The professor's secret

Chapter 4 — The Photograph

I couldn't stop thinking about the photograph.

Not the one of Lydia.

The other one.

Mine.

Someone had taken it that morning.

Someone had been watching me.

By lunchtime, I'd checked the same thought a dozen times.

Maybe it was a coincidence.

Maybe someone had taken a picture of a group of students and I happened to be in it.

Maybe the message on the back wasn't meant for me.

I didn't believe any of those things.

Mira sat across from me in the cafeteria, eating fries while I pushed food around my plate.

"You haven't eaten."

"I'm not hungry."

"You've been staring at that fork for five minutes."

I looked down.

She was right.

I dropped it.

Mira leaned forward.

"Tell me what's happening."

"Nothing."

"Elara."

I sighed.

There were some things I couldn't tell her.

Not yet.

I pulled the black paper from my coat pocket and placed it beneath the table.

Her eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?"

"I found it in the library."

She didn't touch it.

"Burn it."

I frowned.

"What?"

"Burn it."

"Mira—"

"I'm serious."

Her voice had lost all its teasing warmth.

"The Ravens aren't some harmless student club."

"What are they?"

"Nobody knows."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer people who want to stay alive give."

I stared at her.

"You're exaggerating."

Mira looked toward the cafeteria entrance.

Then she lowered her voice.

"They have connections everywhere. Professors. Administrators. Police. Politicians."

"Police?"

"Families with money don't need to obey rules."

I folded the paper.

"Who leads them?"

Mira hesitated.

"Victoria Lang."

The name meant nothing to me.

"It will."

Before I could ask what that meant, someone slid into the seat beside me.

Julian.

He smiled.

"Hello again."

Mira groaned.

"Go away."

Julian ignored her.

He looked at me.

"You disappeared after class."

"I had somewhere to be."

"Coffee?"

"No."

"Lunch?"

"I'm already eating."

"Dinner?"

I stared at him.

"Do you always do this?"

"Do what?"

"Ask someone out three times in under thirty seconds."

He smiled.

"Only when I'm interested."

Mira looked between us.

Then toward the cafeteria doors.

"Oh, this is going to be a disaster."

I laughed despite myself.

Julian's smile softened.

For the first time, I noticed that beneath his confident exterior, there was something surprisingly gentle about him.

Then the cafeteria went quiet.

I looked toward the entrance.

Adrian stood there.

His gaze immediately found Julian.

Then me.

His expression was unreadable.

But his shoulders had gone rigid.

Julian noticed.

He smiled.

"Looks like my brother's in a bad mood."

Adrian walked toward us.

"Julian."

"Adrian."

The brothers stared at each other.

"You have class."

"So do you."

"Leave."

Julian leaned back.

"Why?"

Adrian's eyes moved to me.

"Because I need to speak with Miss Hayes."

Julian glanced at me.

"Do you?"

I didn't know why, but I suddenly felt trapped between them.

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Yes."

Julian stood.

"Fine."

He leaned toward me.

"See you tonight."

Adrian's eyes flashed.

Julian walked away laughing.

I looked at Adrian.

"Was that necessary?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he's dangerous."

I folded my arms.

"So are you."

His eyes held mine.

"Exactly."

He reached into his coat.

Then placed something on the table.

A photograph.

My breath caught.

It was the photograph I'd found in the archive.

Lydia.

But now there was something written across the bottom.

A name.

VICTORIA LANG.

I looked up.

Adrian's expression had changed.

"Where did you get this?"

"I found it."

"Where?"

"In the archive."

His eyes hardened.

"You need to stop."

"I'm not stopping."

"Elara."

"Tell me the truth."

He leaned closer.

His voice was low.

"You don't understand what you're stepping into."

"Then help me understand."

For a moment, his eyes softened.

Then he whispered,

"Because if they know you have that photograph..."

He paused.

"...they'll come for you."