Page 89 of The Alien in the Archive

“Then yes,” I say, my voice low, the hint of a chuckle in the words. “I think I would.”

33

PAGE

There’s a very specific kind of dread an academic feels when they get an unprompted email from their supervisor asking them to meet. It’s that feeling ofoh shit, I missed a reference. Orthey’re going to tell me I’m not working fast enough, aren’t they?

For me, that dread is even more intense because most academics aren’t hiding a fugitive in their archive.

I can’t shake the feeling as I walk past the gate to the Obscuary, toward Davina’s office. My evening at home with Thorne feels like a distant memory now, and I feel more than a little guilty at the prospect this meeting is happening because someone saw him. If anyone finds out…

I can’t lose him.

I know it’s ridiculous. IknowI promised myself I would focus on my research, that I wouldn’t let anything distract me. But you can’t exactly plan for something like this, can you?

Davina’s door is open when I arrive, and I find her already seated behind her desk. She looks as polished as ever, hair braided down her back, antlers wrapped in silver cord.A small stack of books is neatly arranged on one side, a pad of paper beside it, while a glowing tablet sits on the other side.

“Page,” she says. “It’s good to see you. Please, sit.”

I take the chair opposite her, letting my bag slip to the floor. It’s light today—because I wasn’t actually planning on doing anything other than getting naked with Thorne.

“You wanted to see me?” I ask.

Davina nods. “Yes…I wanted to discuss something a little unusual.”

I balk, gulping down my anxiety. “Okay.”

“I was looking over approvals for passes to the Obscuary last week and I saw that your brother Riley—an engineering student—was approved for a day pass.”

God damn it, Riley.

Neither Thorne or Riley even bothered to tell me he’d been there.

“As you know, the Obscuary isn’t frequented by engineering students,” she goes on. “Care to explain why he might pay the archive a visit?”

I feel my stomach twist, fumbling to figure out a proper lie. “Oh…that,” I say. “I um…left a book there. Something I needed for my notes, but I was caught up in a lecture so I asked him to grab it for me.”

Davina cocks her head. “A lecture?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “I have a friend who’s working in the Turitella, and she told me about this talk—thought I’d be interested.”

“And your brother needed to fetch a book for youduringthe lecture.”

I shrug. “You know…when the academic spirit strikes you.”

She doesn’t look even remotely convinced. Davina steeples her fingers, studying me with unnerving precision. “Page, I knew about your work before you even came here. Your entire career, you’ve been thorough, methodical, and entirely dedicated to your research. But lately…I have to admit, I thought I’d have seen more progress by now, and your sources have been odd at the very least. Are you certain there isn’t something else you’d like to share?”

I hesitate, weighing my options. Lying outright hasn’t worked, and she’s too sharp to just let this go.

But how much can I afford to tell her?

“Ihavebeen working on something,” I admit carefully, meeting her gaze. “Something important. But it’s…delicate. I need more time before I can present my findings properly.”

“What kind of ‘something’?”

I take a deep breath, deciding to risk a small gamble. “Have you ever heard the name Thorne Valtheris?”

For the first time in the conversation, Davina’s composed exterior cracks ever so slightly. “Thorne Valtheris,” she repeats, her voice tinged with…something I can’t quite place. Curiosity? Caution? I hope it’s the former. “A name I haven’t heard in quite some time. Where did you come across it?”

---