Page 24 of The Bound Blood
“And you’re going to stop them?”
Her smile is razor-thin. “We’re going tomake them fail.”
TEN
NOLAN
The library archives are quiet,but Mira left the two of us alone to go back and man the front desk. Tamsin’s boots are propped up on the long table, and she’s humming some off-key rendition of a lullaby that’s definitely more of a curse.
“I know she’s awake, they said I could see her when she woke up,” I say, flipping another page of the old Veil threads tome restlessly. “Professor Marris is with her, but no one’s telling us anything.”
Tamsin kicks the leg of my chair. “Duh. That’s what theydo. Classic power move. Keep the actual important people in the dark.”
“I don’t think I qualify as important,” I mutter.
“You’re veiled-tethered soul thread number three.” She raises three fingers like it's a scout salute. “That makes you Important with a capital I and a silent ‘screw you’ to the Council. Not that they know any of that, if Professor Marris can be believed. Do you think she’s really going to try to help?”
I shoot her a look, but she just grins and leans back farther, tipping precariously in her chair.
“I trust Professor Marris, she’s protected her in the past.” I pause, my mind circling on someone else I thought I trusted. “You think Raiden’s acting weird?” I ask.
Tamsin snorts. “Raiden wasbornweird. But yeah. Extra-weird lately. Broody. Pacing. Avoiding eye contact like everyone’s contagious.”
“He hasn’t even looked at me since I woke up.” My voice lowers. “I don’t think he’s fighting to save Lindsay either.”
Tamsin’s chair slams forward suddenly, boots hitting the ground. “That’s because they’re going to sever the Veilbond.”
My chest goes tight. “What? And you didn’t think to mention that the second you sat down?” I push my glasses back up my nose so I can glare at her properly. But I probably look more like a golden retriever begging for attention. What can I say, I’m not very good at the broody male role.
She shrugs, unbothered, proving my thoughts right—I’ll never be Kael or Raiden, that’s for sure. “Overheard it. One of the baby professors and their even baby-er assistant were whispering in the corridor like the walls don’t have ears. Dumbasses.”
“They can’t just—” I stand, then immediately sit back down when my vision tilts. “I’m sure she didn’taskfor that. We all know she didn’t cause what happened. Why is the Council treating her like the enemy?”
“They don’t care,” she says. “They just want her boxed and bagged before the full moon. Before she makes more trouble.”
“I hate this.” The words grind out of me. “She saved the school.”
“And now they’re treating her like a glitch in the system,” Tamsin says. “Like she’s some corrupted download that needs patching.”
A voice breaks in from the shadows. Low and cool.
“Then maybe it’s time someone broke the system.”
We both spin toward the entrance of the nearest aisle. Auron. Leaning against a bookshelf as if he’s been listening to our conversation the whole time.
Tamsin blinks. “Okay, you’re not supposed to be here down here, you don’t have clearance."
“It’s a library, and I also have little library girls who will do me favors,” he says dryly, quirking an eyebrow at her. “And I could say the same for you.”
“But you won’t,” she says, crossing her arms. “Because if you wanted us in trouble, you wouldn’t have announced yourcreepy lurkerpresence. You would have just reported us. Which means you either want something from us, or you’ve finally decided to stop brooding in cryptic silence like a rejected Batman villain. We saw how you ran when the Veil opened, so we know you’re a coward already.”
Auron doesn’t flinch. “I don’t need to answer to you. But I do need you to shut up long enough to listen.”
I glance at Tamsin, who shrugs likeWhy not?and kicks her feet up again.
“You have… theories?” I ask, cautiously.
“I have information,” Auron says. “And an interest in keeping Lindsay Blake breathing.”
