Page 45 (2/2)

Startled, I spilled so his tray "Yes, Sir"

"Fetch Adviser Watts"

"Yes, Sir" I put the tray on the desk and hurried through the door I had ivenat his desk, but immediately followed me back to the office

"Watts, do you still need an assistant?" the Commander asked

"Yes, Sir," Watts replied

"Mia, you have one day to prove yourself If you don’t dazzle Adviser Watts with your mathematical skills, then you’ll have to return to Beevan’s class If you do, then you can have the job Agreed?"

"Yes, Sir Thank you, Sir" Mia’s pretty face was radiant as she trailed behind Watts

IMia’s side of the story, and giving her a chance, were the exact opposite of how I iined the encounter would play out Why would a o that extra step? He risked upsetting Beevan and the coordinator Why would he bother to encourage a student?

His stack of reports reclaimed the Co toward the library to continue an to set I picked out a pro botany book to take with ht betray low in the corridors I watchedthe walls as I headed for Valek’s suite, wondering if I shouldNow that Brazell was gone, there was no logical reason forin that sue with or to discuss poisoninginsideon and off these last four days

Only the cold darkness greeted me when I entered Valek’s suite My disappoint hin concept Me? Miss Valek? No I couldn’t allow myself to think that way

Instead, I focused on my survival If I wanted to discover an antidote to Butterfly’s Dust, paging through books on counter-acting poisons while sitting in Valek’s living rooht not be one, he’d probably order me to move back anyway

After I had lit the lanterns in Valek’s suite, I relaxed on the couch with the botany book Biology had never been a favorite subject ofMy weak efforts to reht my attention back to the present It sounded like a book hitting the floor I glanced down, butpassage about fruit trees I scanned the living room to see if one of Valek’s untidy piles of books had fallen over Sighing at hishad toppled or not

A frightening thought crept into my mind Maybe the noise had come from upstairs Maybe it hadn’t been a book but a person So in to wait until I fell asleep to kill rabbed a lantern and dashed into my room

My backpack rested on the bureau Rand hadn’t asked for his knife yet, so I hadn’t returned it Pulling the blade froh my mind It was probably foolish to take the knife, but I felt more confident with it inrooht until I investigated the upstairs rooms