Page 28 of The Alchemists

Lily imagined the coming bloodbath, holding the ring to the lamp. “These symbols are so familiar.”

Allsaires groaned. “I know. It’s driving me nuts. I feel like I know them. But if I knew them I would…”

“Know them?”

He pushed his hands up his face as he nodded, dragging his cheeks into a ghoulish expression that reminded her of Ned the gargoyle. Her time in the hidden room seemed very far away. She checked her phone. Allsaires glanced at his watch.

“Christ. It’s almost midnight.”

Her body felt leaden as she returned to a specific time and place. She hadn’t eaten dinner and now everything was closed—she’d have to make a cheese sandwich when she got home, and she should still do her Environmental Aegistics homework, but after dancing and these hours with Allsaires, all she wanted to do was sleep.

“I think you should put it on.”

“What?” Allsaires blinked at her, then followed her gaze to the ring.

“I think it wants to be worn.”

She wasn’t sure what made her say it. Immediately she felt stupid. Allsaires looked from her to the ring.

“I don’t think anything will happen, at least not an immediate something.”

He picked it up, rolling it between his fingers. It glinted dully in the light. He inhaled and held his breath.

“Here goes nothing.”

He slid the ring onto the index finger of his left hand. Nothing happened. He laughed nervously, glancing at her, but she was looking at the ring, which looked perfectly at home on his finger.

“Do you know about the deaths?”

Allsaires stopped laughing and looked at her sharply, the exhaustion suddenly melting from his posture.

“What?”

“I heard that every fifty years a student dies.”

“That’s just a rumor,” he said, visibly relaxing.

“It’s not. I went down to the archives the other day and looked it up.”

They looked at each other for a long moment, both of them wondering why she had brought it up.

“You’re not joking?”

“I rarely do.” She’d meant it lightly, but it came out more factual than she had intended.

“Shit.” He looked at the ring, nestled between his knuckles.

“I just thought you should know. Before you go chasing grails.” Her face felt hot.

“Thanks.” His expression was serious, and he’d meant it genuinely. “I think I’ll take my odds though.”

The midnight bell chimed quietly in the stacks.

“I guess we’d better pack in.” He pushed his chair back and stood, picking up his trash. “You didn’t get any dinner.”

“It’s fine.” She stuffed her book in her bag.

“You have to be starving after all that.”