She grimaces. “The very same. I should have seen it coming. He’s been trying to get my job since he first started.”
“He lied?” Heloise’s eyes are wide, the moonlight glinting off the sclera. To Heli and me, an actualprofessorlying is so ludicrous it’s unbelievable.
The dean sighs. “Yes, Miss Chapman, he lied. I haven’t been ill. I was formally suspended.”
“Suspended?” I gape at her. “But why?”
Professor Kaur shrugs, then turns slightly to lean her back against the alley wall. “I’m quite sure it’s got something to do with Magecorp. He’s been in their pocket foryears. They’ve been bidding to provide funding to Seamere for almost a decade, and I’ve blocked it every time. Thomas wouldloveto get rid of me and let them make him their Seamere puppet.”
“And they suspended you…why? Because of your involvement with the MLO?”
“They can’t prove anything—not yet, anyway—but they suspect. If I were just a regular member, they probably wouldn’t have a legal case. But if they find out how high up I am—”
“You’re leader of the MLO?” asks Heli slowly.
“Acting leader,” the dean says. “I stepped into this role twenty-one years ago, when the actual leader was forced to go under cover.”
“Who’s the actual leader?” I’m not expecting a straight answer but still feel it’s worth a try.
The professor gives a small, tight smile. “Only a select few people are allowed to know that, Miss Chan. For safety reasons. We’ve kept the secret for decades—we’re not about to give it up now.”
I deflate a little, though truthfully it was a bit delusional to even bother asking. “So, why the MLO? Is it because you’re anti-Magecorp?”
Pen Ferguson’s involvement is one thing, but this? The fact that our honorable, upstanding dean is involved with the Magical Liberation Organization is seriously spinning me out. If the media is to be believed, the MLO are a bunch of radicalists. Degenerates. Terrorists. And to be fair, theyhavespent the past few decades sowing discord and blowing the living shit out of things.
And now, they’re possibly killing people in their efforts to sabotage Magecorp. How could Professor Kaur align herself with…with that?
Crossing her arms, Professor Kaur purses her lips. “I’m a scientist, Miss Chan. I’ve devoted my whole career to investigating how magic works, how we can best use it to help as many animals as possible.” She raises her head, and it strikes me how tired she looks. How pale and drawn her face is, how deep the lines are between her brows. “I’m anti anything that prevents magic from getting to those who need it.”
“Like Magecorp.” I clutch my head, which is starting to hurt.
“Yes,” Professor Kaur says. “You’d be shocked if you knew what really goes on behind the scenes. Linksphere’s slightly better, but not by much.”
I brace myself, gathering courage, not wanting to let the opportunity to quiz Professor Kaur go to waste. “Is it Magecorp, then, that’s behind the surges, Professor?”
“The surges aren’t caused by Magecorp,” she says, but she’s looking cagey.
I raise my chin. My palms are sweating, but I have to ask. “Are they caused by the MLO?”
Professor Kaur stays silent for what feels like a very long time. “If you really want to know what’s happening, Miss Chan,” she says. “I’d suggest you go to the sixteenth floor of the London General Magical Hospital. I think you’ll find it…illuminating.”
Heli straightens her posture. “We will do, Professor. Thank you.”
The dean grabs ahold of Lenny’s harness and turns to leave. But at the last moment, she says one final thing to us over her shoulder.
“Listen—keep your ears to the ground. I’ll send you both notice of the next MLO meeting. I know you’re both smart young women with your heads screwed on straight.” She presses her lips together for a moment before adding, “I’m quite sure that once you’re better informed, you’ll both want to attend.”
Then she strides right past us, exiting the alley.
Security at the hospital is normally tight, but since everyone knows that Heloise is the daughter of the famous Dr.Nora Chapman, they let us walk right in.
In the bathrooms, we re-assume our glamours—not even Heloise would be allowed to enter the top-secret sixteenth floor—andchange into the spare pairs of scrubs we’d luckily stashed in our bags after class.
It’s a short ride up in the lift. The doorsding, opening to reveal a stark white corridor lit by garish fluorescent magelights. Ahead of us is a set of double doors. We try them, but they’re locked. Fortunately, I still have Harrisford’sresigniospell, since I’d never successfully used it at Magecorp HQ.
After using the spell to illegally unlock the door, we slip inside. The door shuts behind us with a soft click. Reflexively, I try the door handle—it doesn’t budge—and my heart flips in my chest.
With the door locked behind us and no moreresignio, we’re stuck here. I guess we’ll just have to make sure we don’t get caught.
