Page 57 of Death and Do-Overs

Imogen said, “You’re tired, too, right?”

“Exhausted.”

“Let’s nap,” Imogen said.

I lay down and watched her instantly fall asleep. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, too. There was no way that was going to happen.

I needed to stretch my legs, move around so I could think.

This room was suffocating.

I picked up my messenger bag and gently patted the pocket that held Rose’s potions. There. It should be safe enough to go for a walk, so long as I stayed inside the hotel…right?

CHAPTER 14

MARNIE

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, the sole occupant snapped his shamrock-green gaze to mine. A tiny thrill of happy surprise swelled in my chest.

He was wearing the same clothes I’d seen him in before—all white, of course—and even though it felt like a lifetime had passed since we’d seen each other, I realized it was still Halloween. This was still the same day.

I stepped into the elevator beside Levi and turned to stare at the doors as they closed.

“How is your foot?” he asked.

“Very foot-like, thank you,” I replied.

Feeling his gaze, I glanced in his direction. He nodded his approval, as if I had explicitly stated that the magical stitches he’d put on my sole had done their job and kept me healed. They had.

The weight of his attention caused a tendril of heat to crawl up the back of my neck. I licked my lips, then immediately realized I’d done so, which doubled the size and intensity of the rising heat.

As I stared at the dented doors, I did my best to pretend Levi’s attention, his closeness, and the fact that the two of us were alone in a confined space had no effect on me.

I cleared my throat and asked, “Make any progress on the hunt for your missing friend?”

“I’m investigating a lead.”

Pretty much the most generic non-answer possible. “So you haven’t found him or her.”

“Him,” he said. “Not yet.”

Did I want to feel a blip of lightness in my chest at hearing the friend Levi was searching for in Nevermore was a man? No. Did I feel it anyway? Yes.

“I hope you find him soon,” I said.

“I appreciate that.”

It was perfectly normal to ride in an elevator with a man. I shouldn’t feel anything. I still hardly knew him, which was for the best.

Even if librarians weren’t allowed in Nevermore, Levi hadn’t flat-out told me he was not one of them. He’d avoided answering when I’d brought it up at my death site.

On that topic, Levi’d claimed with certainty that the person whose glove was in that alleyway was a murderer. It was Nie’s glove. I was half Nie, so when he put all of the pieces together, he’d thinkIwas a murderer.

And if he was in fact a librarian, that could mean he’d throw me in magic jail.

As a general life rule, trusting people was dangerous. I couldn’t let myself forget that trusting Levi was significantly more dangerous.

“Did you get your hair sample delivered to your lab at The Library?” I asked, knowing the hair from Nie’s glove had to belong to an animal from the shelter.

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