Trial By Fire (Going Down in Flames #3)(47)

“I’m sure they’re fine.”

Bryn dialed Ivy’s number. The phone rang and rang.

“Crap.” Bryn hung up. “What if they didn’t make it back?”

“Maybe they flew to Clint’s room.”

“I don’t have his number.” Bryn paced the living room, hoping her phone would ring.

“Do you know anyone else’s number in the Black dragon’s dorm?” Valmont asked.

There was only one other number Bryn knew, and she didn’t want to use it.

Valmont seemed to read her mind. “Zavien is the only other number you know, isn’t it?”

Bryn nodded. “He was my friend before the other stuff happened, so yeah.”

Valmont huffed out a breath. “If Ivy doesn’t call in ten more minutes, you should call him.”

They sat on the couch and watched the time tick by.

“Damn it.” This would be beyond awkward. She dialed Ivy’s number one more time. No answer. Double damn it. “I guess I have to call him.”

She punched in the number. When he answered, she had a strange sense of deja vu. “Zavien, sorry to bother you—”

“Bryn?” He sounded surprised.

“I’m afraid Clint and Ivy were out after curfew. Can you check their rooms? I only have Ivy’s number.”

“What were you doing out after curfew?” His accusatory tone made the tinge of sadness go away.

“We were at the library and lost track of time. And before you tell me how stupid I am, could you please check on them and call me back?”

Zavien sighed. “I wasn’t going to call you stupid. It’s just…I worry about you.”

The present tense of the statement made her stomach go cold. “I’m fine. Please check and have them call me back.”

“Okay.”

Bryn hung up and turned to find Valmont. “Just so you know, I didn’t love having to do that, either.”

“I know.” He walked over and flopped down on the couch. “Come here.”

She joined him and cuddled against him. A sense of warmth and rightness settled over her. “There. That’s better.”

Valmont sat up, pushing her away in the process.

“What the hell?”

“Sorry, but look.” He pointed at the books on the table. “There’s an extra book.”





Chapter Fourteen


“What are you talking about?” Bryn counted out loud and then leaned forward. “A sixth book. Why would someone break into my room and leave a book for us?”

“Good question.”

Before her induction into the fine art of almost being blown up several times over, Bryn might have reached for the book. “Should we call someone to come look at it?”

Valmont stood and peered down at the tome. “If someone wanted to blow up your dorm, I doubt they’d go through the trouble of creating an exact replica to match a set of books you already had. Books no one was supposed to know were in your possession.”

He was right. “Miss Enid, you, Clint, and Ivy were the only people who knew about the books.”

“Miss Enid must’ve told the librarian in Dragon’s Bluff who the books were for,” Valmont said. “Maybe there was something in this book the librarian didn’t want to risk falling into the wrong hands.” He reached for the new book. As he flipped open the cover the phone rang, startling them both.

Heart racing, Bryn grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

“They aren’t here.” Zavien’s worry came through the phone line loud and clear. “I checked both their rooms. No luck.”

“Crap. Now what?”

“There’s a chance they realized they were out too late and holed up somewhere.”

That would be the best-case scenario. “If they were arrested, what would happen to them?”

“Incarceration overnight without food and water, to start.”

“To start?”

“If the Directorate finds their behavior suspicious, they could be questioned and kept longer. Use your connections. Call your grandmother and tell her you’re worried about them, because you were studying late, and you can’t reach them. She should be able to find out where they are.”

“Okay….thanks for helping.”

“I’ll always be here for you, Bryn.”

What did she say to that? Of course he meant as a friend, but it was still awkward. “Thanks. I’ll let you know if I figure anything out.”

Bryn hung up.

“No luck?” Valmont asked.

She shook her head. “Time to call out the big guns.”

She dialed her grandmother’s number and Rindy, the all-knowing phone operator, answered on the second ring. “Sinclair estates, how can I help you?”

“Rindy, this is Bryn. May I speak to my grandmother?”

“One moment, please.” The line went silent. Unease built up under Bryn’s skin with every passing minute.

“Bryn? Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?”

“I’m fine, but my friends might not be. I was hoping you could help.”

“Which friends?”

Did it matter? Shouldn’t her grandmother help, no matter what? “I was studying with my friends Clint and Ivy about an hour ago. Time got away from us. Valmont and I flew back to my room. I’m afraid Clint and Ivy may not have made it back before curfew. I called their rooms, but they aren’t there.”