Luca, Nate, and I have carved out a little space for ourselves near the back wall, surrounded by towering shelves that smell faintly of old paper and varnish. Only a quarter of the students are barricaded in the library. Everyone else is either holed up in the gym or Mrs. Humphrey’s office. Here’s to hoping Celeste and Ariah are among them.
Nate keeps glancing toward the doors, his foot tapping incessantly. Luca, on the other hand, looks far too calm for someone who just sprinted through an explosion-ridden castle. His arms are crossed, leaning back against a shelf like he’s waiting for a cab, not hiding from potential danger.
“So,” he starts, his voice cutting through the uneasy silence of our group, “what’s the plan if Valerie shows up and decides to… you know, do her whole ‘Queen of V
