Hidden Truths // Riven

17

CHAPTER XVII:

❄︎ INTRUDER ❄︎

"I always feared the worst in bad situations"
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•

"Bloom has been in there for a long time," Terra spoke after moments passed. "What could they be talking about?"

"I once heard you talk about dirt for two hours," Stella replied incredulously. "Dirt. Two hours."

"It was soil," Terra corrected. "We just left Beatrix lying there in Miss Dowling's office. I just wanna make sure she's not awake, fashioning three shivs."

"Don't be ridiculous," Musa said with a light chuckle. "It'll be one shiv three times. Stab, stab, stab."

"I froze her lower body down," I assured her. "And I put up a wall. She can't exactly escape."

"Can we just go and check, please?" Terra pleaded.

"Fine," Stella said. "But you're overreacting."

We walked back to the entrance. Shards of ice were left on the ground. The wall of ice had a large hole in it, big enough for a person to get in or out. There was no sign of Beatrix anywhere.

"Ah, look at that," Terra said, glaring at Stella. "She's gone. I'd like my apology via scented, handwritten note after we find her."

"It gets worse," Musa alerted, turning toward the door.

There were footsteps. Thank God Silva wasn't there. Only Dowling and Harvey came inside, followed by Aisha.

"You have no idea of the trouble you've caused," said Dowling, stern.

"We were just trying to find the— "

"Not another word!" Harvey shouted. "Come with me."

"Hope the brownie points you get
from this will keep you company when you have no friends," Stella sneered at Aisha as she walked out.

We followed Harvey quietly back to our suite. We then sat down in the living room, awaiting our guaranteed lecture. Aisha joined us as if she was the one in trouble.

"Insubordination," he began. "Breaking and entering— "

"Actually, we didn't break anything," I spoke up.

He shot me a stern look and continued, "You've endangered the lives of your classmates and releasing Rosalind? Do you have any idea what you've done? I'd say I was disappointed in you, but this goes way beyond that."

He was about to leave, but Terra stood up, and I smiled as she said, "You lied again."

He turned around saying, "Excuse me?"

"About Rosalind," she said. "About Aster Dell. About everything. And you're angry with me? You can't punish me for not knowing something that you didn't tell me. It doesn't make any logical sense."

"Well, I suggest you all cool down," he said, calm and stern.

He walked out the door. I followed Terra and she tried to open the doors, but they didn't open.

"He's used his magic to seal the doors," Terra informed, clenching her fists. "I caught him in a logic trap, and he's used his magic to ground us."

"That means you won," Stella told her, proud.

"He's overwhelmed," Musa added.

"Uh, where do you think you're going?" Stella said to Aisha who was going to her room. "I always knew you were a teacher's pet. I just didn't realize that pet was a rat."