Page 46 of Monster's Delight

Or at least, not something I’m going to look into right now.

The archives, once I figured out how to leave the hidden passage, were as silent as I’d left them. I quickly crossed to the entrance to the library.

“Did you find everything you needed?” the librarian asked, popping up behind me.

I whirled, startled. “Yes. I’m just going to retrieve my study partner. He’s going to want to see what I’ve found, so we’ll be back shortly. Is that okay?”

“Of course. The archives close when the library does, fifteen minutes before curfew.”

“Not a problem.” I glanced at the large clock on the wall. It was the middle of the afternoon, plenty of time to find Aiden, return, and try to solve Darragh’s riddle. I arranged a mental alarm, just in case, and left the library.

There were people in every direction, and after the quiet of the archives and hidden room, it was almost overwhelming. I pushed my discomfort aside and focused on finding Aiden. I turned right, in the direction of the pool, where the ballroom had been the night before. Where I had all but lost my heart to a demon. I rolled my eyes.

Of course the demon was Aiden.

Who else?

And he knew it was me under my mask because of his soul bond.

At least he knew who to expect today in the library.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the slightly hysterical burst of giggles that suddenly came over me.

Except he didn’t really know who I was!

I couldn’t believe that we were connected through mysterious conditions set down by accident by our grandparents.

Aiden was swimming laps in the Olympic-sized pool, his clothes in a messy bundle on a bench inside the door. I admired his muscular back and mused regrettably over his decision to leave his briefs on, even though there were several other students in the pool as well.

While I debated whether to join him, he stopped his stroke right at my feet, treading water.

He stared at my ankles and asked, “What?”

“I’ve found some things out. I think you’ll want to see them.”

Aiden slicked his wet hair back from his forehead and squinted up at me. “Give me one good reason to trust you.”

I scowled. “I amnotmy grandfather. Look,” I huffed in annoyance, “I found this secret study in the archives with a portrait of my ancestor. He told me that he saw my grandfather and your grandmother there many times, studying. They were very much in love and had a soul bond.”

Aiden pushed himself up out of the pool, water sluicing off his body in rivulets. “And what were they studying?”

“He wouldn’t tell me. There’s a riddle. Come on, we can solve it together.” I sucked in a breath, trying not to get distracted by how close he was and how little he was wearing. “Please? I don’t want you wasting away like Bridget.”

“What would you know about that?” Aiden scoffed, drying himself with a flick of his wrist before pulling on his jeans. “Witches don’t have soul bonds.”

I told him about my findings, and he nodded thoughtfully, seeming a lot less angry.

“What were you told about it?” I asked as we headed back to the library.

Aiden sighed. “It was no secret that she and Doyle had a relationship at school. Her parents were livid. But female monsters don’t feel the soul bond as strongly as males, so they figured that if they married her to someone else and she had a baby quickly, she’d be distracted and just move on.”

“I’m sorry, how do they know that the soul bond isn’t felt as strongly?” I asked, incensed on Bridget’s behalf. “Have you ever been a woman? You can’t just say things like that!”

“It’s what everyone says.” Aiden shrugged, holding the library door open for me.

“Well, I think everyone’s wrong,” I hissed, seething. “I checked out death dates of several monsters who were soul-bound, and every time the woman died second, she lived longer.”

“There, see?” Aiden interrupted. He followed me into the archives after a nod from Mr. Brecken.

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