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Trying to swallow around the rising frustration and panic, Claire took a deep breath and tried to sort through what she knew. The person who had killed her mother had been at the Academy with her. Had been a professor at the Academy maybe? Someone who would have had access to or would have known about this hidden office. She knew Headmaster Dorian had been a professor prior to him serving as Headmaster. Was it him? Her head ached as she tried to think who else it could be?
The stones behind her grated and Claire looked back quickly. No one was there but it was like the Academy was reminding her to hurry. She kept the journal clutched close to her chest as she passed through the opening with one last look back at the map. The stones grated shut behind her and it was like the office never existed. Except for the journal Claire held clutched to her chest. Her magic danced restlessly, attracted by her nerves and frustrations. She took a deep breath to settle her magic. She couldn’t risk losing control of it right now. That would be a dead giveaway she was here.
“I need to hide this and then find the others,” she whispered out into the room and then jumped when a satchel appeared on the desk in front of her. This room really did provide everything she needed. She stuffed her mother’s letter, the journal and a few of the books into the satchel quickly and then exited the same way she came in, straight through the wall. She shrugged off the lingering magic and looked around the basement of the building she was in.
Spotting a staircase in the far corner, she made her way up it and then blinked when she realized she was on the first floor of Class Building 2. Recognizing the stairwell where she had emerged from, she turned to the right and headed out the double doors. Pushing open the doors open to the bright sunlight, she turned around to look behind her, making sure no one else was in the building. However, because she wasn’t watching where she was going, she slammed into someone as she turned back around. Letting out a squeak, she looked up to see who she had almost knocked off their feet.
Professor Storm grabbed her elbows, steadying her so she didn’t fall down the two steps leading from the building. Once she was steady on her feet, he held onto her for a second longer, not saying anything just watching her. It had been months since she had seen the quiet professor who taught her History of the Realm classes. She bit her lip as the silence stretched and he didn’t say anything, just stared at her with his intense yellow eyes.
She opened her mouth to break the silence and that’s when he smiled. It was a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes but most of his smiles didn’t. Especially not after losing his Triad and Fourth in the Great War. Claire couldn’t fathom losing her Triad so she had no idea the immense pain this man must be in.
“I’m so sorry, Professor,” she said. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“It’s no trouble,” he replied, finally letting go of her arms and taking a step back. “It is good to see you. What brings you back to the Academy?”
Claire froze as she thought. Obviously she couldn’t tell him the truth so she thought quickly for an excuse. “Oh, we were just picking up a few things from the suites.”
She winced internally realizing she wasn’t coming out of the suites. “And getting a few things so I can continue my studies.” She gestured towards the building behind her, hoping the excuse seemed plausible.
Professor Storm nodded. “You were always a diligent student. Much like your mother.”
“You knew my mother?” Claire asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice. She had no memories of her mother so meeting someone who knew her felt like a weird gift after everything Claire had just learned.
“In passing. We were students at the Academy at the same time.”
Claire wanted to ask him more questions but a shout of her name drew her attention. Holly waved from the other side of the courtyard.
“It appears your friends are looking for you,” Professor Storm said. “Good luck with your studies.” He nodded his head towards the satchel she was still clutching to her side.
Claire relaxed her grip so it didn’t look suspicious. “Thank you, Professor. Have a good rest of your day.”
Claire hurried towards Holly, feeling Professor Storm’s eyes on her back. He was a little weird and sad but who wouldn’t be after losing a Triad? Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she focused on Holly who had a weird look on her face as she stared back at Professor Storm.
“What is it?” she asked.
Holly frowned. “There’s something different about him now. He seems… angrier.”
Claire shrugged. “I mean I would probably be pretty angry too if I lost my Triad in the Great War and then the Council started looking like they were preparing for another one.”
Holly gave a half shrug. “Maybe that’s it.” Her eyes caught Claire’s satchel. “Did you find it?”
“Maybe?” Claire said, not exactly sure if the letter and journal were what her mother meant her to find but nevertheless she had found something.
Holly nodded, her eyes warm as she squeezed Claire’s arm. Even though Claire could see now, she tucked her hand into Holly’s arm like she used to when Holly guided her. They hurried back towards the administrative building and into the Headmaster’s office at Gwen’s direction.
Everyone looked up at their arrival. “Did you find it?” Cody asked the question on everyone’s minds.
Claire bit her lip as her eyes flashed over everyone in the room. Her friends and Triad she trusted implicitly. Andy and Helene were probably in that category as well but the information in the journal that implicated the Council was on a whole new level. And the Headmaster… while the odds were probably strong that the secret office did not belong to the Headmaster, until she was sure she didn’t want to share too much.
She nodded in answer to Cody’s question. “I did. A letter from my mother saying that my father has the answers.”
“And your father is in the Fae lands,” Desmond said slowly, filling in the gaps but also sending a questioning feeling down their bonds. Her Triad knew she wasn’t sharing everything and they weren’t sure why but they seemed content to let her take the lead here.
Claire nodded again. “Just another piece in what seems like a never ending puzzle.” Exasperation tinged her voice but Claire couldn’t help it. After all of this, it would be nice if they learned something concrete for once. Claire had a feeling though that all the answers would come flooding in at once.
“You are getting closer though,” Holly comforted.
“And you can’t solve anything in a day,” Helene said. “Why don’t you all stay for dinner before you go rushing off somewhere else?”
