Chapter 18: almost made a deal

SORAYA

Tell me, my dear reader, how often have you been knocked out of your senses by but a few words? I'll give my answer if I could, but well my senses have been knocked out—literally speaking.

"Wait, what?"

"I am quite sure you heard me, Miss Farrow. I don't think there's any need for repetition now, is there?" My gaze drifted to Daryl, whose face held as much confusion as I'm sure mine did.

"I thought it was a makeshift holding cell for Karter and me?" He spoke up.

Sir Sinclair grinned as he relaxed. Now his amusement was really testing my patience. I really wanted to wipe that silly smirk off his face.

"As of 2:44 this afternoon," he lifted his phone and showed us the screen, a letter was displayed on it. "You and Soraya Karter have been proven innocent because of a lack of evidence. I am the lucky one to share the news with you."

"Lack of evidence, when the librarian was found murdered in that same manner, just this morning? That doesn't make any sense," Elle protested.

Dolly scowled at the girl. "Very quick to throw your disposed obsession under the bus I see," she stated, clearly referring to Ellie's crush on Daryl and Huw she should be defending him in a time like this.

Again, I didn't like her—but she was right.

"I won't see the truth and not speak about it," Elle said.

"Truth? Do you even know what truth means? Girl, you hide under shadows of being the Alpha's daughter and getting away with everything and anything. Truth is expensive coming from your classist mouth," Dolly spat.

"Dolly!"Axel cautioned her, tapping her hands carefully.

"Now let's not argue. I will like you all to know that the recent happenings in the school are part of your training and the project I grouped you all for which was given last week. You all will investigate this, and put out a term paper on what you find. I trust you can do that?"

Put a knife to my throat Sir Sinclair and kill me. I wasn't even exaggerating this time. This was suicide disguised as a school project. "Of course, only Fenrir will qualify murder as team bonding material. How sweet," I said, my tone pointing out the absurdity of the situation.

"Now if you are all done here. You can take your leave, and report back to Elroy by 7pm. I'll be there waiting for you all, for your first lesson." The man didn't even care about our complaints, he simply pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and gave us a dismissive wave.

How befitting.

"Well," I shrugged as we filed our of the office. "I guess we are all dying together."

"Why are you even talking about death?" Ilana asked, her eyes darting between me and her brother.

I cocked my head at him. "Why don't you ask your brother, Princess... He knows quite a lot," I retorted, holding Daryl's gaze knowingly. He intentionally wanted to keep me in the dark, and I would fault him for that. "As for me, I have somewhere to be."

"Wait, Soraya!" Adele called after me as I started walking away. I didn't stop, but I could feel the echo of her footsteps as she trailed behind me. Perhaps I could borrow her brain for my research.

When I got to the library,it was empty. The air felt like it still smelt of the tragedy that occured. I could still envision ms lily sitting at the table, watching is as we walked past her to the rails.

"Why exactly are we at a crime scene, Soraya?" Adele asked, whispering her words.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I don't know, maybe because we shouldn't be here. Don't you know that?" She deadpanned.

I scoffed at her paranoia, letting out a small chuckle when I saw a bead of sweat trailing down her face.

"It's not funny!" She protested.

"It isn't," I said and finally halted when we got to the history section of the library. "It isn't funny," I repeated. "That's why you have to listen to me carefully, because..." I paused, not wanting to say the words.

"Because what?"

I but my lips. "I need your help."

"You need my help?"

It felt like weakness to admit that. Heck, my mother already drilled into my head in my months of training of how heroic it was to get things done on my own. I wish I could actually do this without anyone's help, but with the way things were going, I strongly doubted that.

It was quite comical how I had come here to kill the prince, and now I had somehow gotten roped into murders and living breathing houses. I needed all the help I could get, so I can finish this and finally focus on what brought me here. It could be that easy, right?

I turned to Adele who was staring at me like I had grown two heads. "I need your help. As much as you can offer," I said.

I didn't wait for her to reply before I launched into my request. "First, I have to find books, as much as you can find that talks about the house—Elroy. And then I've got to find books also that talks about something similar to the Prince's curse."

"Excuse me?"

"Because if the victims are killed by being dried up, then certainly it is related to his curse. And I've got to know more about that."

"Soraya?"

"Also, I have to find—"

"SORAYA!" Adele screamed.

I startled, dropping the book I had picked from the isle. "What the heck, Adele!"

"Look at that!" She screamed, trembling pointing to the doorway. My eyes widened. My stomach as I took it in. Oh, we were going to fucking die.

"Holy shit! Run!"