Page 42 of Veil of Night & Flames

She’s right. And how freakishly weird is that?

Birds are everywhere on campus—gulls, mockingbirds, grackles. But there are no birds in or near the Widow Maker.

“There were birds here at the start of the semester,” I say. “Weren’t there?”

“I think so.” She shrugs. “Or maybe we’re just assuming?”

“Maybe.” But I don’t believe it. And I’m sure she doesn’t either. I turn in a slow circle, taking it all in. “Let’s haul ass to the store,” I say, increasing my pace to a half-run, with Tia right behind me.

When we arrive breathless at the Griffin’s Nest, three students are camped out at the new release table. A woman with a baby in a sling browses the gardening section, and somebody at the register is paying for a stack of paperbacks.

And there’s Mr. Griffin, ringing them up. He catches my eye and gives the smallest nod toward the back.

As we have so many times before, Tia and I weave through to the back room, then head down the stairs.

My eyes go wide as soon as the training space comes into view. Mostly because it is no longer the training space it was just a few hours ago. Now, it’s a classroom. A long folding table dominates the space, with Riley seated at one end, two laptops open in front of her, and a pile of books stacked behind her computer. Her short purple hair is sticking up like she’s been running her fingers through it, and her septum ring catches the light from the array of monitors on the far side of the room. A different graph fills every monitor, and I have zero idea what the information represents. Presumably, Riley will clue us in.

As for Chase, he’s leaning against one of the mirrors that line this round room. His arms are crossed, and his eyes are on me. I pause, then smile, and he extends a hand.

“Hi,” I say, moving to his side.

“Hi,” he says, with the kind of heat in his voice that precedes a kiss. A kiss I don’t get because Riley shoves back from the table and launches herself at me, almost sending us both tumbling. Thankfully, we have Chase’s firm hand on my shoulder keeping us steady.

“Lyte,” she squeals as she hugs me so tight I start to fear I’ll get tunnel vision. When she steps back, I gulp in air as she looks me up and down. “We were so freaked. Thank goodness you’re okay. You are okay, right?” She studies my face. “I mean, what with pretty much going to hell?”

“Nightmare realm,” I say. “Not hell, I promise. It’s actually quite lovely. And I got to ride a dragon.”

Her eyes go wide. “Well, now I’m just jealous.” A smile tugs at her mouth. “But it’s true? You’re really okay?”

“Fine,” I assure her.

“We were really worried,” she says, nodding toward Tia. “We burned through three entire packs of chocolate truffles in one sitting. I mean, it was touch and go for a while.”

She grins, then pulls me into another hug. “Seriously,” she says as she releases me. “We’re all so relieved you’re back.”

“Thanks,” I say. “I wish I could have told you all not to worry. Like an inter-realm cell phone or something.”

Riley catches Tia’s eye. “Actually, I should work on that.”

I laugh, but also wonder if maybe she’s serious. Because how cool would that be?

I glance at Chase, then nod to Riley. “You two met?”

She nods, looking like a kid in a candy shop. “Just now. I mean, I already knew about him, but meeting a real, live Hunter from another realm. It’s like the time my mom met Brad Pitt. I totally want to sit you down and talk about pretty much everything,” she tells him. “It’s top of my list of things I will absolutely circle back to when there are fewer apocalyptic readings on my screen.”

She turns back to me, then frowns as she eyes my necklace. “Cool necklace. Wine?”

“Not exactly,” I say as Tia slides up beside her and takes her hand.

“I’ll catch you up later,” Tia says. “Right now, you’re on deck.”

“Oh, right. Right, right, right.” She gestures to the chairs and the cushions on the floor. “Get comfortable,” she says. “I’ve got a lot to tell you all.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Mr. Griffin?” Tia asks.

Riley shakes her head. “His help called in sick, so he’s watching the store. But I filled him in earlier.” She draws a breath. “Okay. You guys ready?”

Chase, Tia, and I nod, and she taps something on her laptop. The second she does, her screen comes awake, appearing on one of the room’s huge monitors. It’s a satellite image of campus—the quad, Hamilton Hall, the Science Center, and the Widow Maker, right in the middle of it all.