Why had he done that when there’s an open investigation into his behavior going on? Why run the risk of telling another faculty member?
Unless she’d already known.
“Hey, Ash?”
He stops ahead, twisting around to look at me. “Yeah?”
“Do you…” Trailing off, I consider the end of that question. What exactly do I want him to say? That he thinks Quincy was the one to rat out my relationship to the dean or that no, he doesn’t, which means there’s someone else who knows and wanted us to suffer.
Shaking my head, I hobble forward, catching up as Asher begins walking again. Campus is practically silent, which I’ve come to recognize is pretty standard at Avernia, but somehow it feels more eerie than usual. The sensation of being watched is elevated, and I wonder if that’s because of what happened last night or if there are actual eyes lurking between statues and hedges, peering around the corners of buildings, that I just can’tsee.
The clock tower in front of the Obeliskos chimes, signaling noon. I glance around the empty quad, suspicion still clogging my arteries.
“Does Avernia feel empty to you?” Asher asks, flopping down on a bench in front of the statue of Artemis outside the Lyceum.“Like… It’s afternoon. Prime time for students to be peddling their extracurriculars or scurrying to class, yet I’ve hardly seen anyone out and about.”
“Well, someone did die last night, so maybe?—”
“What?” His brown eyes widen slightly. “Who?”
“One of my classmates… You didn’t hear about it?”
“It’s hilarious you think I’m important enough to warrant firsthand knowledge of shit, but also…no? Lucy hasn’t said anything about it either. You’re sure someone died?”
I glare at him. “I watched him get stabbed repeatedly.”
Asher makes a face. “Jesus, just what the hell did you do last night?”
Shaking my head, I pull out my phone and shoot Sutton a text.
Where are you?
He doesn’t answer, and my chest tightens, making me dizzy as heavy dread mounts higher and higher in my stomach. A couple of students pass by, giggling to themselves, and then skid to a stop.
“Holy—” Lexington’s voice fills the air across the courtyard. “Elle?What the fuck happened to you?”
My head snaps up as he, Meg, and Sabrina—her head bandage-free, holding a bouquet of flowers—approach. I grab Lexington’s shirt, yanking him closer.
He holds his hands up, blue eyes widening. “Whoa there, killer. I don’t have any fruit snacks. I’m about to go visit Percy, though, if you want me to grab some on the way?”
“Percy?” I repeat, tightening my hold on his shirt. “What do you mean you’re going to visit him?”
Lexington grunts, trying to pry me off. “He got mugged last night. Dude’s been in the ICU ever since.”
“They’re finally moving him to a room,” Sabrina adds, jostling the flowers. “We figured we’d visit since he’s always doing that stuff for us.”
“Only one person allowed in the room at a time though,” Meg says, squinting at me as my breathing grows haggard, my mind racing. “Hey, you kind of look like you should be admitted too. Are you okay, Elle?”
Tears spring to my eyes, and I release Lexington. “So he’s all right?”
“He’s fine. Most of his injuries were superficial.” Meg pokes my bicep. “But you’re not fine. Why don’t you come with us and get checked out?”
I shake my head, looking at my phone again.Still nothing. “No, really, I don’t need it. Shouldn’t you all be at rehearsal though?Othellogoes on really soon. Or are you planning to practice in Percy’s hospital room?”
Lexington casts me a sidelong glance. “Rehearsal was canceled for the week. No one’s seen or heard from Professor Dupont since classes yesterday. We figured he was lying low because of the investigation.”
“The what?” Asher mutters.
“Did something happen?” Sabrina asks in a low voice. “You and Percy both looking beat up doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
