Page 42 of The Stone Secret
“How are you feeling now after the extraction run?” Willowman asked me.
“I’m fine. Bax, on the other hand…”
Willowman’s expression hardened. “The administration will be keeping an eye on Mr. Lowther.”
“He should be kicked out,” Serath said.
“There’s no evidence of his blackmail. All we have is Miss Basque’s word.”
“Which should be enough,” Serath growled.
“You know that’s not how it works,” Selas said evenly.
“Hmmmmm…” Serath took a sip of his water, and our gazes clashed over the rim. My heart lurched, and I tore my attention away, dropping it to my plate. My pulse raced, and it took a moment for it to slow.
Focus on other things, Cam. Anything else but him.
But my mind was blank, my body thrumming with awareness of the male sitting opposite me.
“Cameron, didn’t you want to speak to Willowman about your tulpa?” Selas said.
Her words were a lifeline. “Yes. Um, I have a tulpa.”
Willowman swallowed his mouthful. “Right. It’s not usual for a goyle to have one, but you’re a halfblood, so—”
“No. I mean I have one. Here. At the academy.”
“Oh?” He set down his spoon, suddenly interested. “You created it here?”
“No. He’s been with me since I was a child, but he came here a couple of days ago. After Ignus tried to compel me to go with him, Derek appeared and protected me. He helped me to break free of Ignus’s control. I wouldn’t have escaped otherwise. And after that, Derek was here, in my dorm room closet.”
Willowman leaned forward, elbows on table. “And what kind of creature is Derek? What kind of tulpa?”
“A boogeyman.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he saved you?” Serath asked.
“I’d just found out my brother was alive. Derek kinda slipped my mind, but there’s something wrong with him. He’s…growing.”
Willowman frowned. “Growing?”
“His form is expanding, and he’s scared.”
“Your boogeyman is scared.” Willowman looked skeptical.
“Look, Derek isn’t like other boogeymen. He’s sweet and kind, and I love him. I need you to help me fix him.”
Willowman plucked at his napkin. “Standard protocol dictates we extinguish any tulpas born on campus.”
“What? No!” I sat up straighter in panic. “You can’t hurt him. I won’t let you.”
“He won’t.” Serath snarled.
If Willowman was threatened by Serath’s snarl, he didn’t show it. In fact, he didn’t even look his way, keeping his attention on me. “No. I won’t. Because your tulpawasn’tborn on campus. He somehow found his way in. I need to figure out how. These wards are impregnable.”
“Obviously not,” Orix said. “Your orb was tampered with.”
Willowman grimaced. “Which means we have a mole. An insider playing us. Nothing to do with the wards and everything to do with loyalty.”
