Chapter 217: Properly Accessorizing
Sebastien
Month 8, Day 23, Monday 11:15 p.m.
Sebastien’s mind was spinning so fast and intently that she seemed to blink, look up, and find that they were already outside of the warded room in the depths of the white cliffs, walking back to the University library. ‘How did this happen?’ she wondered, catching herself as she started to trip on a rough segment of the floor.
Professor Lacer gave her an exasperated look. “Please do not forget how to walk because you are too busy thinking. Keep your attention on the present.”
Sebastien cleared her throat and gave a small nod, refusing to meet his gaze. She still couldn’t figure out how Professor Lacer had managed to figure so much out, yet still come to such a strange, erroneous conclusion. She, as Sebastien, had been in contact with the Raven Queen, who had been using her to get into Myrddin’s journal? And as payment, the Raven Queen had given her a boon and protected her from the Pendragon Corps? And, perhaps most ridiculous of all, Sebastien was possibly descended from Myrddin? Professor Lacer had embedded enough clues in his questions that she had some idea of the “evidence” he had used, but it still felt like she was missing some critical connective tissue that could have led from A, to B, all the way to Z.
Furthermore, she couldn’t believe she had been so careless as to leave such blatant clues linking her to her secret identity. Growing up with Ennis had taught her that when one was doing something secret—and usually bad—it was very often growing lazy and sloppy that got one caught.
Which sometimes meant packing up and leaving—running—again.
Sebastien could only be thankful that Professor Lacer hadn’t managed to deduce the real truth. In a way, it made sense that Professor Lacer had thought the Raven Queen simply borrowed Sebastien’s student token. It would take a big leap to realize that Sebastien, who had spent so much time as a student—so much time in Professor Lacer’s presence—and obviously lacked the Raven Queen’s prowess, was the same person. But that didn’t mean that no one could make that leap, if she kept screwing up and handing out clues like they were candy.
As they exited into the library above, Sebastien’s mind returned to the room below. Myrddin’s other three journals looked strangely, exactly the same as her own, to the point that she might not be able to pick hers out of a lineup. That had to have been deliberate on Myrddin’s part, and it also helped to explain why the University wouldn’t have known that one of the five books was missing before they even got to Gilbratha, once it was removed from the expedition records.