Page 59 of Monster's Mystery

“Don’t you think it’s a little convenient that he knows exactly how the portals to other schools work?” Paige asked.

“No, not if he’s on a team that uses them regularly.” I said dismissively.

Paige huffed and got to her feet. “I thought we were working together to solve this murder!”

“So did I,” I snapped. “But you keep accusing everyone you meet before you finish getting their story!”

She whirled around and stormed off.

“You should really be nicer to her,” Bruce said. “She’s helping us with the disappearing students, too.”

“She’ll be back. She just has to cool off,” I replied. “This is hardly the first time we’ve gotten into an argument and I don’t expect it will be the last.”

“Why do you put up with her?” Lilia asked. “It’s not like we need her for the investigation.”

“We work well together when she’s not jumping to conclusions,” I said wearily. “Come on people, let’s stop talking about her. There’s a dance tonight!”

There was a steady trickle of students leaving the cafeteria, heading down to the lowest level. The Olympic sized swimming pool had been covered with a dance floor, and I shuddered to think of the depths of water beneath the smooth veneer of hardwood. If I didn’t have confidence in my school’s ability to keep us all safe, I wouldn’t dare step foot on it.

“Have you been practicing for your swim test?” Bruce asked me when he saw my hesitation to walk into the room.

“No, I need to do that,” I said. “I’m thinking of enchanting a necklace of breathing or something.”

“That’s a good idea,” Bruce said approvingly. “But it won’t help you with the actual swimming part of the test.”

I rolled my eyes. “I grew up on a loch. I know how to swim. It’s holding my breath that I was worried about.”

“I know how to train you,” Aiden murmured, and I elbowed him in the stomach.

An upbeat song started playing and we danced in a circle, not wanting to make Bruce feel left out.

“Where is Rhiannon?” I asked, suddenly realizing that the witch was missing from the group and had been since the sporting event.

“She wanted to stay in her room and do homework,” Lilia replied. “You know she’s not much for large gatherings like this.”

“I can still miss her,” I said.

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate hearing that tomorrow,” Aiden said with a smile. “I love that you care so much for your friends.”

I flushed. “I like them.”

“Did you think you’d say that when you started here in first year?” he teased.

“No,” I answered honestly. “I wanted to get my studies over with and move on with my life. I didn’t come here to make friends, I came here for the best education and to learn as much as I could before exploring the world.”

“I’m glad you opened your heart to new friendships,” Aiden said. “They make you a better person.”

“And I might not have met you properly if I hadn’t been in the cafeteria to get lunch with Hazel,” I said, twirling toward him.

He caught me, his hands warm on my sides. “My life would be much darker without you in it. And my grandmother’s murderer would still be at large.”

I shuddered at the mention of my old academic advisor. “Happy thoughts, remember? We’re celebrating the first Dragon Polo match of the season.”

“Right.” Aiden swung me out and back into the circle of our friends. “Even though we didn’t win.”

“I thought we played very well,” I said. “Didn’t we?” I asked Bruce, who nodded.

“They were better, but most of that was due to the fact that they didn’t have to substitute in their second string center,” he said.

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