dusk Of Stars

I throw him a sneaky glance, failing to stop myself from poking. “So, after I left? You and Derek had a good time?”

“Why, you jealous?”

“You wish,” I say with a scoff. “I actually think you’d make a cute couple.”

“You spent a lot of time thinking about that?” He pauses to throw me a knowing smirk. “Or just the possibility your competition’s gotten significantly larger?”

I roll my eyes. “You’re insufferable. Now I hope you actuallydofall for a guy and find yourself having to endure all the stigma.”

He shrugs. “Even if Iwereinto men, you think I’d care about what others thought of me?”

I just look at him for a second. “How mature you are,” I say sweetly just as I walk up to the secret order room. I stop to grab the doorknob, adding, “But of course, only when it’s inyourbest interest, so...”

I move to push the doorknob, but the door doesn’t move. He’s wrapped his fingers around my hand and he’s pulling it in the opposite direction. “Are you really that desperate to find faults with me?” he asks with another smirk. “Maybe you should think long and hard about what that means.”

He gives me a mocking wink, opens the door and motions for me to get inside.

I throw him a flat glare. “I don’t really need totryto find faults with you, Bane. So why don’t you fuck off?”

He does a mocking little bow. “It will be my honor, oh Chosen One.”

It makes me let out a laugh. Still smiling, I make my way to the still empty table. As soon as I get settled in my seat, he walks over, grabs the chair next to mine, lowers himself into it and pushes it as close to me as possible. “Is this far enough?” he asks, his knee pressing into mine.

There they are, the unfailing butterflies in my stomach. I roll my eyes and drag my chair away from his.

It doesn't make him wipe the smug smile off his face, but it’s at the very next moment that the others start entering the room.

I throw warm smiles to Raven and Alaric, and curt nods to Serra and Lorcan.

“It’ll be a short meeting, don’t worry,” Lorcan starts grimly as the rest of them take their seats. He remains standing in front of his, fixing his eyes on me. “Of course, only if everyone here chooses to tell the truth.”

What the…

He glances around the table. “Where were you all last night around midnight?”

“I was in my office,” Serra says, looking as if she knows exactly what’s going on. “I still had some papers to grade.”

Lorcan nods and turns his attention onto Alaric, who seems utterly confused. “Raven and I were in my room, playing cards.” Raven nods.

Lorcan’s eyes dart to Bane, narrowing in irritation. “We know whereyouwere, Bane.”

But it’s rubbing me the wrong way, the way he’s trying to lord over everyone with the needless suspense, so I cut him off to explain to Raven and Alaric, “Someone broke into the RestrictedSection last night, Bane tried to help and was attacked along with one of the guards.”

“How good of you to remind us of yourself, Miss Novak,” Lorcan says with poison in his voice. “Why don’t you tell us whereyouwere.”

“You know exactly where I was and what I know, youdidsend one of the Academy Guard to my room to interrogate me last night.” I throw him a fake smile. “But sure, I’ll humor you. I was in the Library, and I know I heard something up there, but I thought nothing of it, and I just returned to my room.”

“So this has got nothing to do with you having asked for access to the Restricted Section,again?”

“I’m still hoping to get it, so no,” I reply snarkily, “I haven’t started thinking about break-ins,yet.”

I see him grit his teeth. “Well, you’re not getting the access, especially now.”

Goddamn it. “But Professor, did they even take anything?” I ask, trying to salvage the situation.

“No, they haven’t, but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear.”

“You’re really not giving me access?” I demand.

---