Page 65 of Cannon
on a throne for men!
Ah, shit. Um. Oh, hell, how am I ever going to figure this out. A throne? A den? I blow out a hard breath and pull out my phone.
I have your third card.
Had trouble with Bridger.
Didn’t want to leave your card there.
He’s a thief.
Several agonizing seconds go by while I wait for his response, still mulling over the riddle in my head.
Oh, shit.
Okay.
What should I do?
Which of the two of us takes first tonight will come down to who figures things out the fastest, I guess. Fair enough. Tag seems okay working together, so I’d better get his thoughts. I have an odd feeling we’re about to have to break into a faculty office of some sort if we’re talking about a den, and I’m betting it’s someone of importance to Hawthorne Hall. Biting my lip, I let my thumbs fly over the phone screen. I hit enter and wait.
Is there a faculty member
of some importance…
Like an HH alum?
Yeah. Dean Franklin.
His office, then.
Go! I’ll meet you there.
I dart from the alcove and race for the administrative dean’s office, which is in a small building up ahead over a small footbridge. Paranoid that Bridger will follow, I’m constantly looking over my shoulder. Every rustle of leaves or animal moving in the underbrush sends my pulse soaring. And all the running in this hot, muggy weather is killer. It’s like trying to breathe through soup.
I give my head a shake. I can really feel the alcohol buzzing through my brain now, so I hope we’re almost done. I get to the building and head for the front door… which is locked.Dammit.There’s not even an identification card swipe present that I could try my student ID on, like most of the other buildings have.Duh.That’s because they don’t want students being able to gain access to this particular building. I’m sure all sorts of official documents are kept here.Um. What do I do now?
Letting out a stuttered breath, I survey the building, noticing there are quite a few low windows. I have no idea where Dean Franklin’s office is within this building, but shit, it’s worth a shot. I glance around, and not seeing anyone, I sneak around the corner of the building and try the first window I come to.No good.It’s locked. Continuing around, I try three more, but they’re also sealed up tight. Discouraged, I wonder if there’s something I’m missing or if I misunderstood the clue completely.No.I didn’t. It’s the only thing that makes sense—it’s gotta be about someone of importance both to the university and the brotherhood. Venturing to the very back of the building, I push up on the window and…it moves,sliding upward without a sound. No screen in place, either. Almost as if we were meant to come in this way.
Boy, I sure hope I’m not about to set off some secret alarm system—or haven’t already. I can’t imagine the story I’d have to make up to the campus police.Yes, sir. Just… um. Thought I’d see if the dean was available for a quick chat?
Oh god, Elliot, you’re definitely a little drunk.
Closing my eyes and praying to anyone who will listen, I throw one leg over the ledge and shimmy my way inside. In the process, I almost knock over a wooden box that’d been sitting on the sill. But… I’min.
Blinking in the dark room, I wonder if it’s safe to put on a light. I decide against it, not wanting to alert freaking Bridger to my location. Instead, I pull out my phone to use as a flashlight again. I head directly over to the desk where I find three cards. Thank fuck. I’m in the right place.
Before I forget, I set Taggart’s card that I took with me with one of them, then pick up mine to read.
Within the walls around you,
is where you'll find the key.
Look from heart toward the stars,
and that is where I'll be.
Frowning, but also antsy as hell to get out of here, I read it through a second time, mulling over what the hell it means. Seems like I’m looking for a key, but I don’t know if they are speaking figuratively or literally, so I guess I need to keep my eyes peeled.
