Alex glowered at Lenore, but there was fear in his eyes. I would be concerned if I gave a flying fig about what happened to him. Lenore probably had a very different style for questioning people than we did.
“Godmother Supreme . . .” SJ attempted.
Debbie shook her head and herded us out before SJ could finish her protest. The Fairy Godfathers closed the door behind us and we started up the hall again.
“Debbie,” Jason said. “Aren’t you worried about what Lenore is going to, you know, do to him?”
“Jason, I worry about a lot of things when it comes to the Godmother Supreme. But I have to pick my battles. Defending someone who has hurt so many doesn’t seem like one worth fighting.”
“Agreed,” Pietro said darkly.
We reentered the elevator. “I guess we know where we’re going next,” Chance said, sounding tired.
“Returning to school a week early by choice,” Blue mused. “I never thought we’d sink so low.”
The elevator’s glass doors slid closed and we plummeted down.
“Daniel.”
I stood in a white void. Knight looked right at me. She wore the same clothes as the last time I’d seen her. Black snow fell around us, and a buzzing sound like an overactive radiator filled my ears.
“Daniel!” she shouted. She was twenty feet away and seemed to be banging her fists against an invisible wall.
“Knight!” I ran toward her but the dream abruptly ended, as it had previous nights.
I simmered on the nightmare as I stood outside Lord Channing’s office with Jason. It was the third time I’d had a dream about Knight since we left her in Dreamland. Every dream seemed more real than the last. Each time I woke from one, I felt like another piece of me was missing. Reminding myself that she would be back soon had helped calm me before. Now that I had no idea when I would see her again in real life, I wasn’t sure if I’d get those pieces back.
I started to pace. What was the point of going to a school that was supposed to prepare you for everything if you couldn’t do anything when it really mattered?
Though students weren’t supposed to return for another week, the headmasters and staff of Lord Channing’s and Lady Agnue’s had already moved in. Leaving at the crack of dawn, Jason, SJ, Blue, Girtha, Mauvrey, Kai, and I had spent the entire day flying from Clevaunt to our schools so we could talk to them.
The rest of our team left later in the morning and would meet us here as soon as possible—most of them had to check in with their families before officially moving back to school. I hadn’t wanted to wait for them if it wasn’t necessary. Even an extra minute spent waylaying my ability to help Knight was a waste.
I rubbed my tired eyes. When we got back to Darling Castle following our interrogation of Alex, we’d only had a few hours to sleep before we got a move on. As mentioned, even that hadn’t been a restful experience for me.
I glanced at Jason. He sat on a leather couch opposite Mr. Shillings, our headmaster’s assistant. I had a bit of an issue calling him Mr. The guy looked barely two years older than me.
Jason seemed calm but had barely said a word all morning. That was unusual and I didn’t like it. I needed the personable version of him right now. When Jason knew I had something on my mind, he’d typically try and talk to me about it. This trait used to annoy me; I wasn’t used to sharing given that I’d only had Kai to really talk to since I was a kid. But I’d gotten used to it, and appreciated how much he cared. Now he seemed too deep in his own thoughts to pry into mine. I couldn’t blame him for that though. We’d all been in a stupor since last night.
I huffed in frustration as I continued to pace. My first year at Lord Channing’s was spent fighting monsters, rescuing people, and learning to survive. My friends and I had faced dangers and challenges, but this was the first time we desperately needed help. This was the first time I was genuinely afraid. Crisa was with the antagonists. And if they didn’t intend to kill her, she had to be suffering some other kind of dismal fate right now.
Crisa.
I almost never addressed her that way. Although she’d introduced herself by her full name when we first met, I’d settled on calling her by her last name almost immediately. Didn’t want to get too familiar with her due to my prologue prophecy. The Author had proclaimed Knight would be a key ally to me and Kai, but that Knight also had the potential to destroy Kai. I’d been angry that some princess could just come along and threaten the one person I had in my life. But once Knight and I got past that, and I accepted that my life would be determined by my choices, not some prophet’s, I grew to like her. ‘Knight’ just stuck after that. The nickname was no longer a way to create distance between us. If anything, since I was really the only person who ever referred to her that way, it sort of strengthened our bond.
I paused in my pacing to stare out the window. Lord Channing’s office was in one of our school’s tallest towers. From here I could see over the roof of the forest and spot the bronze turrets of Lady Agnue’s. They glinted in the setting sun, rich purple flags waving in the breeze.
The door to Lord Channing’s office finally opened.
“Boys, you can go in now,” Mr. Shillings said. He sat back at his desk as Jason stood. I followed my friend into our headmaster’s office. I’d only been in here three times—when Jason and I returned from going AWOL for our first quest with the girls, that time I accidentally blew up a portion of the kitchen, and my first day of school.
Like most people, Lord Percival Channing had been surprised by my arrival. It was unheard of that a new main character be selected at seventeen. I got the feeling the headmaster hadn’t wanted me here. I was an outlier, starting school with only two years left before graduation—not nearly enough time to be whipped into his school’s version of proper hero shape.
“Gentleman,” Lord Channing said, gesturing for us to take a seat. Two oak-brown leather chairs, smaller versions of the one he sat in, faced our headmaster’s polished and perfectly organized, dark wood desk. Lord Channing’s dog—an old boxer named Baxter—slept in his navy bed in the corner.
We took our seats and met our headmaster’s intrigued, seemingly amiable gaze. The man’s curly hair, neat goatee, and trimmed mustache were the color of a ripe tangerine. Though he was a bit flabby in the mid area, I had no doubt he could best a lot of the guys enrolled at this school. I’d once seen him sparring with our combat instructor, and he’d laid the professor out.
“I spoke with the Godmother Supreme this morning,” Lord Channing said. “I am very sorry for your loss. Crisanta Knight was an admirable protagonist.”
“Crisa is an admirable protagonist,” Jason corrected. “And we haven’t lost her. In the way you mean, at least.”
I looked at my friend; he had taken the words right out of my mouth.
“In any case, I am happy to offer my assistance in any way that I can,” Lord Channing said. “What do you need? Time off from school to go on another quest to try and find her? Weapons? Battle Pegasi?”
“For now, we need permission to access books in the restricted section of our school’s library,” Jason said. “And for our friends at Lady Agnue’s to be allowed over here for a few days so we can figure things out. Thorough research and planning for any quest are done best when the whole team is involved. We learned that at school.”
It sounded reasonable to me, but Jason may as well have asked Lord Channing if we could start an arson elective and burn down the dining hall for its midterm exam.
“Mr. Sharp, both of those are big requests,” Lord Channing said. “The books in those sections are restricted for a reason. They can give dangerous ideas to the brave, strong, and often unyielding heroes who study here.”
Jason glanced at me and I nodded. “Speaking honestly, sir,” Jason said, “Daniel and I did some research in the restricted section last semester when we were prepping for a quest over spring break. The books did give us dangerous ideas, but they also helped us survive.”
The headmaster turned dark red. “Mr. Sharp, do you have any idea what the punishment is for breaking into restricted areas on campus?”
“Who cares?” I snapped.
Lord Channing’s gaze darted to me. “Care to try that again, Mr. Daniels?”
“No.” I got to my feet. “Our friend is in trouble. We need to find out where she is before it’s too late. Jason was honest with you about the restricted section because he wants you to understand that we are mature enough to handle the information there based on the simple fact that we already have. Only we don’t want to sacrifice time sneaking around like we did last semester. There’s too much at stake. We’re asking you to let our friends from Lady Agnue’s onto campus to work with us so we can move things along for the same reason. They’re smart, driven people, and Jason, Javier, Gordon, and I—”
“And Chance,” Jason added.
“And Chance—” I glowered a bit “—could use all the help we can get.”
“Mr. Daniels, we have kept the schools separate for all these years in order to shield the ladies from the more brutal aspects of our archetype. They see you boys play sports and dance at balls, but they don’t need to see how you’re trained to kill and hunt and fight without mercy. It would upset their constitutions.”
I huffed in frustration. “Why are you being so arrogant about this? They’re girls, not mice. They can be just as strong and intense as we are. Isn’t that the whole reason you let them try out for Twenty-Three Skidd teams?”
“Only five girls on that student body made the cut,” Lord Channing retorted. “That speaks more to my point than yours.”
“Sir.” Jason held up a hand as a signal for me to calm down. “Please. We’re heroes and we are trained to save people. But more than that, we’re friends and we’re not capable of sitting still and doing nothing when one of our own needs us. I’ve gone to school here for seven years. I’ve never asked for anything and have always respected you and our traditions. But tradition has a time and place, both of which went in the rearview mirror the second our friend went missing. So can you find it in your fair judgment to bend the rules for us this one time? Haven’t you ever needed to be there for someone? Haven’t you ever been afraid to lose someone close to you?”
Lord Channing stroked his goatee and studied both of us. His look was more of a glare when it came to me, but I wasn’t sorry for letting my temper take the helm. We wasted so much time on bureaucracy in this realm. Permissions, conventions, and traditions too often reigned over practicality and doing what needed to be done.
I was glad Jason was here to even out my brashness though. His diplomatic, calm nature was usually better received than my direct approach. And while I didn’t care if the headmaster liked me, we did need his support.
“Six days,” the headmaster said. “School begins in just over a week. You have until end of day next Friday to use the library as you see fit. Your female friends can meet with you there until Friday as well, but they must use the secret entrance so they aren’t left wandering the halls. After that, school regulations will be enforced as normal. I will let Mr. Brody and Elkie know about our arrangement and they will accommodate you. The latter came back to campus a few days ago as part of his library aid duties.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you,” Jason said.
“Thank you,” I also added.
“Mr. Daniels,” Lord Channing called when we were halfway out the door. “You’re still my student for another year. You speak to me like that ever again, and there won’t be a hero who can save you.”
“Lady Agnue agreed to something similar,” Blue told Jason and me over the Mark Two. “For the next few days, you guys can come over and meet us in the library while we figure out a plan. SJ is already reading potions books for tracking brews.”
“Let’s meet in our library tonight at nine once everyone else arrives,” Jason said.
“Got it. See you.”
Jason shut his compact, rubbed his eyes, and yawned. “Early morning, bad dreams, and tons of stress make for a rough combo.”
“You’re still having nightmares too?” I asked.
He nodded.
The walk to the library was familiar and strangely comforting. When I first got here everything felt foreign and cold; it was funny how quickly a perspective could change. Now this place seemed like home. I wasn’t sure I truly felt like I had a home since I was a kid.
Stone walls with high windows surrounded us. A navy runner going down the center of onyx marble floors ran under our feet. Impressive suits of armor—much more detailed and varied than those on display at Lady Agnue’s—lined the halls. Giant, carved dragon statues framed the archways that connected main corridors, clinging to the walls by their stone talons.
Jason and I opened the double oak doors to the library and headed to the main desk where Elkie was helping our librarian Mr. Brody put fresh checkout cards in the covers of old texts.
The fourteen-year-old had flowing light blond hair to his shoulders. It swayed with such finesse every time he moved that I wondered if any shampoo companies had ever approached him to do billboard advertisements. Elkie’s older brother Johannes, who’d graduated this past year, had similar hair. I guess that was only natural for the two sons of our realm’s famous Rapunzel. I’m sure plenty of girls at Lady Agnue’s would’ve loved those good hair genes. Too bad Rapunzel never had any daughters.
When Elkie saw us, he came around the desk. “Hey guys. Lord Channing called to let us know you were coming. He said you need to see the secret entrance?”
“Only the library secret entrance, Elkie,” Mr. Brody corrected. His beard was big; who knew what secrets and breadcrumbs hid there. “Just because dedication to your post grants you advanced knowledge of our school does not mean you should consider this reluctant permission from the headmaster an opportunity for show-and-tell.” Mr. Brody pivoted to us. “Gentlemen, this is not something we usually do for students. Proceed with respect and ensure no one outside of Lord Channing’s approval knows about this.”
“Yes, Mr. Brody,” Jason said. I tried not to roll my eyes.
Elkie led us through the library. This main section was two stories tall. The ground level had an open floor plan of long wooden tables whereas the second level encircled the perimeter, rimmed by an iron railing. Matching old iron chandeliers hung over the walkway, which was made of supposedly unbreakable glass. I sure hoped so anyway. Ten feet below the transparent floor lay an army of razor-sharp spikes. I wasn’t sure if the architect who designed this place had been drinking or had a twisted sense of humor. That floor was only one of the oddities in here.
Several dead library aids floated in front of windows with rags and spray bottles in hand. The ghosts were translucent blue, but somehow not intangible. At least not when they didn’t want to be. They phased through walls and tables all the time, but also carried stacks of texts, dusted chandeliers, and so forth.
We turned into a deeper part of the library where the second floor did not extend. The bookshelves went up to the ceiling here. The occasional ghost levitated overhead, restocking the highest shelves.
“Heads up.”
I curtly sidestepped as a textbook came down. I glanced up at the ghost with the petticoat who’d dropped the book. His name was Chagrin.
“Sorry, lad,” he said. I gave the ghost a wave and caught up with Jason and Elkie.
Being back at school reminded me of how strange my life had become in a year. Ghost library aids, teen princes with luxurious hair, warnings from adults at every turn? Coming to this school had changed everything. In a good way for the most part. Thanks to the great friends I’d made, I had a family again. But I’d lost a family once, and as I grew closer to this new one, I dealt with the growing fear that I could lose them too. I lived with that every day—trying to be a hero for their sake as much as my own. And yet I’d already failed.
I remembered some of Knight’s final words to me before we were separated in Dreamland. “
If for some reason things go wrong and I can’t avoid Arian and Tara . . . I guess the tables will have turned and you’ll have to save me. I trust you to do that. I honestly do.”
I couldn’t let her down again.
I couldn’t lose her.
We passed through the double doors that connected to the restricted section. It was a good thing this area was locked up tight most of the time—it reeked of old meat and was guarded by a massive snake. Joplin loomed ten feet over us in his defensive position. He was pure white except for his yellow eyes. When Jason and I had broken into the library last semester to study up on the Wonderlands, we’d had to elude the snake in . . . creative ways.
Joplin glared at us with glittering irises. If snakes could growl, he would have.
“Down, Joplin.” Elkie held up a leather strap inlaid with silver bells and shook it, which made the snake lower its guard. Then Elkie typed a code into a number pad built into the wall and pulled a lever. A large, hose-like contraption ejected a pile of raw meat into a bowl by Joplin’s straw basket along the far left wall of the room.
The snake slithered across the stone floor for the food as Elkie typed in another code and pulled a different lever. Several shelves retracted into the walls, revealing a bronze disk the size of a manhole set into the floor. Elkie walked over to it, flipped a part of the disc to form a handle, and turned it. Several of the floor’s stones sunk into a stairwell.
“I thought I knew most of this school’s secret passages,” Jason marveled. “I had no idea this existed.”
Elkie waved for us to follow him. At the bottom of the stairwell, he picked up and lit a waiting lantern before guiding us down a long tunnel. It sloped up and eventually we found ourselves exiting through a rock pile in the middle of the forest. “The Twenty-Three Skidd arena is a ten-minute walk that way,” Elkie said, pointing. “When you get back to the library from the tunnel, twist the bronze disc in the wall when you reach the dead end.”
Midnight Law Page 19