“We don’t have time. Beltane is less than a week away. I need to be able to manipulate your dreams now. But at this rate, it’s never going to happen in time.” I stood up and started pacing the room. “And we don’t know anything at all. The Atlantean Chronicle is super long with no index. There’s no telling if we’ll find details on an assassination. And we don’t know who’s involved or where exactly it’s going to happen. I know I haven’t been there, but I’m pretty sure Lyonshold is a big place. So it’s not like we can keep on top of everything. And—”
Without warning, Eli stood up from the sofa and pulled me into a hug. I was so caught off guard, I gasped. His arms slid around my shoulders as he drew me to his chest. “Calm down,” he said. “I’ve never seen you so worked up. You’re not yourself.”
For a second I had no idea what he was talking about, but then I realized he was right. I felt like I was on the verge of a meltdown. But that wasn’t like me. I’d been under plenty of stress before and not lost it. So why now?
Eli’s hands moved up and down my back. “It must be from the session. You’re stressed out.”
I nodded into his chest, relaxing against him automatically. I suddenly felt like sleeping. Right here. In his arms.
I felt Eli’s hands slide all the way to the small of my back, the movement making every muscle in my body react. I started to lean into his touch, then realized what I was doing, and pulled back, my face flushed.
As he let me go, I saw his was, too. And he was breathing hard. I watched the rise and fall of his chest, more confused than ever. I wasn’t completely inexperienced. I could tell when a guy was reacting to me in a not-just-friends kind of way. I remembered that kiss, so hot and steamy it might’ve scalded my insides. Friends didn’t kiss like that. A boy not interested in you didn’t kiss like that.
I mustered my courage to once again ask him for an explanation, but I didn’t get a chance before he deliberately changed the subject.
“I did some digging into Mr. Corvus today,” he said, returning to his position on the sofa.
Taking a deep breath, I retreated to the desk, leaning against it. “Oh, yeah? Find out anything?”
Eli made a face. “Not a thing, although that’s telling all by itself.”
“How so?”
“He doesn’t have a past,” Eli said around a yawn. “At least not one I could find so far. All the Internet and e-net searches I’ve done were a dead end. The guy doesn’t have so much as an entry on ratemyteachers.com.”
I frowned. “He wouldn’t, would he? I didn’t think magickind used that site.”
“Some of them do.” Eli turned and lay down on the sofa. “There’re even a couple of ratings on there for Marrow.”
I gaped. “Nuh-uh.”
He grinned over at me, his eyes half-closed. “Yep. And they were pretty positive, too.”
It was sort of funny to think about, but I didn’t laugh. Folding my arms across my chest, I walked to the sofa and looked down at him. “Not being on the Internet doesn’t really mean anything. Corvus is old.”
Eli shook his head, his eyes slipping all the way closed. “His official school records were a dead end, too.”
I shoved Eli’s leg with my knee. “How did you see his official records?”
Eli opened his eyes, a smirk splayed across his lips. “Easy. I broke into the admin office today after classes.”
I dropped my forehead into my hand. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. Dr. Hendershaw meets with the office staff on Tuesdays so I knew I could get in and out without getting caught. Thanks to the moonwort key, that is.”
“I’m half-tempted to take it away from you.”
Eli pinned me with a gaze. “You wouldn’t dare.” He wasn’t smiling, but I could see the humor in his eyes, and I definitely heard the challenge in his voice. It put me in mind to do something daring, and for a tense moment I imagined climbing on top of him before he fell asleep. Better yet, I imagined him grabbing my hand and pulling me there.
Stop it, Dusty. Stop it right now. “Was his file empty or something?”
“Nope,” Eli said. “But it only had one entry for prior work experience. He spent twenty years at Castlebank Academy in Scotland.”
“Well, that seems normal. Castlebank is just like Arkwell.”
“Sure.” Eli slid his hands behind his head, his arm muscles flexing from the gesture. “Except he stopped working there ten years ago. And there’s no record of what he’s been up to since.”
I hooked my thumbs into the belt loops of my pants. “Well, that’s weird. But it doesn’t exactly link him to Magistrate Kirkwood.”
“No, not yet. But the next step is to check out his office.” Eli sounded eager at the prospect, but I couldn’t say the same. Mr. Corvus was fierce. Mr. Corvus would not take lightly to catching someone breaking into his office.
“We’ll have to plan that one carefully.”
He nodded, his eyes slipping closed. “Did you get anywhere with Melanie yet?”
“No. Selene sent her an e-mail, but she hasn’t responded. Then she tried to track her down while I was with Deverell but didn’t have any luck. I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy.”
“Yes, well, it wouldn’t be any fun if it was.” His voice trailed off, and a few moments later he was asleep. Must be nice to be able to shut off so quickly.