Page 59 of A Tower of Half-Truths
Mavery clasped her hands behind her back as she turned to Declan. “Oh, this isKazamin’sdoor?” She glanced at it, then shook her head. “Well, no wonder my key wasn’t working! These doors all look the same to me.”
“That they do, hence the name plates.”
He pointed to Kazamin’s name, embedded in the wood at Mavery’s eye level. She looked at it with faint surprise, as though she were seeing it for the first time.
“Gods, it’s been a long day,” she sighed. “I could use a drink.”
“It’s not even midday yet!” Declan’s eyes widened, but then he gave a hearty laugh. “That’s a feeling I know a little too well. I reckon you were looking for Alain’s office.”
Declan made a beckoning gesture, and she had no choice butto follow him across the common room.
“What did he send you up here for?” he asked.
“Oh, just a book.”
“Which one?”
Mavery was thankful Declan was leading the way and couldn’t see her scowl. “Er…his copy ofThe Covenants of Wizarding Decorum.” It was the first thing that came to mind.
Declan shook his head. “Knowing the state of his office, you’ll be in there all night trying to find the damn thing.” He stopped outside Alain’s door and turned to her. “Why don’t you borrow my copy? About time someone put it to good use.”
She smiled, hardly believing her luck. “That’s so kind of you.”
As Declan disappeared inside his office, she slipped the letter opener beneath Alain’s door. Getting rid of it was her best option; she doubted she would have another chance at Kazamin’s office. Declan returned and handed her the book. It was much smaller than she’d expected—barely larger than a field guide. As she slipped the book into her pocket, she decided to indulge another of her curiosities.
“Can I ask you something? It’s about Alain.”
Declan raised his brows. “Er…sure.”
“I was wondering why he went on sabbatical.”
“He hasn’t told you himself?”
“He doesn’t want to talk about it. I was thinking, considering you’re good friends, he would have toldyou.”
Declan’s bushy mustache twitched as he passed his fingers through his thinning red hair. He was stalling, but Mavery pegged him as the type who wouldn’t dare turn down a woman in need. She gave him her best pleading look: knitted brow, wringing hands, a slight pout.
“All right,” he groaned, “but, by Tanar’s beard, don’t tell him I told you any of this.”
“Of course.” She gently touched his arm. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“A year ago—almost to the day, come to think—he sent his three assistants on a research trip. Only two of them came back.” He sighed. “In our line of work, death’s simply part of the job, butthe poor lad was in a right state over it. Missed Conor’s funeral because he’d drunk himself into a stupor. He canceled half his classes, then stopped showing up to work altogether—during final exams, no less.
“Kazamin put him on personal leave, and I had to step in and help Alain’s last two assistants cover exams. Then Lorcan resigned, and it was just down to Wren. And thensheresigned a few months later and started working for Nezima.”
That explained Wren and Alain’s frigid exchange from the other week. If only Mavery could separate Wren from Nezima for a few minutes and hear her side of the story…
It was then she realized Declan was staring at her pocket. She looked down to see pink light emanating through the black fabric.
“That’s Alain,” she said. “I shouldn’t keep him waiting. Thank you again for the book—and for the chat.”
“Any time,” Declan said with a nod. As Mavery hurried across the common room, he called after her, “And tell that wizard of yours to answer my letters once in a while!”
Nineteen
Alain shivered. The linen version of his faculty robe did little to protect him from the chill. Though the ground was warm enough for the jonquils to unfurl their yellow blooms, the air was too frigid to linger outside without a proper coat. Save for a handful of students who were not only forgoing coats, butloungingon the quad as though it were the peak of Fervidor. Alain shook his head, doubting that he’d ever been that foolhardy.
He blew hot air on his shaking hands, then stuffed them inside his pockets. He fed the bloodstone a second burst of arcana.
