Page 140 of Akarnae

Alex realised then that while her gift wasn’t superhero-awesome, it also wasn’t as boring as she’d first thought. Without it, she would have remained a lifeless slave, murdered the royal princess of Medora and doomed the entire human race. All in all, she decided to be thankful and to leave it at that.

“Is D.C. okay?”

Accepting the abrupt change of topic, Darrius was quick to assure her. “She’s well. A little shaken up—and rather worried about her roommate—but otherwise she’s fine.”

Alex nodded, relieved. “She kind of knows everything now. About me, I mean.”

“I think you can trust each other with your secrets,” Darrius said. “And despite the circumstances upon which it was founded, I’m certain your friendship with the princess will be beneficial for you both.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “You know who she is?”

“I do,” he said, but he didn’t elaborate.

Just as she was about to ask Darrius how he always knew things without being told, Fletcher walked back into the room.

Alex gasped as she realised something. “Fletcher! You—I—you—everything we said…?”

While Fletcher was one of her favourite people at Akarnae, he wasn’t supposed to know that she was anything but a normal student. But he’d been standing in the room the entire time she’d told Darrius her story. He would have heard everything about Freya, about Aven, and about the Library.

“Doctor–patient confidentiality,” Fletcher said, waving her fear away. “And it’s nothing I didn’t already know, anyway.”

“What? How?” she spluttered.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t look up the administrative file for one of my most frequent patients?” he asked, his green eyes twinkling. “I’ve known all about you since your first visit to me.”

One more person to add to the growing list. But with Aven after her, Alex felt reassured knowing she had more people watching out for her. People who she knew actually cared for her.

“I did come back in here for a reason,” Fletcher said, looking to Darrius. “I have to give Alex some more medication, so visiting hours are over, I’m afraid.”

Darrius stood from his seat and smiled down at her. “We’ll talk again soon.”

As he walked out of the room she remembered something and called out for him. “You never told me how I got back here from the Library?”

“Your Sir Camden came and found me,” Darrius said.

Sir Camden! “Is he—?”

“He’s fine,” Darrius said. “Whole again and ready for his next quest.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. The suit of armour had been so brave to stand up to Aven, and she truly appreciated his intervention. He’d really proved himself to be a Protector Knight.

“As I was saying,” Darrius continued, “Sir Camden made me aware of your dilemma and he led me and some trusted friends straight to you. We were a few minutes behind him because, unlike his impressive ability to move through walls, we were restricted to the pathways.”

“Does that mean he never found the headmaster?” Alex asked. Time was ticking down, and there were only a few days left until she needed to get back to Freya if she wanted to arrive before her parents realised she was gone. WherewasMarselle?

“The headmaster of Akarnae played a pivotal role in your liberation, Alex,” Darrius said. “I’m certain you’ll meet him soon, now that he’s back at the academy.”

With that promise Darrius waved and headed out the door, and Alex felt something within her relax after hearing confirmation of the headmaster’s return.

Alex turned to Fletcher and noticed an amused expression on his face. “What?”

“Nothing,” he responded, still smiling slightly. “Now drink up andmaybeI’ll let you out of here sometime before next winter.”

She drank vial after vial of different coloured liquids until she was overcome with exhaustion and Fletcher ordered her to go to sleep.

It was an order that she was more than willing to obey.

Forty-Five

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