"I was drugged that night," I say slowly, "and I was also made to undergo tests. The results revealed traces of opioids, but no one mentioned anything about toxins or poisons."
"I know." Keia's tone is sober. "I remember reading that in your case file."
"My parents took me straight home after...after that night, and I had a fever and an upset stomach for almost a week following it. I told my parents I had a feeling I was poisoned, and they thought the same thing. So we had another round of tests done, but all of the results came back negative, and when the detectives leaked this to the press, everyone decided I had just made myself sick because of guilt."
The doctor mutters a litany of Greek curses under her breath, and it almost makes me smile. For someone with excellent bedside manners like hers, it is kinda funny to see the good doctor being able to cuss like a sailor.
Keia is still fuming when she addresses me again. "The technology that's still in use in the state of California is next to obsolete. It's completely incapable of detecting any substances found outside this world, and that is the reason why your results at that time came back negative." The doctor then grabs her phone, saying, "I should call your parents—-"
"Wait!"
Keia arches a brow at my direction.
"I'm already eighteen, so...if I ask you not to tell my parents, you can't play the minor card with me...right?"
The doctor appears surprised. "Don't you want your parents to know?"
"Not if it's going to hurt them for nothing."
"I suppose I see your point..."
"Then we're in agreement? You won't tell my parents or anyone else? This will just remain between us, right?"
"I'm bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, so I'll have to say yes. This will stay between us, but..." Keia casts a frowning look at my direction. "Please do take extra care from here on. While things always turn out fun and interesting every time you visit, it would be a lot nicer if you were to come here on your own two feet."
I start to tell her she's exaggerating...until I realize the doctor's speaking nothing but the truth.
The professor was carrying me in his arms the first time I came here while yesterday had me coming in on a stretcher. I'm hoping third time won't be the charm in my case, but in today's Post-3rd world...you just never know.
THE LIBRARIAN GIVES me a friendly smile of recognition as soon as I walk past the doors, and this time I remember to take note of her name - Ginny with the tortoise-shell glasses - as I walk up to her counter.
"Hello again. Back so soon?"
"It's already been a week," I can't help pointing out, but this only makes the librarian laugh.
"That's twice on a weekend, which is two times more than almost all of Rosethorne's students."
"Guess that makes me a nerd," I say with a shrug. "And speaking of nerdy things..."
Ginny raises a brow. "You need another idiot's guide?"
"I do need a guide," I allow, "but I'm not sure if the kind of book I'm looking for actually exists."
"I'll need a little more information than that in order to help you."
"Let's say I've had my memories magically wiped out..."
Ginny's expression turns sober. "Only the divine can do that."
"I know that, but..." I give her a hopeful look. "Maybe there's some kind of book—-"
She cuts me off with a single word. "No."
"But—-"
Ginny's gaze narrows at me. "You've come across some video or article online that promises to help you undo the outcome of a ritual."
I lift my chin. "I feel like you're judging me—-"
"You have, haven't you?"
Grr.
I hate it when someone sounds so smug...and has the right to sound like it.
The librarian throws her hands up in a gesture of exasperation. "I can't believe you've fallen for those!"
"I haven't!" But of course, I so did.
"Get-magical-quick schemes are called schemes for a reason," Ginny stresses. "They'll tell you everything you want to hear, but at the end of the day all you'll get is fool's gold. What one divine being has done, only another one with divine blood can unravel...and there's no book in this world that can change that."
Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Is there any other thing I can help you with?"
A thought suddenly enters my mind, but I hesitate. When I told Nia I have no plans of finding out who was ultimately responsible for framing me, I had meant it. All I care about is keeping my parents safe and making sure they can lead normal lives again.
But is that really possible if the same man behind all of those murders...just tried killing me again?
"Halyna?"
I slowly shake my head and hear myself say, "Nothing for now." I need more time to figure out what I want to do next, and until then I don't want to make any major moves that could attract unwanted attention.