"How do you know?"
"Because I know who has my tech. This person doesn't."
"So, there's another one of you?"
"Darling, there's no one like me." He flashes a seductive grin. "But it's someone who unquestionably has skills, especially if they're gaining access to the campus undetected. I may make it sound easy to avoid detection, but it's really not. Their security is on point, and their technology is custom designed. It's not a joke. I just happen to be better."
I hold back the eye roll. "I don't want to tell them everything."
"They only need to know about the messages on the wall. The rest we keep between us, especially if it has anything to do with Lance's family."
"But maybe he can tell us more about the picture."
"We h
ave his brother for that," Brendan reminds me. Except Joey won't be here for another week.
"Fine," I concede with a heavy breath. "They know about the room. But I don't want them knowing anything more; not the picture or the other notes. Nothing about our mothers or Niall either. And absolutely nothing about Allie."
"Agreed. Have you had a chance to look over your room, to see if the person left anything behind?"
"Other than my namesake on the wall?"
He laughs.
"No. I haven't looked for more warnings or pictures. Maybe it's not the same person. The messages in my room seem different, angrier."
"Perhaps." Brendan nods like it hadn't occurred to him before. "But to have two people out to get you is a little excessive, even for you."
"Three, if you include ..." I shut my mouth.
"The guy who hurt Allie? Do you think he'll come after you if she wakes up?"
I shrug, not wanting to think about Vic on top of everything else. He's still in Europe, I hope. I'll deal with him when Allie opens her eyes.
"Make sure you have my phone on you at all times. It doesn't have to be on for me to locate you."
"You're not a very good stalker if you tell the person you're stalking them," I jeer.
"Just keep it with you." There's a heavy note of seriousness in his tone, so I don't argue. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was worried about me.
By now, we've reached the history building and Brendan waits for me to enter. "What do you do when you're not in class?"
"I do what I do best," he waggles his brow, "I watch."
"You're so creepy!" I call after him as he disappears into the Court. I'm seriously questioning whose side he's on. But that's obvious--Brendan is only out for Brendan. I just hope he doesn't ruin too many lives in pursuit of his answers.
In the years that passed, Thaylina grew stronger. And faster. She no longer resembled the kind and beautiful girl she once was. She had become a huntress, willing to defend any who were deceived by charm and promises of a song.
When I return to the dorm, my door is open. I creep along the wall, wondering if I'm finally going to catch the crazed psycho in action.
But I deflate when I find Mr. Garner assessing the damage with his hands on his hips.
"Mr. Garner?"
He turns to face me. I can't tell if he's angry, worried, or both. "What is going on, Lana?!" When I don't answer right away, he continues, "I received a message from Ms. Seyer that she was concerned you and Ashton were partying in your room late last night. And I come up to find this." With open palms he presents the cataclysm that used to be my room, his eyes are wide in confused shock. "Either you girls take partying to a whole other level or you're being harassed."
I pause with a tilt of my head, not sure how to answer, because Ashton and I were definitely on a different plane than everyone else last night.