Monteverde Academy

Chapter-59

I sneaked up to the third floor without any difficulty. There was not a single soul in sight. Everyone was probably at the prayer meeting. It was scheduled to go on for another half hour and it was unlikely Arryn would have managed to return early without attracting attention. 

I pulled his door handle and it was locked, just as I had predicted. But I had come prepared. Taking a screwdriver and hammer from my pocket, I broke the lock quickly. Even if it hadn't worked, I had seen a lot of other ways online. 

I stepped in and closed the door behind me. Turning on the light, I began looking through all his ridiculously expensive belongings. Just looking at them made my blood boil. Arryn already had so much and Yves had died because he wanted more and couldn't control his greed. 

I searched through the closets, desks and even looked under the bed. There was nothing. I sank to the floor feeling crushed. I had been so sure Arryn would have left some clue after being overconfident that no one would figure out he killed Yves and Garessa. But it turned out I was mistaken. I took in a deep breath as a wave of disappointment crashed over me. I couldn't fail Yves. I had to look again. 

I had just turned around when a voice behind me startled me nearly to death. A voice I didn't know well enough and had failed to recognize as the voice of Yves' blackmailer. But I recognized it now- low and rich, the voice of Prince Arryn. 

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" 

I turned around slowly, my heart thudding in my chest. I hadn't even heard him open the door and sneak up behind me where he was standing, leaning against the wall with an amused look on his face. I thought how easily he could have killed Garessa and Yves by moving this silently. 

"So you found me out," he said, still looking amused. "Wow, Nancy Drew. I am so proud." 

"You are admitting you did all this?" I asked incredulously. 

"Why not?" he shrugged. "It's not like you can do anything about it."

I felt my thoughts race. This confession was exactly what I needed. It would help me prove him guilty. My fingers itched toward my pocket. I needed to get my phone out and record this. 

He must have sensed my thoughts because he shook his head quietly. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said and my hand dropped to my side again. 

"How are you back so early?" I blurted out. "And why?" 

"I saw your expression tonight. And you are quite easy to read to someone who has as much practice reading people as I have. Ever since your friend Yves died, you have looked more angry than sad. I knew you had figured it out when you kept staring at me." 

"I might have been into you," I argued, not knowing why. 

"You don't." he laughed maliciously. "You like that human don't you?" 

I stared at him and my heart dropped. 

"How do you know about him?" My voice sounded shaky even to me. 

"I was there that night in Tresville. I was quite shocked to see you though and I guessed the rest. It was quite easy, the way you were looking at him and smelling his scent. Why else would you have had that fight with your dad?" 

That explained the witch's warning. It had been about Arryn, not Aiden.

"You think you are so clever, don't you?" I asked, my voice shaking with anger. "Leave Aiden and my dad alone." 

"How scary," he said, rolling his eyes. "I might leave them alone if you just cooperate..." 

"I would never let you blackmail me. Ever." I screamed at him. He sighed as though he had predicted this. Voices filled the corridor outside. The prayer meeting was over. 

"Why don't you sit down?" he asked, pointing towards the bed. "We need to have a long chat."