Page 53 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

I glance at her. “What did he do to you?”

She stiffly shrugs. “It’s a long story that I don’t want to talk about in the open, but it has to do with basically ruining my life in high school.” She has a miserable frown on her face that’s crammed with hurt. “Why would Finn go with him?”

I’m wondering the same thing. I may not know Finn well, but he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would betray his sister like that.

“Hmm …” I’m getting an idea. One that I probably should be getting, but … “Screw it. Let’s go.” I motion for Lily to follow me as I jog out of the cafeteria.

“Wait … Where are you going?” she asks as she rushes after me.

When I walk out of the cafeteria, I look left and right, and spot Finn and Eli just as they’re rounding the corner. “Come on. Hurry.” I take off in that direction, disregarding the wide-eyed stares. It’s like people have never seen a girl running down the hallway like a lunatic. They’d be in for a real shock if they went to Northside High, where it’s an anomaly not to see someone acting like a psycho.

“Maddy,” Lily calls out breathlessly. “What the heck are we doing?”

I skid to a stop as I reach the corner I saw Finn and Eli disappear around. “We’re finding out why your brother is doing with the prince of douchebaggery.” I slowly peer around the corner.

“We look like crazy people,” she whispers as she stands behind me.

“In northside, we’d look like normal people,” I whisper back as I scan the hallway.

I spot a halo of blond hair that belongs to Finn right before he veers into a room.

I hurry toward the room with Lily trailing at my heels. She doesn’t even bother asking me questions anymore, which is the first step of acceptance that we are officially spying on her brother.

The doorway Finn walked through is the arched entrance to the Royal Academy library, so says an engraved sign carved into the pillar above the archway. The place is quiet, but that’s not surprising—it’s a library after all.

The librarian, who’s perched behind the counter, is around forty or so with chin-length black hair. She scrutinizes me as I rush by her.

“Can I help you?” she calls after me.

“Don’t worry, Miss Mapltefied,” Lily tells her. “She attends the school.”

Ignoring the exchange, I powerwalk to the center of the room where a cluster of long, wooden tables are located. The ceiling is high-arched and layered with crisscrossing beams, the lights are woven with metal and glittery crystals, and encircling the entire room are towering bookshelves.

“Wow,” I breathe out as I take the area in. “This is seriously like straight out of Beauty and the Beast or something. This place is crazy.”

“You run way too fast for me,” Lily sputters as she shuffles up to me. She’s out of breath, and her face is red.

“Sorry,” I apologize as I scan the tables for Finn.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m the one who’s out of shape.” She’s still holding her bowl of ice cream, and it’s starting to melt.

“Do you see him anywhere?” I ask. “Finn, I mean?”

Lily’s gaze sweeps across the room. “No. Are you sure he came in here? Hanging out in the library isn’t really Finn’s thing.”

“No, he for sure came in here.” I start toward the row of books and begin peering down each aisle, looking for Finn and Eli.

Lily trudges after me, grimacing at her melted ice cream. When I reach the final aisle and still don’t spot Finn, confusion webs through me.

“I know he came in here,” I mumble while scratching my head.

“It’s okay if we don’t find him. The next time I see him, I can just ask him why he’s hanging out with Eli. Not that he’ll for sure tell me the truth, but I can attempt to get it out of him.” Lily stuffs a spoonful of melted ice cream into her mouth then pulls face. “And I’m done with that.”

I’m half-listening to her. This makes no sense unless another exit exists somewhere.

“Hold on,” I murmur as I wander off toward the back of the room. I look around, searching for another door, but nope. Nothing.

“You’re really stuck on this, aren’t you?” Lily remarks as she steps up beside me.

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