Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

“So does anyone know of any other basement rooms at APH?” Kaitlynn asked, looking around. “Storage spaces or anything like that?”

“It’s probably not a regular storage room though,” Ariana corrected. She tapped the cap end of her pen against her chin. “It says there are honored memories locked inside.”

“‘Honored memories . . . ,’” Tahira mused, pushing her thick hair back from her face with both hands. “Like diaries? Maybe the headmaster’s diary or journal or something?”

“I don’t know. ‘Honored memories . . . ,’” Ariana said, her eyes narrow as she brainstormed. “It makes it sound more important than diaries. More . . . historical, maybe? Like maybe the founders’ diaries or something like that?”

“I’ve got it!” Jasper said, shoving his chair backward with his legs as he stood. The chair made an awful screeching sound against the wood floor, and Ariana’s shoulders curled toward her ears. “What about the archives?” he suggested.

Tahira and Landon exchanged a look.

“The archives don’t exist,” Tahira said with a scoff. “They’re a prep school myth.”

“But if they did exist, this poem would definitely lead us there, right?” Jasper said, pacing around the table, wielding his copy of the poem. “‘Honored memories’? ‘Only one may enter’?”

Tahira frowned thoughtfully. “I guess. . . .”

“What are the archives?” Ariana asked, intrigued. “I don’t remember them from the campus history or the map.”

“That’s just it,” Jasper said, dropping his notebook on the table and leaning both hands into the back of an empty chair. “The archives don’t officially exist.”

“Okay. I’m confused. If they don’t exist, how can our headstones be there?” Kaitlynn asked, shifting in her chair.

Tahira rolled her eyes and sat forward. “It’s this story passed down from one class to the next,” she explained. “Supposedly, there’s some secret spot on campus where the founders hid all these historical items from around the time the school was founded. Diaries, blueprints, the original school documents . . . plus newspapers and original uniforms. Crap like that.”

“Like one huge time capsule,” Jasper said, his eyes bright with excitement. “And supposedly each year a senior is gifted with the key to the archives, to keep just in case the faculty member in charge passes on or something.”

“Only one may enter,” Kaitlynn said, sitting up straight.

“Well, where is it?” Ariana asked, her pulse beginning to skip. “And how do we get the key? I mean, how do we find out who the senior student is?”

Silence reigned inside the study room. Ariana felt her spirits fall. She’d never seen such a perfectly blank slate of expressions.

“Martin Tsang. He’s the one student who has a key.”

Ariana looked up at the door. Adam Lazerri stood there, hugging himself in his skimpy cotton coat, his dark curls sticking out in all directions.

“Adam? What are you doing here?” Ariana asked, her throat dry. Adam shouldn’t be privy to inside information. She and her fellow taps could get in huge trouble for this. Immense trouble.

“I followed you guys,” he said, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he took a tentative step into the room. “When I saw Landon and Jasper walk out together, I knew it had to have something to do with Stone and Grave,” he said. “I’ve been standing outside the room listening this entire time,” he added, tilting his head toward the door.

Ariana’s spirits sagged. Rule number one in clandestine meetings: Always close the door.

“You shouldn’t be here, dude,” Landon said, sitting up straight. “You’re going to get us all kicked out.”

“Wait,” Jasper said. “Has it escaped everyone’s attention that Adam just said he knows something about the riddle?”

Ariana glanced at Kaitlynn, who stared back, determined. Clearly she was ready to use Adam for whatever information he had. And for once, Ariana couldn’t have agreed with her more.

“Get in here and close the door,” she told Adam.

Adam did as he was told, but didn’t remove his jacket or sit down. He stood in the corner of the small room, looking awkward with his hands down at his sides. His skin was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept in days. Ariana’s heart went out to him. She knew he was still hurting over Brigit. Plus, Adam was here on scholarship. Getting into Stone and Grave probably meant more to him than it did the others. The society meant connections he otherwise had no hope of making, considering his meager background.

“I don’t like this,” Tahira said. “He can’t know what’s going on with Stone and Grave. There’s a reason it’s called a secret society.”

“Did you guys really think it was fair, the way I got thrown out?” Adam asked, his voice quiet but firm. “I mean, just because I don’t run as fast as Landon, I’m cut? Seriously?”

No one replied. Ariana was sure they were all trying to weigh the risks of Adam being here against the potential rewards.