Page 58 of Monster's Mystery

“You were very impressive,” I said. “Congratulations on the win.”

“Thank you. The team and I work very hard.”

“Ourcenter was found murdered on the school steps the night after the game.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to see Paige, glaring at Sebastien with her arms crossed.

“Paige! You can’t be serious!” I seethed. Glancing back at Sebastien, I saw that he looked gray under his tan. He moved his hand away from Una’s skirts. “She’s done this to anyone who was around that day. Don’t worry.”

“I noticed that you had a new center,” Sebastien said gravely. “I am sorry to hear that the first was killed. I assume the murderer has not been found?”

I sighed heavily. “Unfortunately not. There have been several suspects, but no proof.”

“Stop giving away details of an open investigation!” Paige hissed. “Especially to a suspect!”

“If it helps, my team and I went home immediately following dinner,” Sebastien said. “Night had not fallen yet.”

I smiled. “And Richard wasn’t killed until around curfew, well after that,” I said to Paige in a ‘so there’ tone.

“He could have snuck back!” Paige retorted.

“I am not sure you know how the portals between schools work,” Sebastien said. “They are only allowed twice per day, so that students cannot activate the portals whenever they wish. We must all be ready to leave and to go home at the same time. They are only active on specific days that must be planned in advance. They are not like the permanent portals to special locations at nexus points. Have you been to Atlantis yet?”

My jaw dropped. “Atlantis?” I gasped. I took a deep breath, trying not to sound too excited. “I assume that’s one of the underwater portals?”

Sebastien grinned. “It is. I got to visit during Nexus class in third year. It was my favorite field trip.”

“We have to pass our underwater testing first,” I said, disappointed that I would have to wait. “We just visited Easter Island.”

“Bien. Did you see the Vulcans?” he asked eagerly, leaning across the table.

“We did get to see one of their cities,” I said. “They’re so tiny!”

“They didn’t used to be,” Sebastien said. “They draw on the magic of the nexus to remain small, because it suits their needs better. They are more hidden from humans this way. But they were originally the same size as us, if not bigger.”

“I didn’t know that!” I exclaimed. “I don’t remember Professor Akhtar mentioning it either.”

“Maybe my professor is just a little bit better than yours,” he said, eyebrows rising in superiority.

My hackles rose. “Professor Akhtar is the best. Just because he didn’t know atiny, littlefact about a civilization completely across the world doesn’t make him a bad teacher!”

“I didn’t say he was,” Sebastien said airily.

“Let’s go find somewhere a little more isolated,” Una said, sliding to her feet and holding her hand out to him. She frowned at me. “See you at the dance.”

I watched them walk out of the cafeteria in surprise. “She can’t possibly be siding with him over us!” I asked Aiden, shocked.

He shrugged. “I guess she just wants him all to herself for now.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I never understood her insatiability.”

“Don’t you?” Aiden commented quietly.

I blushed again.

Paige sat down where the couple had been, scowling. “Why did you chase him off? I had more questions for him.”

“About what? The game play? You can ask any of the others,” I said, indicating several with the end of my fork.

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