Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 50: Hit and Run

Ideas for grandiose plans usually came with a surge of excitement. A thrill of adventure always accompanied committing a comedic wrong, a conquest of mildly illegal means. This was different in so many different ways: this wasn't getting a noble-status boy into the house of his family's rival for a party, this wasn't larceny to resolve the extortion of yet another noble-status boy—rich people were suddenly so prominent in her life—it was a matter otherworldly in comparison. Luna's heart was still racing, but it wasn't fear that was racing alone in her veins, it was anger. There was a thirst for vengeance—she wanted to ruin this man.

"Was this really an urgent situation, Luna?" Brielle complained, gesturing to the empty library meeting room they were occupying. Luna saw this look quite often: the tapping foot, the crossed arms, leaning back on one leg. Luna promptly stood, doing her best to seem assured and official.

"Yes, because I know who's behind this."

Brielle groaned and rolled her eyes. "I do too, Luna. Iridia told Samson—"

"No, she didn't. Listen, I'm positive it's Dante." Luna gulped and tried to muster all the confident energy she could. She wasn't letting this get any further. "He's a slippery bastard and I— I hate that I didn't see it before. He's a master of tricking people and pulling stunts just like this, so odds are it's not Iridia after all."

Brielle pulled back in suspicion. Her brow furrowed.

"You gotta trust me on this one, Brielle."

"I actually don't," said Brielle impatiently. "Iridia was there that night. If she's not the one who gave away the information, then how did Dante acquire it, exactly?"

Luna's expression hardened. "You don't know him like I do. Trust me, he's got ways."

Brielle held eye contact with a face just as stern as her own, neither giving in. And then... she exhaled slowly. She asked, soft and quiet, "Do you really think Iridia was telling the truth?"

Luna's heart threatened to tear. "I have never seen a person care about another person the way I've seen Iridia care about you."

That, at least, was the truth. Luna almost wished it wasn't. She had seen the tenderness in Iridia's eyes, the way her entire face lifted when Brielle was even mentioned. Brielle had ushered forth a softness that Luna had never known Iridia even possessed. Perhaps that was what love was like.

Luna hadn't realized, when she made her gamble, how much it would cost. She knew, now. She knew it too well.

Brielle deserved to know the truth, but Luna couldn't provide it. "I think Iridia is innocent," she told Brielle. "I don't want to believe she did something like this any more than you do."

Brielle sighed and sank gracefully into one of the chairs, folding her hands in her lap. "Okay, so we'll say it's Dante. Now what?"

"He's got this hard drive. All his secrets are on it, his dirt on everyone. We get that, he's done for. He's got nothing concrete on you or anyone else. That simple."

"Okay... and how do we do that? We just march into his home and demand it?"

"Please, nothing is that simple. No, we're going to break in, steal it, and erase it."

Brielle stared. "Riiiight. And how do we go about that?"

"With backup!" she exclaimed with an enthusiastic point to the sky. "I'm gonna go call your girlfriend."

Iridia laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling. It was what she'd done most hours of the day lately. It was approaching two weeks now, their days apart. She wanted to be with Brielle—she couldn't help that longing in her chest—but the frustration and anger in Brielle's tone as she had so confidently accused Iridia made the desire sting and begin to dissolve like it was drenched in acid.