I fought back the whisper of unease that tried to worm its way into my head.
Someone tried to kill you. Why are you acting like everything’s normal?
I disappeared into my closet, chucked my damp towel and dirty uniform in the hamper, and got dressed in clean clothes,a dark-red skirt and cream blouse, along with knee-high socks and my uniform shoes. I didn’t have to wear a uniform to attend lectures, which is all I had that day, but I didn’t particularly feel like standing out, either.
I threw my course books in my satchel and grabbed my map, then added an additional book on the history of Malcroix Bones that Miranda had lent me.
According to the map, breakfast just started.
I should have plenty of time to eat, and still make it to the library before my first class.
Bones University Library was supposed to be magnificent, the largest in Magical England. It had its own five-story building in the middle of campus, with four more sub-levels filled with nothing but old texts, school archives, and rare scrolls.
I fought away the uneasy, anxious feeling that lingered, and reminded myself of all thegoodnew things so far: new friends, new roommate, and they’d taken care of me the previous night. I also reminded myself of my very useful new map, my new bookshelves, the more-than-decent food, my new magic, my first day of classes, the new library, that lovely common room in Malcroix Mansion, and all the other interesting places I’d yet to explore.
I succeeded until I made it to the bottom of the Grathrock College staircase.
I’d just rounded the corner, frowning down at the map in my hands as I tried to work out exactly where the doors were to the dining hall?
?when strong hands grabbed me, dragged me through a doorway, and threw me into the dark.
I was halfwayin a fighting stance before I knew what’d happened. I shoved the map into my satchel, shoved my satchel behind my back, and held up my hands defensively.
I was deeply aware of my limitations here.
I was no longer in human England. I knew that.
I couldn’t bloody my attacker’s nose and expect that to be the end of it. Someone just tried to kill me, using magic. They’d likely try again with magic until I either found a way to stop them with magic, or ran out of luck.
I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand clamped over it.
I bit one of the fingers there, hard.
“Ouch!” a voice snapped. Male. Annoyed. “Gods and dragons… you bloody maniac! I’m not going tomurderyou, Shadow!”
I froze, stunned when I realized I recognized it.
I knew that voice.
He still hadn’t taken his hand away from my face.
For some reason, I didn’t bite him again. I stood there, half in shock, breathing too hard. He spoke some low words, guttural, not in English, and magic surrounded me, surrounded the closet space, tightened my chest.
He released me, and I almost fell.
Light sparked and flared in the dark. I looked around at the half-dozen miniature flames now floating in the air, all of them a sickly green.
I faced the mage who’d cursed at me.
Caelum Bones stared back.
I opened my mouth. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do or say next, but he held up a hand before I could decide.
“Don’t scream,” he warned. “I’ve put a chimera over the room. No one will hear you, anyway.”
“Then what do you care if I scream?” I retorted.
“It will annoy me,” he said.
