Page 72 of House of Malice
“The Dean was the one who killed Miss Bellthrove,” Galia said. “It wasn’t a suicide.”
“We already know that,” Val said. “Anything else, Rat?”
Galia pursed her lips. “He’s accumulating power. All those murders and Miss Bellthrove were for him to draw the energy for a ritual he’s planning.”
Val tilted her head to the side. “We already know that too. Anything else?”
“Do you know where he’s keeping said energy?” Jolene asked. “If we know where it is, we can go and steal it.”
Galia shook her head. “I have no clue. He isn’t sharing everything with me.”
“It’s in his art,” Val said, surprising everyone. “He’s storing it in his artwork from when he was an artist back in the day.”
“How do you know?” Galia asked, frowning.
“We figured it out,” Val said. “Now we need to find that artwork. Do you know where that might be? Are there any pieces in your home?”
Galia paused, thinking. Then she said, “We had some artwork at our place that was removed and taken away at the very start of this school year. I didn’t think much of it, but it might have been his work if you are right.”
Val glanced at Alecto. Alecto nodded.
“Do you know where it was taken?” Val asked.
Galia shook her head. “No idea. We didn’t ask because it didn’t matter.”
Alecto sighed. If they could get the location…
“I came here to tell you two things,” Galia said after a moment of silence. “About Miss Bellthrove, and about the Dean’s trip.”
“What trip?” Blaze asked. “He rarely ever leaves the campus. Who’s gonna be in his place?”
Galia shrugged. “No idea, and frankly, I don’t care. But in three weeks, he’s leaving for the weekend. I overheard him book the trip over the phone.”
“Interesting,” Val said. “Did you overhear anything else?”
Galia shook her head. “Just that. He was talking in a weird, coded way. I couldn’t understand it.”
Val looked Galia up and down and clicked her tongue. “Well, at least that much you managed.”
Galia sneered at Val but didn’t bother saying anything.
Val smiled. “See if you can find out anything about his art or the location of it. We’ll try to figure it out as well. It’s our only hope now.”
32
Blaze woke up in Alecto’s bed. Alone.
He turned on his back, trying to wake up. When he opened his eyes fully, he blinked a few times. It was already light outside.
From the bathroom came the sound of running water. Blaze stretched and yawned and then got out of bed.
He quietly padded into the bathroom. Alecto stood in the shower, her back turned to him.
Blaze didn’t even think twice before opening the glass door and stepping inside the steam-filled shower.
“Gods, how hot does your shower have to be?” Blaze complained, wrapping his arms around her from behind. “It’s like a sauna here.”
Alecto giggled as he pressed his lips on the side of her neck. “I like it hot, like burning-your-skin hot.”
