Chatoyant College Book 9: Sundered

Chapter 70: Destruction

Tom actually went pale. "But who would do such a thing?"

At least he understood the severity of the danger, this faerie who was almost perpetually cheerful. Dawn shook her head. "I don't know. But you don't think it could have been Paul on his own either, do you?"

Tom made a dismissive gesture. "A human? Please. Where did he get the knife?"

"We have no idea. He wouldn't talk to us—not even Corrie. He told her that he got it in the woods, but he wouldn't say whether he found it, or whether someone gave it to him, or what."

"Tell me he doesn't still have it."

"Of course not. The police have him now, anyway."

"Oh." Tom shrugged. "Human police. Where is the knife?"

"Professor Agnew has it," Dawn said slowly. "She's going to try to figure out where it came from, I think. Tom, how did you hear about this? You knew I was attacked but you didn't know the particulars and you didn't know the cops have Paul?"

"Rumors spread," he said.

"You don't deal with people on the campus."

He laughed. "But I watch. You know I watch."

"What did you watch?" asked Edie. "Do the court faeries know about this?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "What do you care?"

"It was my friends who were attacked," she said angrily. "And Leila is connected to the court faeries, whether she likes it or not. She could be in danger."

"Well, she isn't," said Tom. "I heard about it from... Brandon, is it?"

"We've met him," said Dawn. "How did he know about it?"

"Rumors, like I said." He sounded impatient now. "He said he heard about it from another human—a student, I mean—who heard about it from someone else. I don't know the exact path."

Dawn sighed. That made sense, at least. "Okay. So I guess you don't know any better than I do where it came from. I'm sorry, I'm frustrated about this."

"So am I." He reached out toward her. "Which arm is it?"

"The left." She pulled it out of Rico's embrace and held it out toward Tom. He touched it gently. His touch didn't feel any different than a human touch; of course, even with her Sight fully intact, it probably would have felt the same, because he looked pretty much human. "We think that if we hadn't gotten Professor Agnew's healing quickly, the poison would have spread."

He nodded shortly and dropped her arm. "That would be the purpose, of course."

"So do you have some idea who might have wanted to destroy Dawn's Sight?" Rico asked.

Tom turned away, and Dawn thought he was leaving, but after a moment she realized he was merely pacing back and forth. "Many faeries dislike having a student with the Sight. Few of them know to blame me, of course, and I can hide from those who do. I believe your visit to the market ruffled a few feathers, and of course, the court faeries hate the group of you... but who would go to such length? Even working with a human?" He turned to face them, frowning. "Who is he?"

"He's Corrie's ex-boyfriend. We met him so she could take off some magic that had been done on him."

Tom nodded. "So, likely someone who would have wanted to hurt Corrie. But not you."

"It sounded like he was blaming me for turning Corrie away from him, but they broke up long before she met me."

He turned to pace again. "His mind could have been turned against you, by the same one who gave him the knife. But who could make the knife... Belara's poison..."

"You think Belara's poison could have made the knife?" asked Edie. "Leila said that's one of the things that was used to poison the trees, I think."

"The poison could not have been used alone," said Tom. "But it may be a factor."

"If you want to help, you could touch base with the magic professors," said Dawn. "They're trying to figure out where the knife came from."

He shook his head. "That is not my place."

She hoped that meant he wasn't going to get involved with whoever had made the knife. They had enough faeries getting themselves in trouble already. "Do you know about the book?"

He raised his eyebrows at the change in subject. "There are quite a few books on campus, I understand."

"We got our hands on a magical one that gave us bad advice. Professor Lal thought that Mardalan made it, but that turned out not to be the case. We're trying to figure it out now. Do you think the same person who made the knife could have made that?"

"If they want to sabotage you, certainly," he said. "But I still do not know who it could be. Though I suppose..."

"What?" Dawn tried not to snap. But if Tom had information, she really needed to get it out of him.

"The faerie working at the library. Find her friends, and you may find the creators."

"What?" Dawn gasped.