Page 78 of The Last De Loughrey Dynasty

“Just read it, so I can get my beauty sleep,” he whined, muffled through the fabric of his jumper that he had used as a pillow.

I flipped the page and there was no entry, but some words in Latin. I exhaled, exhausted, and pushed the diary in front of the boy next to me, who sat lazily in his chair. “You’re better than I am in Latin, and I’m too tired for this stuff,” I gave him a flat explanation.

Archer leaned forward and picked the book up to rest it on his lap. He was the only one who hadn’t rubbed his eyes in an effort to stay awake. The only one who resisted yawning in chorus. It was odd to look so alive at almost three in the morning. And criminal to look so stupidly stunning too.

“It says that the next chapter is hidden until the end of the descent into darkness and the beginning of the return of the light. Meaning we have to wait till Yule, which is on the twenty-first of December and weeks away,” he answered with disappointment echoing in his voice before he closed the book in frustration. “I guess Dottie didn’t know we have a strict schedule here.”

“She must have had her reasons.” If I wasn’t fighting sleep that crawled at my mind like hellhounds, I’d be actually shocked that Nathaniel opened his mouth, except for the forced reading tonight.

“Well… this is utterly disappointing. Good night.” Naomi stood up and pulled her gloves back on before she grabbed Jesse’s arm and dragged him out of his chair. He groaned, “I won’t make it to my room. I’ll just camp here tonight.”

“Stop being dramatic and get up.”

“Dramatic? I’m never dramatic, I’m simply a realist. If I get up now, I’ll fall face first on the floor and stay there till the sun rises.”

All Naomi did was roll her eyes, not bothering to argue with him any more than she already had. She looked at Maisie and me. “Are you two coming, or do I have to make my way back to the girls’ dorm alone?”

Maisie pressed a kiss to Nathaniel’s cheek and stood up. “I’m coming with you.”

“Me too.” I got up and reached for the diary, but Archer took hold of it before I could, snatching it away. “Leaving it in here is the safest option.”

I stared at him, thinking about saying that my trust was still spiralling when it came to him, but as another yawn took hold of me, I just let it be.

“Night,” I said and took the jacket that I had hung over my chair before following Maisie and Naomi. We should have at least three hours of sleep before we have to get up again. Three hours until I started realising how angry it made me that we weren’t able to read the entire diary in one go, but for now, all I wanted was some rest.

CHAPTER THIRTY

DOROTHEE

The days were passing by fasterthan I might have wished. I loved how quickly detention was over and how, with each passing day, we came closer to Yule and read about what happened next in Dottie’s life. But, in the same breath, I hated how fast time was passing. There had been no new clue or riddle, and I hadn’t seen Gwyneth since the night she let me into her memories to reveal the place where the diary had been hidden. Each day passing meant a day closer to the Ball of Aquila on the seventh of July.

I had tried to reveal the hidden words on the pages with drops of my blood, but the pages had swallowed each drop as soon as it hit the paper. Trying was nothing more than a waste of time, and the only thing we could do was wait for Yule, which was, of course, during the holidays, and research Hecate and the festival of the stars, plus keep a close eye on Professor Kane.

We couldn't do more at the moment, and it was getting frustrating.

The holidays were creeping closer as well, and the thought of returning home made my stomach twist. My mother had texted me that my father would be attending this year’s Christmasdinner at my aunt’s house, which meant for me that the twenty-minute drive that I couldn’t avoid would be filled with bickering and scoffs at one another. I also didn’t fancy seeing Bethany and her other cousins again. When my mother told her Aunt Liana that I had been accepted at Aquila Hall, a school for children like me, Bethany mocked me and called me names as to why I had to be sent across the country to a'special'school in front of her friends.

Back then, I had shut my mouth, kept silent because I believed that speaking was the worst thing someone like me could possibly do, and every time I opened my mouth my mother repeated the story ofThe Boy Who Cried Wolf. I hated the story more than the silent treatment she gave me when I cried or annoyed her as a child.

“And just like the boy, someday when a thief breaks into the house, no one will believe you, Dorothee.”

“But Mummy, please, there is a man hanging from the ceiling in my room, and I’m so scared, please make him go away!”

It was the first time a spirit had shown itself in the form in which it had died. It was also the first time my mother called a psychologist because she was afraid of her own daughter.

Such happy childhood memories.

“Your turn, Miss De Loughrey,” Mrs Albury called out, waving me to the front of the queue at the target.

Samuel moved to make way for me, with his head bowed, since the arrow he just shot was sticking in the tree beside the target. He was a few years younger than me, and it was kinda sad to see his disappointment every archery lesson.

I took my bow, which I had hung over my arm like a backpack–which had won me a judging look from Nathaniel, who had his own safely secured in his bow sling. Apparently, I wasn’t professional enough for Mister Perfect, but hey, at least Imanaged to hit the target… nothing more, I just managed to hit it. It was definitely a goal. Archery looks so easy, and I thought it was until I first shot an arrow and almost took my eye out with it.

Taking an arrow, I positioned it on my bow and closed one eye to focus fully on the target. I balanced until I was sure that my aim was perfect before I let go and shot the arrow.

My aim wasn’t perfect, far from it, actually. The arrow had hit the bullseye in the second white ring. Archery was damn frustrating. I should have listened to Maisie and chosen badminton.

“You’re getting better,” Mrs Albury said with an encouraging smile, and though I appreciated the thought, her words weren’t helping. She was lazy at explaining, and I heard the older students mention that it was easier to try and tame a lion than learn anything from Mrs Albury. The only thing I could be happy about was that the sports weren’t graded. They’re only good for the students’ physical and mental well-being, to get them out of their rooms if it isn’t for class.

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