The professor's secret

Chapter 6 — The First Lie

I found Adrian the next morning outside his office.

He looked exhausted.

Not tired.

Exhausted.

His black hair was slightly disheveled, and there were shadows beneath his gray eyes.

He stopped when he saw me.

"Elara."

I held up the photograph.

His face went completely still.

"Where did you get that?"

"Someone left it for me."

His jaw tightened.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

He took the photograph.

His fingers trembled.

Only slightly.

But I noticed.

"You know who killed Lydia."

His eyes lifted.

"Yes."

My heart stopped.

"You know?"

He looked away.

"I know who was responsible."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because telling you would put you in danger."

"Someone is already threatening me."

His expression changed.

"What?"

I showed him the black envelope.

He read the message.

His face became colder.

"Where did you get this?"

"In the library."

He closed his eyes.

When he opened them, the professor was gone.

There was only a frightened man standing in front of me.

"Elara, listen carefully."

He stepped closer.

"You need to trust me."

I almost laughed.

"That's difficult when you refuse to tell me anything."

"I am trying to keep you alive."

"Then tell me the truth."

Silence.

Finally, he said,

"I didn't kill Lydia."

"I know."

His eyes snapped toward mine.

"You know?"

"The photograph said so."

He looked at the envelope.

Then at me.

"There's something else you need to understand."

"What?"

"Lydia didn't disappear because she knew too much."

I waited.

"She disappeared because she found something."

"What?"

He hesitated.

Then whispered,

"A ledger."

"What kind of ledger?"

"The Ravens."

My pulse quickened.

"What was in it?"

"Names."

"Whose?"

"Everyone who owed them something."

I stared at him.

"And yours?"

He didn't answer.

That was enough.

"You were in the ledger."

His expression hardened.

"Yes."

"Why?"

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then quietly said,

"Because ten years ago, I was a different man."

I stared at him.

"You were nineteen."

His jaw tightened.

"Exactly."

Before I could ask another question, footsteps echoed down the corridor.

We both turned.

Julian appeared.

His eyes moved between us.

Then he smiled.

"Am I interrupting?"

Adrian's expression darkened.

"Yes."

Julian looked at me.

"Good."

Adrian stepped forward.

"Leave."

Julian didn't move.

Instead, he looked at the photograph in Adrian's hand.

His smile disappeared.

"Where did you get that?"

I frowned.

"You know Lydia?"

Julian's eyes met mine.

"I knew her."

Adrian went completely still.

"Julian."

But his brother continued.

"She wasn't supposed to die."

My blood ran cold.

"Die?"

Adrian's voice was sharp.

"Stop."

Julian looked at him.

"You never told her?"

"Told me what?"

Julian's expression changed.

He looked directly at me.

"Adrian wasn't the only Vale there that night."

Silence.

Adrian grabbed his brother's arm.

"Enough."

Julian pulled free.

Then walked away.

I looked at Adrian.

"There were two Vales?"

He didn't answer.

"Adrian."

His eyes met mine.

And for the first time, I saw something that frightened me more than anger.

Regret.

"Yes."