Page 101 of Architecti
Midnight is staring into space, her eyes locked onto something none of us can see.Bastien’s brow is furrowed deep in concentration.
Lex flips the kettle on and gets fresh cups out for us all.
“So the dangerous part is the underworld?”Midnight says.
I nod.
“What if we skip it entirely?We could cut a hole in the Veil to the underworld and immediately cut another deeper hole right back to the celestial world.Maybe stitch the frayed edges together.”
“Like a wormhole,” Lex says, pouring tea for everyone.She hasn’t even asked how we like it.I’m surprised when she puts a cup down in front of me and it has the hint of honey in it.Just how I like it.
“That’s impressive,” I say as she passes out the rest of the mugs.
“It’s my party trick.”She smiles.
“This sounds more than possible,” Bastien says.
I shrug.“It is in theory.Theory being the operative word.”
Midnight rubs her hands together as if itching to get going.“Plus, it would bypass the wraiths as we’d cut straight through the Veil into the library.”
“And we wouldn’t have to deal with the rune locks on the doors,” Lex replies.
“Or that,” I answer, already seeing where this is going.
“So,intheory, the hardest part is cutting the Veil twice in quick succession?”Midnight asks.
“And stepping through it without getting caught or attacked by a wraith,” I confirm.
All three of them give each other the side-eye.Oh gods, I can’t be responsible for putting three students in danger.
“No.No way.We can’t.”
But I’ve already lost this battle.
“Wecan’t,” Midnight says, and her eyes fall to Mortem.As if summoned by the sheer weight of a gaze on him, his ear twitches and he lifts his head off his paws.
The scowl on his furry face is impressive.
“I do hope you’re not referring to me,” he meows.
“A wraith won’t attack you,” Midnight says.
“Are you out of your hairless minds?I’m not walking through the Veil.I’m a shade for a reason.”
“But you could also open the door for us,” Bastien says.
He slow-blinks at Bastien, only it looks less like a sign of affection and more like a sign of dismay at the sheer idiocy coming out of our mouths.
He yawns, licks his paw beans and then pads over to sit in front of Midnight and Bastien.“Do I look like I have opposable thumbs?”
“Well, you have enough attitude to open a thousand locked doors.I think you’ll find a way,” Midnight says and leans down to tickle him under his chin.
I’m about to warn her that’s a bad idea, he bites.But Mortem leans in, letting her stroke him and head butting her.His form becomes more and more dense, his colours changing from translucent to fresh snowfall white.
Then he sinks his teeth into her hand, and Midnight shrieks.
“You little bastard,” she yells and goes to bonk him on the nose, but he shifts back to noncorporeal.Her hand falls right through his face, and she head butts the table.
