Rooming with the Wicked

35 | playing with fire

"H-hello, Professor."

Could my voice sound any more hysterical?

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Professor Renis asked, shifting his golden gaze from me to Professor Flamel.

"Actually," Professor Flamel said, "we were just talking about your area of expertise. Perhaps you could shed a little light on the whole energy crystal situation."

Professor Renis arched a brow. "News travels fast, I suppose." After exchanging a long look with my alchemy professor, he continued, "Everything we know so far is pretty much useless until the research team shares their findings with the rest of the ambassadors."

"Perfect timing for that little discovery, wouldn't you agree?"

"Indeed." Renis nodded slowly, checking the time on his wristwatch. "But let's not speculate until we know more." He was looking at me now. "I trust your father has educated you on the principle of privileged information?"

Zip it about the crystals, got it. Now was probably a good time to get out of here too.

"Yup," I confirmed, nearly jumping out of my seat. "No worries there." I pushed the chair back into position. "Anyway, I gotta get ready for the party. Have a good trip, Professor."

Despite my hurried exit, the way Professor Renis' eyes snapped to Professor Flamel didn't escape me. If he hadn't found me suspicious before, he definitely did now. I darted out of that room with a half-assed goodbye like Fluffy itself was hot on my tail. Whatever Professor Flamel called after me got lost in the creak of his office door and my frantic footsteps down the empty hallway.

I didn't stop running until the bathroom lock snapped into place behind me. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I wanted to kick myself in the face. Or better yet, inhale an entire confusion potion. At least then I would have had a genuine reason for being so brainless.

"So... So stupid!"

Insulting yourself isn't going to help.

Sometimes I wanted to administer a good ol' sleeping potion to that voice inside my head. Then again, that voice had also saved me on a number of occasions lately.

Even if Renis now knew that I suspected him of—well, something—what was he going to do about it? He and Leyn were easily avoidable, even if I was going to miss my evenings in the library...

Professor Flamel on the other hand... I didn't even want to think about what his accompanying Renis to Infernis meant. Was he in on it? Had he known I'd been the target before I'd stumbled into his office on the brink of death?

No. It couldn't be.

But he could have easily put the soporis on my jacket. And Renis could have easily altered the portal. And their contact in Infernis—whoever they were—could have easily let the vynari loose in Glimmerweald.

It was too much to be a coincidence...but it didn't add up entirely. Why would Flamel tell me about his suspicions regarding the human ambassadors and the upcoming negotiations?

He wouldn't.

Professor Flamel was my friend. If Renis and Leyn were responsible for my lovely little near-death experience, he hadn't known—no, didn't know—about it.

I grasped the cool handle of the faucet and slowly tilted it up. Cold water rushed over my other hand, and I shivered.

Still...if I was wrong and I'd carried the soporis around with me longer and it had only taken effect once I'd slipped my jacket on, anyone in my alchemy class could have done it. Ri could have put it there. Hell, Ri wanting me dead was more likely than Professor Flamel.