I folded my arms and glared across the table at her. “It’s necessary.”
“I realise that now.” Tears pooled in the corners of Deborah’s eyes. “I didn’t know… how bad things had gotten at the school. I think you need it more than I do.”
I reached gingerly for the book. “It’s not bound in Rebecca’s skin, is it?”
Deborah touched the cover with affection. “Nope, just ordinary leather.”
“I like this woman already.” I reached out and touched the book. As my fingers brushed the carved leather, a flicker of flame darted between my fingers like an electric shock.
“Just remember, Hazel.” Deborah’s eyes bore into mine. “The power Rebecca speaks of takes no sides and offers no moral judgment. It’s you who must decide how it is used. You seem to have a particular connection to Rebecca’s magic, but be careful of the power you wield. It can come back to haunt you.”
Chapter Fourteen
With our test results still in Gail’s hands, there was nothing else Deborah could do for us. She begged us to stay with her a final night, where she stuffed us so full of burgers and fries and apple pie and ice cream that I felt sure I’d burst. The next morning she sent us off with brand new cellphones, a supply of snacks, and backpacks stuffed with new clothes.
“Call or message me with any new information,” she said. “I will do the same. If you find those keys again, I’ll try to find a way to get into Hermia’s lab and see what she’s been up to. We’ll get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, you two look after yourselves.”
“We will,” Trey promised, embracing her and accepting slobbery kisses from the dogs. I shook Deborah’s hand, not yet willing to give over my trust to her. I felt guilty about doubting her after all her generosity, but I didn’t like that she’d waited to tell us Rebecca’s relationship with her family. She was keeping something from us, and I didn’t understand what, or why.
“What do we do now?” Trey asked as we hiked through the forest in the direction of the bus stop in the next town over. I hiked the backpack on my shoulder, the corner of Rebecca’s grimoire jabbing into my spine. “California? Hawaii? Budapest? I’ve always wanted to see Prague…”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You know we’re not going to Prague. We’re heading to the school.”
“Be serious, Hazel. We’re lying low somewhere until we get the test results—”
“No. We’re going back to Derleth Academy.”
Trey stopped in his tracks. His fingers circled my wrist, jerking me back. “No way. It’s suicide. Dunwich Institute will be shitting themselves over letting you escape. They’re going to be looking everywhere for you. My father, too. Remember those assassins he sent after Zehra? I bet he’s got them on speed dial.”
Once again, Vincent Bloomberg spoiled everything. I jerked my arm from Trey’s grasp.
“So? I’ve told you, I’m not abandoning everyone just because of a little death threat. Besides, they won’t expect us to return to school. They don’t have enough imagination for that.”
“Right. Because that would be stupid.” Trey looked exasperated. “And we’re not stupid. Although right now you’re doing an excellent impression.”
I punched his arm. “Maybe you can live with yourself running off to Budapest and carrying a giant hunk of rock around with you for the rest of your life, but I’m not abandoning Greg or Andre, or Quinn either.”
“And Ayaz?”
I looked away. “He already abandoned us.”
“Maybe not.” Trey sighed. He fingers knitted in mine, and he squeezed a little. I looked up at him and dared a smile.
“Of course I want to save him too, as long as he accepts my help. What are you thinking, rich boy?”
“I’m thinking that you’re an exasperating, headstrong, stubborn person and that if I wasn’t already dead, spending time with you would rapidly make me so.”
I grinned. “You’re welcome.”
Trey sighed again. “So we’re going back. Quinn will be pleased. Can we stop at a store? He asked me to bring him back something called a Twinkie. Apparently, they’re his favorite food from when he was a kid.”
“Quinn’s still a kid.” I grinned.And I can’t believe you don’t know what a Twinkie is.“Thank you.”
“You won’t be thanking me when we’re staring down into the god’s abyss, right before they throw us in.” Trey linked his arm with mine. “Fine. I should know better by now than to argue with you. Back to that hellhole we go.”
Chapter Fifteen
Trey and I hitchhiked back to Arkham with a truck driver delivering food to the general store. He kept teasing Trey about wearing his hoodie pulled tight around his face the whole time. “You’re Kenny from South Park,” he kept saying. It was some cartoon I’d seen on Hulu but never watched, so I didn’t get the reference, but Trey seemed to know exactly what the guy was talking about. I guess it must’ve started back when he entered Miskatonic Prep.
