Chapter 14: Pondering

As the four of them left the meeting with Professor Lal, Dawn was worried about getting her things together in time to meet her parents, but she was more worried about what the professor had told them. She didn’t really like any of it—not the idea that the court faeries had some unusual way to get things to the library, nor the fact that Mardalan was not the one who had created the book after all, and definitely not the fact that she and her friends were the human students with the most knowledge of faeries on the entire campus. It felt like it was her fault, and she hated it. Guilt settled like a pit in her stomach.

“So do you think we should help?” Corrie was asking as they walked away from the magic building, through the chilly air.

“Of course we should,” said Edie immediately. “She needs our help, and it’s not like we’d be doing it out of the goodness of our hearts. It’s for our benefit, too.”

“Why would you think we shouldn’t help?” Roe asked.

Corrie sighed. “Well, you know I don’t really trust any faerie. It’s hard, because they’re not completely human, you know? And also, there was that time I saw Professor Lal at one of the parties the court faeries have. I can’t completely believe that she’s not in league with them.”

“She said that was just a social thing,” Roe said.

Corrie shrugged. “I know, but I don’t hang out with people I really dislike. Plus… I guess I’m just skeptical that we really know the most about faeries of anyone on campus. I mean, we’re just a bunch of freshmen, even if one of us has the Sight and one is dating a faerie.”

“It makes sense to me,” said Dawn. “No one else noticed when Annie went missing—just me, because of my Sight, and then you guys because I pointed it out to you.”

“But the whole dorm is freshmen,” Edie said, frowning. “Corrie has a point.”

“Yeah,” said Dawn, “except for Charlie and Lorelei. And Lorelei said all the RAs know about faeries, but she still forgot about Annie except when I asked about her.” She shivered, glad they were nearly reaching the dorm. She grabbed her ID card in her pocket, ready to swipe it quickly.

“That’s true,” said Corrie. “It makes some sense. I guess in that case it’s just depressing that we know the most.”

Dawn grinned and swiped her card, then grabbed the door immediately. “Now that I can agree with.”

“I definitely think we should do what we can,” said Roe as they all piled inside. Once Edie had the door shut behind them and the cold was blocked away, Dawn paused to take a deep breath of the warm air. “But,” Roe continued, “I don’t know about meeting Ever. I mean, I don’t even think I remember her at all.”

“You don’t have to come with us for that,” said Dawn.

“Oh, I mean, I’ll come, I just have no idea how to do it.” Roe unzipped her jacket and pulled off her hat as they all started up the stairs.

“I’m not sure either,” said Edie. “How did you guys find her… that other time in the woods?”

“We didn’t,” said Corrie. “She found us. I guess if we got close enough, she might find us again.”

“That sounds dangerous,” said Edie.

“It is.” Corrie frowned. “I especially don’t want you to get anywhere near that court.”

“I don’t much want to get close either,” said Dawn. “But I am the one who can see what’s really going on there, so it should probably be me. Maybe we could leave her a note?”

“How would we keep other people from reading it?” Corrie asked.

Dawn shook her head. “I don’t know. There’s probably a magical way to do something like that, but I would think Professor Lal could do it herself.”

“I could ask Leila to pass the message on to Ever,” said Edie. “I think they know each other.”

“I don’t think I want Leila getting close to the court either,” said Corrie. “But that might be a good plan, if we can’t come up with anything else, and if she’s okay with it.” She was the first to the top of the stairs, so she grabbed the handle to the fifth floor’s fire door and swung it open. “Either way, we have a few days to consider it. We have each other’s email addresses, right?”

“Of course,” said Dawn. “Wow, it’s going to be weird not seeing each other for a few days.” She grinned. “And you Americans and your November Thanksgiving.”

“What are you talking about?” Roe asked.

“Canadian Thanksgiving is in October. I missed it.” Dawn laughed. “Don’t worry. We’re celebrating the break anyway.” Just on time, her cell phone rang. She grabbed it out of her pocket. “Mom? Yeah, sorry, I had to meet with a teacher. I’m grabbing my stuff now.”