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But wasn t holly a natural barrier? I remembered reading about mazes using it to guard
the centre and the treasure.
I groped, got another prick from a fallen leaf and then touched something metal.
A chest.
It grated against the rock as I pulled it to me.
Bailey& the voice sang, cheerful as a cereal box ad. Don t make me come after
yooooou.
The box creaked open and there it was, my burnt graphic, tied in a scroll with black
ribbon. I took it, shoving it down my T-shirt as I began to crawl for a gap. I was definitely not
going to try to climb back through the trap door with that friendly voice calling for me.
I wiggled through the opening, gasping at the pain in my side. I staggered to my feet
and looked for Jared. Right off I saw him. He was lying on his side, blood running from his
hairline.
Professor Dunbar stood over him, smiling at me. Let s you and I have a talk, she said,
just as if I d shown up at her office on campus.
What did you do to him?
Oh, I didn t do that, she said. It did. She pointed to one of the toothy Shadow
creatures, which padded out of the tall grass and knelt like a pet at her feet.
Let me guess, if I open the door, you have to leave this world because you& what?
Sold yourself to the Whisperer?
Whisperer, Professor Dunbar scoffed, frosty blue eyes giving me a disapproving look.
She certainly seemed more like herself and less like the dripping evil-eyed thing Frey and I
had first encountered. And why wasn t that reassuring? Very dramatic. The energy cloud
has a name that has to be sung.
I doubt I could sing right now.
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A VIKING IN MY BED Jan Irving
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No, you couldn t. But if you got hurt, it s your own fault, isn t it? she snapped. What
do you know about anything? You re a student. You re self-absorbed when you aren t
obsessed with sex. You have it all in front of you. You aren t counting down to sixty without
meeting your ambitions.
My Mom s counting down to sixty but she hasn t swallowed the big evil.
Your mother is content to spin and dye wool and spend time in her organic garden
when she isn t travelling. She doesn t need to be remembered. Do you think it s easy to teach
in a second-rate university when I could have written books, taught in the finest schools?
So why didn t you?
I& She blinked. The thing at her feet never looked away from me, body quivering. I
had plenty of time. I thought but I was like you, Bailey. I was consumed with the moment.
Sounds like you were just like the students you despise.
I woke up when I was passed over for something I deserved. She glared at me. Even
with everything that s happening, what are you most worried about? She kicked Jared.
Your little friends. Your virile new boyfriend.
He is pretty virile, I agreed. He also has an honest heart.
Good for him. The powers will find another guardian now he s fallen, she said. Oh,
you didn t know? My friends tore him to shreds in the woods.
I don t know what my face revealed, but she laughed.
I don t believe you. I couldn t. The idea of Frey dead& I just couldn t.
Whatever, as you students are fond of saying, she said. Down to business. You have
my graphic. I want it back.
I reached under my shirt and grabbed hold of it possessively. No. You may have
tricked me into making it. I may be the typical feckless student, but you can t have it.
Her eyes narrowed.
You knew it was a formula, whatever you want to call it, to call those creatures to our
world, but you didn t have the gumption to do it yourself. You manipulated me into doing it
for you.
You were easy to manipulate. You re ambitious, not that you ll probably go anywhere.
You might end up travelling to India and helping people get rid of toxic dye waste like your
mother.
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A VIKING IN MY BED Jan Irving
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It s important work, I said. Maybe it won t make her famous, but it helps people, the
environment.
Jesus, you re just like her. Professor Dunbar shook her head. Since you re such an
unexpected do-gooder for a student, I will admit I had some trouble subduing
this& alternative personality I m carrying. But now I m fine. There s no need to open the
door, send it back. You can let me finish what I ve started. Let me do that and you and your
friends won t get hurt.
I looked at the wolverine thing at her feet. Frey said the Shadow creatures are
breeding. To do that, they have to feed, right?
She gave me a blank look.
What, it never occurred to you? How long until we read about missing students on
campus, or here in town?
You are not going to do this, you are not going to screw something up you don t
understand. Life is not shades of black and white, she snarled.
The scroll in my hand felt warm in the wet chill. My fingertips prickled again. I had an
urge to open it, to look at the undulating design.
Wha ? Jared lifted his head, shook it.
Don t, I told Professor Dunbar. If you hurt him
Something rattled on the floor in the corner of the summerhouse.
Oh shit! I lunged for Jared as the Molotov cocktail Miles had prepared before we left
the house burst into flame, shooting up one pillar.
Jared was in my arms, panting. I swiped at the blood on his face. Well, hell, Miles, he
grumped. Took you a while.
Miles stood in silhouette, another bottle held ready. Just let them go, Professor.
Isn t it sweet, students ganging up against the establishment, she said. Although I m
surprised you re joining in with them, Miles. I always took you as more intelligent than the
other algae.
Algae? That s an insult, right? Jared huffed. Hey!
You can all go if you give me that graphic, Bailey. She held out her hand for it.
No!
I knew that voice. It was strung in my gut, it was locked in my voice.
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Frey hobbled into the pool of light from the burning pillar. His face was scratched, one
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