Page 86 of A Dusk Of Stars

“No. You’re all dismissed,” he says as he moves to walk away, motioning at Serra to follow him. “This was it for today.”

“Wait a second,” I urge, sitting straighter and making Serra stop getting up. “Alaric, could you show them the book?”

He takes it out of his bag and hands it to Lorcan. Lorcan takes it, frowning.

“If you’re so bent on refusing to give me any more information,” I start, “could you at least tell me how this book could be related to the one that chose me. It’s got the same symbol showing in a drawing inside.”

Lorcan thinks for a second. Then a smile tugs at his lips. “Thank you for bringing this.” He puts it in his robe pocket.

Gritting my teeth, I watch him and Serra leave the room.

***

It’s late and I’m in the cafeteria with Alaric and Raven, pretending to be on my phone while fuming inside. That goddamn Lorcan, blocking my progress every step of the way. I’d hoped I’d somehow be able to avoid doing what Bane wants me to do. It doesn’t feel particularly tempting to me — researching weird deaths and potentially finding out I’m being lied to.

What am I supposed to do? Nothing? Just wait for Baldur to show up?

It snaps me out of it, when I hear the sound of a cane hitting the polished stone floor of the cafeteria.

I look up only to find Serra walking up to our table, leaning on her cane even more than usual. “Could I talk to Anna alone?” she asks my friends.

“Sure, Professor Naehorn,” Alaric says, and the two of them get up and leave in search of another spot.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner,” Serra says.

“Are you okay?” I ask as I watch her lower herself into the chair. I’m still sore about her declining my request for access to the Restricted Section, but the state of her is making me forget all aboutthat. It’s not just the rapidly graying strand of hair on her head, it’s the paleness of her skin as well.

She gives me a tense smile. “Well, to tell the truth, Iama little worried about last night’s break-in.”

“You know,” I say with a shrug, “the whole Aurora thing might be the center ofouruniverse right now, but as far as I know, we’re the only people at the Academy who even know about it.”

She smiles again, looking at me like I’m some innocent puppy. “Oh Miss Novak…”

Itdoesmake me realize what I’ve just said. “Yeah, I understand,” I admit through gritted teeth. “But there’s nothing I can do to help, so…”

I look away, wanting her to leave.

There’s a moment of silence before she says, “You know, it wasn’t me who declined your request for access to the Restricted Section.”

I turn to look at her, my eyebrows pulling down.

Pressing her lips tight as if she’s uncomfortable about it, she says, “He just wanted me to make it seem like it wasn’t him turning you down.”

Lorcan.

I take a deep breath, my jaw clenching. “I see.”

She leans a little forward, throwing me a slight, knowing smile. “I just want you to tell me I have nothing to fear.”

Fuck, she knows it was me. Of course she does. She went to the scene of the crime, where I did end up making Bane use magic after all. She seems to be covering up for us. It’s in a softer voice that I say, “It’s all good, trust me.”

She breathes a sigh of relief.

“Although,” I add, recognizing an opportunity, “I have a feeling I won’t be getting to see that book, ever again. I’m not even talking about the Lexarcanum book. That’s how desperate I am.”

To my surprise, Serra throws me a mysterious smile, says, “Well…” She reaches into her robe pocket, taking Alaric’s book out and handing it back to me, just like that. “Let’s just keep this our little secret.”

My eyebrows shoot up. I smile. “Damn, Serra. You’ve just made my day.”

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