We entered Hemlock’s office. I heard her fae wings flutter from where she sat behind her desk. “Miss Mitoh?” she asked, sounding surprised.
Ava rushed toward her desk, dragging me behind her. “Professor Hemlock! It’s an emergency.”
Hemlock’s chair squeaked as she stood. “Is someone hurt?”
“No, but they will be,” Ava said.
“Miss Mitoh, is that a threat?” Hemlock gasped.
“No, it’s— ancestors, how do I explain this?” Ava sighed. “We need you to marry us. Now.”
Hemlock hesitated. “Miss Mitoh, have you been taking your medication?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Ava sounded annoyed.
“Surely a wedding can wait—” Hemlock started, but I cut her off. We didn’t have time to discuss this. The Warden could be on his way right now.
“We can’t,” I said bluntly. I had no choice but to lay everything out on the table and hope we could trust her. It was the only way to get her to agree with this. “The Warden has ordered new blood tests— more accurate than the last. My grandfather was an Elf, and the second the results come back, the Warden is going to take me away. There’s a place called the Infernal Underground where the Warden is conducting experiments on inmates. We’ve overheard him talking about it. He’s going to take me there unless we do thisnow. He can’t separate us if we’re married, and he can’t touch the family of a chieftain unless he wants to start a war.”
Hemlock didn’t say a word. I wasn’t sure she was still standing there; she was so quiet.
“You have to believe us,” Ava insisted. “We’re not making this up. Even my father knows about the Underground—”
“No,” Hemlock cut in. “I believe you.”
The way she said it… it was like she already knew. Or at least suspected the Warden was up to no good.
“Then you have to help us!” Ava cried. “Please… save Charlie.”
Hemlock began shuffling through papers. “You don’t have to ask me twice, Miss Mitoh. I’ll help you. I’ll need to get the forms from the records office expedited.”
“I thought we just had to sign papers,” Ava said, sounding worried.
“You have to apply for a marriage license first and be approved,” Hemlock explained. “Due to problems in the past, a psychological evaluation is required for students inside the Institute.”
“How long will that take?” I demanded. We didn’t have the time to wait for the paperwork, but the Warden wasn’t going to honor our marriage unless it was official.
“Usually, it takes about a week,” Hemlock said. “I’ll have to back-date the application date.”
“How does that help us with the psych eval?” Ava asked, sounding worried. “Jaymin would never—”
“Jaymin Vengier is not the only licensed professional in this place,” Hemlock said, sneering at our counselor’s name. “All professors are required to obtain a psychology certification before working here. With the amount of troubled students we encounter on a daily basis, we would never be employed without it. I’m fully qualified to approve your evaluation.”
“You’re saying you’ll forge that, too?” I asked.
“We don’t have time for a full evaluation,” Hemlock pointed out. “And as far as I understand it, I see no signs of manipulation, mania, or otherwise from either of you. The final thing you need is witnesses.”
“Kallie and Marcus,” Ava said. “They’re meeting us in the chapel.”
“Go straight there,” Hemlock instructed. “Take no detours. The Warden can’t find you until this is done. I’ll be there soon.”
My heart hammered as we left the room. Oberi panted beside me as we rushed through the halls. He was obviouslythrilled.
I, on the other hand, was terrified this might not happen. We were cutting this pretty fucking close. Every hall we took scared me more than the last— as if we might run straight into the Warden.
We turned a corner, and Ava and I plowed into a group of people. We stumbled back, and I nearly tripped over Oberi.
Watch it!Oberi growled.
