Page 39 of Elas

It’s much thicker than the first… actually, it’s much thicker than most of the files in this room. Instead of a single name, there are two written across the tab and a word printed neatly along the edge.

“Hey, Flynn?” I ask as he’s heading out the door, and he pauses and waits expectantly. “What’s Ljómur?” It comes out as ‘luh-joh-mer,’ and I’m positive I’m butchering the pronunciation.

“What?” he demands, hurrying back to my side.

“I’m probably saying it wrong… loo-mer? How do you say ‘Lj’ together, anyway?” The file is ripped from my hand, and I wince at the sting of the papercut that appears as a faint red line on my pointer finger. I stare at Flynn, open-mouthed. “What was that for?”

“Where did you find this?” Any hint of his usual friendly warmth is gone, replaced by a gravity that causes my hackles to rise.

“What in the hells, Flynn? You saw me pick it up from underneath the filing cabinet!”

He blows out a long breath, his cheeks puffing out as he nods and tucks the file under his arm. “Yeah, yeah… you’re right. I’m sorry. This is just…” He stops and shakes his head, meeting my eyes once again. “This is confidential.”

“Okay, yeah, I understand.” My weight shifts between my feet as he stares for an unnervingly long time. Finally, he seems satisfied, and turns towards the door. “Thanks again for the help?” It comes out as a question, and he pauses with his hand on the knob. Dark brown eyes meet mine over his shoulder, topping a smile that feels forced.

“You’re welcome, August.” He slips through the door before I can say anything else, and his voice carries as he hisses at someone in the hallway. “Take my next appointment. I need to speak to the chief.”

What the hell just happened?

The only sound is the faint hum of the fan rotating overhead, and the occasional flutter of paper when the wind catches a loose corner. It’s the type of silent that comes before a storm. Adrenaline spikes through my veins and my heart thuds, contradicting the peaceful atmosphere.

I’m not sure what I’m waiting for, only that it feels like something is about to happen.

“That was weird,” I finally whisper to myself, and the tiny file on the cabinet flutters its reluctant agreement. “Yeah, okay, I hear you. I have work to do.” Hyperaware of every noise in the building, I return to my task. Fifteen uneventful minutes go by, and I’m starting to relax when aseries of footsteps echo down the hallway, punctuated by whispered voices.

The conversation is muffled, so I tiptoe to the door and place my ear against it as I strain to listen. I catch my name but can’t decipher anything else until I hear the metal grind of a key. Unless I open the door, I’ll miss whatever is happening. My hand lands on the knob and I hesitate.

This is stupid—it’s none of my business what they’re doing out there. Still, my hand stays on the knob, tensed and ready, until I can’t bear it any longer.

Curiosity’s defeat of logic will be my downfall.

Sweat on my palm makes the knob slippery as I twist it, heart thudding as I wait for any indication that someone heard me. When nothing happens, I inch the door forward, thankful for the greased hinges. I peek through the miniscule opening and hold my breath.

Flynn stands with Chief Aeliphis outside a doorway I’ve never seen anyone use. Their conversation is tense as the chief pushes the door open and flicks a light on. Rows of files line the large room, each of them as thick as the one I found behind the cabinet, but they quickly vanish inside.

The door I hold on to is ripped from my grasp, and my voice cracks in a startled shout before I can stop it. I slap my hand over my mouth, my cheeks heating as Elas’s wide, questioning eyes stare down at me.

“Seven hells, Elas, you scared the piss out of me. You can’t just sneak up on people like that!”

The momentary flicker of irritation bleeds into concern as he studies me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I blurt out, too quickly, and his skeptical gaze lingers. “Is it time to go home?”

He nods slowly, those dark eyes still locked on mine. “The chief wasn’t in her office, so I couldn’t…” The doorway down the hall opens and Chief Aeliphis steps out with Flynn on her heels. They both freeze when they spot us standing there, and Flynn reaches behind him to slam the door shut.

Elas is oblivious to everything weird that’s happened in the past half hour, and he offers them a bright smile. “Hey Chief! Do you need anything else from August before I steal him?” Her eyes fix on mine as I work to keep my face impassive. Elas’s hand lands on the small of my back, his fingers flexing gently as though he senses my need for his calm.

“No,” she finally says, moving her stern gaze to him. “There’s nothing pressing this afternoon. Flynn tells me you’ll be wrapping up in there tomorrow?” Her attention returns to me as she nods at the doorway we’re standing in.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” The single word is sharp as a tack as it hangs in the air. It’s beyond my ability to fake a smile at the moment, so instead, I focus on securing the door behind me. The weirdness has my stomach rolling, and I’m ready to escape.

“I’ll have to find some other way to keep you occupied after that’s done, won’t I, Mr. Beckett?” I can’t tell if there’s an underlying threat in her words, or if too much time alone has allowed my imagination to run wild.

Idle minds are a conspiracy theorist’s playground, after all.

“Yes ma’am,” I repeat dutifully, and she dismisses us with a terse nod. Elas doesn’t move his hand off my lower back as we weave through the hallways, and I breathe a little easier when we step outside. Gray clouds line the sky, a misty rain falling that somehow amplifies the heat. It feels as though we’re walking through a sauna, and sweat beads on my forehead.

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