Page 267 of A University of Betrayal

There was no way around it. I had to go to where I had seen the strange flickering.

Without hesitation, I entered the portico and spotted what had caught my attention. Or ratherwho.

“Julie?”

Why did I even act surprised?Of courseshe was here.

Said person wheeled around, startled, and I felt a very cold breeze hit me directly, causing goosebumps to appear on my skin.

“You shouldn’t be here...” she whispered in panic.

I walked a little further toward her until we were only six feet apart.

It was her gray hoodie that had shimmered so brightly.

“Next time you go out to do forbidden things, you should wear something less noticeable.”

Julie’s face showed no emotion at all. “Where did...”

“Come on, you guys aresoloud. It’s a wonder no one else has heard about this diary yet.”

The Quatura girl’s eyes widened.

“Where are your friends?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “Let me guess, they’re snooping around my uncle’s office?”

Julie turned even paler than usual, which was an interesting play of color given her general pallor – noticeable despite the dim light from the wall lanterns.

I started to move. If my suspicions were correct, they had to be in Alarik’s private rooms... looking for information on a missing woman.What a waste of time.

Julie touched me on the arm and I winced. She was colder than Miles.

“Emely,please,I’m supposed to keep watch to make sure nobody comes.”

I shrugged and kept walking. “Pretend I’m nobody.”

“Please,I can’t let you go there.”

“This university belongs tomyfamily,” I replied to Julie, who was trying to keep up with me. “You won’t be able to stop me.”

“What do I have to do to make you leave and pretend you didn’t notice?”

Julie looked at me desperately as we turned into the next corridor leading up to the stairs.

“You should rather ask me not to mention you when my uncle finds out.” I simply didn’t tell her that Alarik was a cinnamon roll and that the consequences would be harmless, to say the least. “You can still go back to our room and get into bed without a care in the world.”

“I can’t. I need clarity.”

I looked at her. She still tried to keep up.

“Because the book was also about your father?”

Julie eyed me. “You’re observant.”

“I’m a Senseque,” I said with more pride than I intended, and automatically got an adrenaline rush.

“But as you wish...” I began as I took the first steps of the staircase. “But then don’t be surprised if this little mission has consequences.”

Julie sighed and followed me to the thick wooden door. She had obviously given up.

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