Page 18 of Dig Your Grave

His words left me speechless.Could the alleged poster boy for everything wrong in this place also be the key to dismantling it?It sounded far-fetched, yet as I studied his earnest gaze, my instincts told me there was truth in it.

But that didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous.“Anubis, if they find out you’re betraying them.”

He gave a small smirk.“They’re expecting me to stay in line.I’m the golden child.Pun intended.But I can subvert them from within if I have the right partner.”His grip on my wrist lingered, the warmth of his palm contrasting with the cold dread creeping through my veins.

I let out a long breath, heart thudding.“What do you need from me?”

He didn’t respond right away.A quiet hush fell, broken only by the rustle of my jacket as I shifted in the chair.I felt his eyes track over me, not merely with desire or arrogance, but with the same complicated longing I’d started to sense in myself.

Finally, he stood and began tidying up the books.“Tonight, you should get some rest,” he said softly.“I’ll walk you back to the Boat House, then you can head to your dorm.Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the next step.”

I frowned.“That’s it?”

Something fleeting passed across his face, like a confession he wouldn’t speak aloud.“We’ve done enough for one night.It isn’t safe to linger too long in one place with all these materials out.Tomorrow, we’ll figure out how to navigate the society’s…demands.”

Though I was brimming with questions, exhaustion weighed on me more.My temples pulsed from hours of reading cursive.Nodding, I helped him gather the ledgers back onto the shelves and tucked my phone away.The temptation to remain, searching every corner of that cottage, was strong, but I sensed he was right.But one thing I’d picked up from all the text was that sticking around might draw the eye of watchers.We needed caution.

Outside, the moonlight had vanished behind heavy clouds, and a breeze brushed my face, carrying an unseasonable chill.We trudged up the muddy path in silence, my shoes squelching in damp leaves.When we reached the veranda behind the Boat House, he paused, turning to me.My breath came in little white puffs as I studied his features in the faint light.

“Will you be okay walking to your dorm alone?”he asked quietly, voice laced with concern.

“I can manage,” I said.Then I swallowed, my chest tight.“Thank you…for trusting me enough to show me that.”

He nodded.“Lock your door tonight.And check in tomorrow.I’ll come find you after classes.”

We were face to face, the tension a thrumming current between us.For a moment, it felt like we both teetered on a ledge of possibility.Where a kiss might happen, or a meltdown, or both.But I couldn’t move, nor could he.We were two magnets, drawn close but not quite daring to seal the gap.Then, in a quiet motion, he squeezed my arm once and turned away.

I tried not to feel disappointed.In truth, I was too overwhelmed to add more intimacy to this already insane night.I cut across the campus pathways, blending into shadows as I let the swirl of conflicting emotions wash over me.The old dorm, my old room, was off limits, memories of Toccara’s presence lingering like a haunting.Instead, I hurried back to the new building assigned to me after the investigation.

My mind whirred with the images from the caretaker’s cottage, black robes, hidden registers, a thick ledger detailing the twisted nature of Edenvane’s scholarship.The disquieting knowledge that Toccara might have discovered something that led her into the river.

Before I turned the corner, I risked a backward glance at the Boat House.A single silhouette on the veranda, arms crossed, watching me vanish into the night.It was Anubis.Even though the distance was too far to discern details, I felt his gaze like a tether.

And I hated how, despite my better judgment, part of me hoped we’d meet again soon.

Chapter 8

The following day dawned dull and cloudy.My alarm blared at 6:45 a.m., and I fought the urge to hurl my phone across the room.Before class, I had an early shift at the library, though my hours had been cut after the fiasco with my green hair.Glancing in the mirror, I frowned at the color that still refused to wash out.I’d pinned it into a low bun at the nape of my neck, hoping to look somewhat professional for my shift.

Slipping on a simple black turtleneck dress, I grabbed my tote bag and hustled across campus.The library’s glass doors greeted me with an accusing reflection of a tired scholarship student who had barely slept.

Margrett, the head librarian, offered me a curt nod as I walked in.“You’re on the second floor at the circulation desk,” she said, her mouth set in a disapproving line.No mention of Toccara, no mention of the secret society sheep incident, just business as usual.Fine by me.

I spent the morning scanning returned books, chatting politely with students who needed help finding obscure references.My mind remained half-absent, replaying everything from the cottage.Once or twice, I startled when I thought I saw robed figures in my peripheral vision, only to realize it was just students in hoodies.

Margrett told me to take a break.I ventured outside and found a spot beneath the oak trees on the quad, rummaging in my bag for the breakfast sandwich I’d stashed.As I unwrapped it, a crisp voice startled me.

“Is this seat taken?”

I looked up into the face of Sophie Mence, the Dean’s daughter.She was perched gracefully, wearing a perfectly tailored navy blazer, her long blonde hair pulled into a sleek ponytail.The same girl I’d glimpsed stepping off a helicopter at that fancy party, who had draped herself all over Anubis like they were close.A chill raced across my skin.

“Uh, no,” I managed, stowing my immediate suspicion behind forced politeness.

Sophie sat, crossing her legs, and angled her body toward me.“Suede Sara Divore, right?”

Hearing my full name from her lips felt jarring.She extended her hand like we were at a corporate mixer.“I’m Sophie.We’ve never really talked, but I’ve seen you around.”

“I know who you are,” I said, trying not to sound resentful.

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