A surge of excitement coursed through me as goose bumps prickled along my arms. Before me lay the final piece of the puzzle, the key to unraveling the mystery concealed within Lucie’s score.
The last clue.
The web page appeared to have once been a blog, but now it is emptied, with no visible content except for a solitary file to download labeled with Levi’s name.
I wanted to open it myself, my heart about to jump out of my chest.No, it’s not meant for me.
I closed the web page.
Now, I just had to find the right time to tell him.
I handed my exam paper to Mr. Delgado, wearing my brightest smile.
He scanned the pages briefly. His eyes flickered across the answers before snapping the sheets onto his desk. “Do you believe I’ll finally be able to pass you this time, Miss Mercier?”
“I did my best.”
Did my best, meaning that Levi had woken me up at six o’clock sharp, already dressed, so I could cram for the exam—and not think about all the dirty things we did the past few nights. So dirty that Yasmine’s cat was hissing at me when I went back to our dorm, probably smelling of sex.
Mr. Delgado hummed, already bored with my presence. “We’ll see. Also, I heard you turned down the opportunity to work with the Parisian Opera? It’s not nothing.”
“Yes.” I shifted uncomfortably, a line of students forming behind me. “I didn’t think I was ready. I still have so much to learn.”
“To that we agree.”
“Right, I know you think I’m not as talented as—”
“No—it’s because I sense you would have accepted their offer for the wrong reasons.” His posture was upright, and with a precise movement, he adjusted his glasses. “Your way of playing is… not standard.”
I beamed, taking his words like some kind of compliment. “Really?”
“Don’t get too excited. You still have lots to learn.” He cleared his throat as if it’d tear him up from the inside to say the words out loud. “But you’ve made some progress, so maybe you’re not a lost cause after all.”
I planted my hands on his desk, leaning forward eagerly on my tiptoes. “Do you think it’d be enough to play at the Grand Opera?”
“Ifit were to reopen this year…” His face distorted into a grimace. “It’s unlikely.”
The person behind me laughed, but my smile remained steadfast. “Unlikely is not impossible! Thank you, sir, you were the reason I wanted to come here to study, and I’m so thankful for—”
He cut me off with a dismissive wave. “Let’s not do this. Emotions make me nauseous.”
I nodded and made my way to the fencing building. The cold air outside transformed my breath into wisps of mist. I crossed the gymnasium, the familiar scent of polished wood and the distant echoes of clashing blades surrounding me. Sylas leanedcasually against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest, while Yas gestured animatedly.
“Hey, guys!” I arrived by their side, my footsteps echoing in the corridor. Turning to Yas, I asked, “How did your theater exam go?”
“I would say decent—your playlist helped a lot. I knew when Mozart was striking which act it was, and I’m having my first archery class in… ten minutes.”
“Archery? Sounds badass.” I smiled brightly. She was finally stepping out of her comfort zone to try the things she’d read about. I craned my neck up and turned to Sylas. “And how are you?”
He snorted, taking a deep breath. “Well, since the word got out that I’m gay, I’ve had some people coming to me saying ‘it’s so cool,’ ‘we always knew,’ ‘I suppose you like musicals,’ ‘omg, let’s go shopping,’ as if this makes me a different person. I’m not like the cliché they pictured for the new gay me.”
“Fuck them, we’re going to win the House Cup for you this year,” Yasmine cheered.
“That’s right. And how are things with… Kay?”
He sighed, passing a hand through his golden hair. “I don’t know. I’m still pissed at him for acting without taking my feelings into account. He said he was sorry and he’d fix this because he’s in love with me, but I still need some time.”
“You’re worried about your dad and going home for the holidays?” I said, knowing I was too. Christmas was never an easy time for us since Mom’s death, but now we’d have to address the big elephant in the room.
