SMACK!
The sharp sound of books hitting the floor startles us. I leap out of the chair, panting and looking around. In our fervor, we’ve bumped the table, sending an avalanche of books tumbling off. I look at Bennett, who’s grown pale, and then we both laugh. We have to cover our mouths to stifle the sound. His shirt is bunched up above his abs. His fly is undone so I can see his dark blue boxer-briefs. I have to reach under my shirt to put my bra back where it belongs.
“Maybe here’s not the place,” he says sheepishly as he fixes his fly.
“Probably not,” I agree. I grab a different book and sit down in the armchair beside his. “Anything useful in that book?” I ask him, trying to change the subject. I shift uncomfortably in my chair.
“It was too old to have anything on agropelters,” he says. “Records of agropelters usually don’t appear until after the 1700s. This one talks mostly about djinns.”
I put down my own book. “Does it? I do need to research those, y’know, since I kind of own one now.”
“Oh yeah,” he says, handing me the book. “I hadn’t thought about that. Piers’ dad lied, right? It was your parents who captured it.”
“Yeah, so I guess I inherit the damn thing.” I flip through the pages. “The school’s not too happy about that. They’ve got a lawyer hounding me. He’s been drawing up contracts for me to sign it over.”
“He must be good,” Bennett says. “Djinns are all about contracts.” He points to the book I’m holding. “Says so in there. If the djinn is in the phylactery, it’s already got a contract of its own in place.”
“What?” I ask sharply.
“Yeah. If it’s confined to a phylactery, there has to be a contract that binds him to it. That’s how djinns work.”
I feel stupid. Why didn’t I think of that? I drop the book on the table and get to my feet. “I have to find some other info on this.”
“Should be in the law section. I’ll help.” He stands up too. “I know the library pretty well.”
I fall in behind him, and he leads me toward what I assume to be the section on monster law. We pass by the front desk, where the man is fully asleep now. I curse myself inwardly. Bennett and I could have continued what we were doing and no one would have been the wiser.
As we reach the proper section, however, another complication arises. The door to the library opens, and Piers comes in.
“Shit,” I whisper, tugging Bennett behind a bookcase. I peek around the corner to watch Piers.
Piers is different when he’s on his own. He pauses at the front desk for a moment, sees the sleeping man there, and then heads off toward the section I know to have books on American terrain and monsters. Normally, he struts around, chest puffed out—but he’s not doing that now.
He wanders around the section for a bit, pulls down a few books, and then walks to our usual table. I shuffle around to peek at him again. He’s just sitting quietly, reading. If I had been with him, I feel sure that he would have woken the receptionist and berated him for sleeping before demanding his help.
“Let’s go,” I whisper to Bennett, and he nods.
We slip out of the library, unseen by either Piers or the receptionist, who is now loudly snoring. Seeing Piers like that—quiet, humble, even—has started the guilt brewing in my stomach again.
“What’s he doing?” I ask as Bennett and I head back to our dorm. I don’t reach for his hand this time, and he doesn’t reach for mine.
“Same thing you are,” he replies. “Researching. He thinks you’re smarter than him. And he knows he’s not as good of a hunter as you are. He might not consciously know it—I’d be worried if he did. Not sure his ego could take it.”
I mull this over for a moment. I want to take my revenge. I can feel that part of me crying out, clawing at me, like Owen’s werewolf form in the forest. So Piers already knows I’m better than him. Proving it once and for all right under his nose will break him exactly like I thought, I’m sure of it now. A big part of me wants that. It’s the same part that feels warm and satisfied when I see Sawyer in the halls—utterly dejected and lost.
The part of me that I’m afraid of.
But the guilt remains, twisting in my gut even as Bennett walks me to my dorm, where he finally takes my hand and squeezes it once. It’s still dark outside when I slip into the room. Erin is quietly snoring, and so is Cleaver. I change into my pajamas and settle back into my bed.
The hunt is soon. I feel confident now in my ability to shake off Piers and track down the agropelter. But when I get back, I’m going to have to look into djinn contracts.
I sigh as I drift off into a fitful sleep. My work is never done.
No rest for the wicked, as they say.
Chapter Fourteen
Our flight leaves tomorrow.