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Chapter 17
Ididn’t sleep a wink all night. Every time I tried, I pictured Alfredo’s face. What’s his plan? How will he take his revenge? I check my phone again. Noah hasn’t replied, but Ayden sent me a message saying he wants to meet me after English.
I check the time and discover to my relief that the period is almost over. But the minutes drag, and I’ve barely taken in any of the lesson. At least Kate seems able to focus on the text we’re discussing. I don’t even know which page we’re up to.
I run my hand through my hair and force myself to listen to the teacher. Not long now and I can talk to Ayden. And it’s probably a good idea if Kate’s there too. I need to tell her about my travels in the Odyss. I haven’t had a chance yet.
“Let’s take a look at the rhyme scheme. What was the author trying to express with that? Can anyone tell me?”
I prudently lower my head and scrawl on my notepad. Luckily, I dodge that bullet, and Andrew answers the question. But I feel a sudden burning sensation on the back of my neck. A chill spreads through my body, and my pulse shoots through the roof. What is that? I slowly turn around. I sense danger, that’s the only way to describe it. Alfredo wouldn’t dare. No, it can’t be him. He’d never put his plan into action here in school in the middle of a class. Would he?
I slowly look around the room, earning a few surprised looks from my classmates. I guess they can see the fear in my face.
I need to calm down, damn it. There’s nothing here. My nerves are just playing tricks on me, which is understandable. No sleep, that creepy music box, the fight with Alfredo, his threat …
I rub my face again and flinch when the bell rings. I quickly jump up, pack my things away, and go to Kate, who’s still sitting in her seat absorbed in the text. I put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumps.
“Sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay. It’s a really layered text, don’t you think?”
I nod vaguely. I still have no idea what it’s about. She packs away her things too, and we leave the classroom together.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I’m going to meet Ayden, you want to come? There are some things I need to tell you both.”
Her expression instantly darkens. She can guess it’s not good news. But she agrees to come. We go to Ayden’s room, and he meets us coming the other way down the corridor. He smiles when he sees me, but then he notices my apprehension as he gets closer.
“What’s up?” he asks when he reaches us.
“Can we go in your room?”
He nods and opens the door. I flop down on his bed, exhausted, and think about how to begin. Eventually, I take the music box out of my backpack. I hold it up for them to see.
Ayden frowns and looks at me questioningly. “Nice prop for a horror movie. Where did you get that?”
I tell him about my visit to the Odyss, and he rolls his eyes.
“And you couldn’t tell me? I would have come with you. What if something happened to you? You were totally alone – you didn’t even have Yoru with you. Do you realize how dangerous that was?”
He’s pissed, which is understandable. I’d be angry too if he put himself in a dangerous situation like that.
“I went to find Frida and Noah,” I say. “I figured it was best to go alone. If I took someone with me, Frida wouldn’t have shown up at all. And two of us would have drawn too much attention in the town.”
Ayden huffs. He knows I’m right. But he still doesn’t approve.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” says Kate, looking at the music box. “So this is the next piece of the puzzle in your search for the library.”
She reaches out and picks up the box, turning it this way and that.
“Pretty ugly puzzle piece,” says Ayden.
Kate turns the key, and the scratchy, discordant melody starts up. “I think it’s nice,” she says. “There’s something enchanting about it. A relic of times gone by.”
Ayden frowns. “Each to their own.”
He comes and sits down beside me. Then he puts his arm around me and pulls me against him. His closeness does me a world of good, and his fingers caressing my arm have a soothing effect. But the fear is still with me, and I doubt I’ll be able shake it any time soon.
