Page 61 of The Amber Sunburst

“That is definitely what the clue was referencing,” Lazarus says, ignoring Kleitos. Then, trying his best to sound encouraging, he adds, “Nice work, Alexander.”

Theokleia—the outgoing, whip-smart girl who sits in the front—raises her hand next.

“It’s clear the Allegory is what the last sentence was pointing to, but the other two are broader,” she says. “Obviously they’re related to it—all anyone can see are their own shadows, chained in the cave, until one person leaves and finds that there is a world outside in the sun, but when he goes back in he can’t see in the relative darkness—but the assumption is that we already know that. So they must be included for a different reason. The words chosen must be hinting toward the task specifically.”

“Smart. So should we split into three groups and each analyze one of the sentences?”

Kleitos opens his mouth, probably to disagree, but Theokleia and Zeno both cut him off.

“Sounds great.”

“Good idea.”

Lazarus can’t help but be proud.

Shaking out of his skin with anxiety, but still proud.

Maybe this won’t be a nightmare after all.

This is a nightmare.

His group consists of himself, Kleitos, Kallias, Alexander, Zeno, Theokleia, and Eudoxos.

Kleitos keeps picking fights with a yawning Alexander, who won’t stop staring at Kallias, who won’t stop stealing glances at Alexander when he thinks no one is looking.

And those three aren’t even the worst of it. No, the most infuriating thing is that Zeno and Eudoxos will not stop flirting.

His anxiety has been overridden by sheer annoyance that they haven’t done anything about their obvious sexual tension yet.

For the first time in his life, he wants to yell, “Please, Forms, just sleep together.”

But that would be unprofessional.

So he lets them keep flirting. At least they’re flirting on topic, discussing possible meanings for the hint.

When Lazarus adjourns the meeting, they are no closer to a solution.

He’s sure it lies in the first two sentences, like Theokleia said. He just needs to figure out how.

He can’t wait to stay awake for the next three days thinking about it, then for the rest of his life, thinking about all of the thinking he did wrong in the three days he spent thinking about it.

Yippee.

15

ALEXANDER

Oh.

There it is.

Something in Alexander’s heart tugs and an unfamiliar feeling washes over him.

Kallias has dimples and perfect teeth, and the freckle next to his left eye crinkles just a touch when he smiles.

It’s been three weeks of nightly library excursions, and Alexander hasn’t seen this even once until now.

But, today, he made a stupid joke, and there it was. A smile.