The Ritual of Blood and Bone

Chapter Forty-Two

It is late by the time Seraphina has finished studying. She looks up at the huge clock on the stone wall of the library and sighs, realising that she has to be up for class in only four hours.

Despite the late hour, a few students are still around the library. She walks past their tables quietly, trying not to disturb them. None of them look up from their books, luckily. She sighs to herself. This is her life for the next five years. She can imagine it now, spending almost every night in the library, her head buried in mountains of textbooks.

She steps out of the grand wooden doors and into the corridor. Like the library, the light is dim. The lamps have been turned down, emitting only a soft, golden glow, the main lights having been turned off for the night.

Her feet scuffing against the stone tiles are loud against the still quiet that only night can bring. Seraphina gulps and holds her books closer to her chest as a chill spreads through the air.

She pauses and frowns, noticing her breaths in the air. She shivers and carries on walking, picking up speed. There is a small thump sound behind her. Seraphina spins on her heels and looks down the long corridor.

There is nothing there.

Her heart now racing, she turns around and picks up her pace once more.

Sounds, like someone, or something, walking behind her has her starting to run. Her heart pounds in her chest as all the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

The thuds behind her grow quicker.

The air changes and something tickles her neck. She squeals and spins around again, dropping her books as lighting dances across her fingers. A strange rush of air thunders past her, stinking of blood and rotting. A deep, yet quiet laugh follows it. So quiet and distant, that Seraphina almost imagines she'd just imagined it.

The air warms again and Seraphina lets out a shaky breath. Quickly, she drops down to her knees and scoops up all her books. Whatever it was is gone, for now. But she doesn't plan on hanging around ready for it to come back. By the time she gets back to her room, Seraphina is breathless. Nysa sits up from her bed in the darkness.

"Are you okay?" she whispers, trying not to disturb Cora and Ari.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Seraphina replies, feeling safer now in Nysa's presence. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow"

"Okay," Nysa replies and lies back down. Seraphina gets ready for bed quickly and, despite what happened in the corridor, exhaustion has her falling asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.

***

"Your tutor is arriving tomorrow," Nathanial says the next day.

"Good," Seraphina replies, her voice distant.

"Is that all you have to say?" Nathanial asks. "Good? We've pulled some serious strings for her to get here and your only reaction is good."

"I'm so excited, I can't wait," Seraphina says sarcastically.

Nathanial rolls his eyes and sighs. "You're distracted," he says. "What's happened?"

"Something weird," Seraphina grumbles, rubbing her eyes.

"Care to elaborate?" he asks through gritted teeth.

"Last night, when I was walking back from the library, it felt like something shadowy was chasing me."

Nathanial's jaw tightens and he takes in a sharp breath.

"What?" Nysa asks, crossing her arms.