Page 85 of Dragon Unleashed
He nods miserably. “It’s worse. I dreamed she was killed. It wasn’t crystal clear. I didn’t think it was real. Didn’t think it was a vision.”
“Maybe it’s not. You’re putting two and two together and making five hundred, Zephyr. Maybe it wasjusta dream.”
“I avoided her though, toward the end of the ball. She was super clingy, and I got fed up. What if…”
I sigh and dig around for my tablet. “Look, I have footage of the start of the party. Maybe you’ll see who she was talking to there. I only stayed a short while, so it’s not much.”
He grabs my tablet and settles back in the sofa.
“Lorelei. This is only of us. Me and Alice.”
“Uh, yeah, up until you two sneak off for some special alone time.” I grit my teeth, waiting for the question I know is coming.
“I didn’t see a camera. Why were you filming us?”
“Look. I’m sorry, okay?”
He studies me in silence.
“My appeal material, Zephyr. There’s no way it was enough. Not with Allegra and Lady Tenebrae gunning for me. I—I thought if I cast shade on the prof’s character, I might at least geta better chance at being heard. I wanted to ask you before I sent it, but you were so intent on looking for her that I just did it. I’m sorry. I’ll leave you with the video for a bit.”
As I stand, he yanks me back down onto the sofa. Tucked in next to him, he rests his chin on my head.
“Stay, Lore. I’m a bit shocked, but it’s okay.”
“Okay? It’s a sex tape, Zephyr.”
“Yeah. I get that. It wasn’t my best moment, in a cold study with her half drunk on the Virrey’s best vintage. I could barely get it up. But trying to put distance between me and Alice didn’t really work. So, if the academy throws her out for this, then…I’m relieved. Especially if it means you stay.” I feel his body tense against me. “That is, if she’s alive. I’m worried. I think it’s time to call the police.”
For the first time in my life, I get the P.I.G. involved, and I swear it’s the last. Hours of my life I won’t get back for a stupid professor who’s got it in for me, and who’ll probably turn up alive and well in the next twenty-four hours. At least that’s what the P.I.G. tell us.
We kick around the common room all day. The whole allegiance. It’s as much a show of solidarity for Zephyr as it is for me. Virtually every other student has gone home for the holidays. Probably a good thing, because Zephyr’s obsessed. He’s been flicking through the news channels every few minutes. Not settling on any station for longer than it takes to check there’s no breaking stories. I gave up trying to watch ages ago. Naeve is teaching me to play ghost rummy, but I swear the card deck is stacked against me. At least it’s distracting us.
I glance at the big screen. My cards fall from my hand and flutter to the table. Naeve grabs the controller and cranks the volume up.
Professor at the elite Fates Academy found brutally murdered.
Zephyr sinks to his knees with a wail.
Holy hags, he was right. But it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t kill her.
My hand flies to my mouth. Now the P.I.G. will be looking for suspects and genius me just sent a ranty anti–Professor Allegra email to the academy. With no way to claw it back.
Even in death she’s going to screw me over.
Shit. She was awful but she didn’t deserve that. Who would kill Alice Allegra?
Zephyr stares at his hands while Farrell bends over him, patting him ineffectually on the shoulder.
“I told her,” Zephyr mutters. “I told her about my bond and now she’s dead.”
Farrell digs his fingers into Zephyr’s shirt. “My father. It was my father.” His tone holds such certainty.
“You don’t know that, Farrell,” Naeve says hesitantly.
My mind plays over my footage from the ball. Before they had their little make-out session Zephyr stepped away from Allegra for a few minutes. And in that time my little camera caught the prof and the Virrey with their faces inches apart. He was obviously furious. At the time, I wasn’t interested. If two of my least favorite people wanted to take chunks out of each other, who was I to interfere?
“Um. I have video of them arguing.”
