The Haven

Chapter 9

The librarian was sympathetic towards her unofficial students, but the sentries that prowled the hallways were not. They usually left the library alone because it was hardly a popular place to skip class in. But occasionally one of them (or a teacher on break or just a bored administrator) did wander by. They knew just as well as Mrs. Arnold did that there weren't any free periods and two solitary students in the library probably had somewhere else to be. And unlike Mrs. Arnold, who was really only paid to keep books in order, they would do more than just glare down at the truants.

Nikolai and Elsa knew it. There really wasn't a point in arguing with the guard now towering over them.

Nikolai pulled at the star ring on his left hand, and the top popped open to reveal a miniscule compartment. He dropped the bead of hematite inside and snapped the ring shut. He put a couple books back on the dusty shelves and dumped another one in his backpack.

"I don't even know where I'm supposed to be right now," Elsa whispered as she bent over her own bag, stuffing Herbal Defenses inside. She snuck a look at her phone. "Art, maybe?"

"I think I have PIG & Econ," whispered Nikolai, "but art sounds fun."

"Come with me," she offered because Participation in Government and Economics sounded way too boring to let a friend – even a brand new one – suffer through it. "They won't even notice. It's always chaos in the studios."

Nikolai smiled as they headed out of the library. With the sentry following close behind, they both turned towards the wing that held the art studios. They could hear the classes from all the way down the hall.

Elsa peeked in a window. "It's this one. Come on." She looked over Nikolai's shoulder at the sentry and hitched what she hoped was an innocent smile onto her face. "Thanks for the escort."

The sentry glared for another moment, then stalked off, looking over his shoulder as Elsa opened the door and finally headed into class with Nikolai close behind her.

The cloud of chaos enveloped them.

Two students fenced with clay sculpting tools. A frizzy-haired woman with dark bags under her eyes glared and snatched the impromptu weapons out of their hands. She raked a hand through her tangled curles, then turned to another student poking a yellow brush dangerously close to a classmate's hair. Both students laughed and the teacher turned away, exasperated, to plead with another tableful of students who were slumped over phones or poking artlessly at lumps clay. She barely glanced at Elsa and Nikolai.

After the library, this was the best place to hide.

A handful of students in one corner worked intently on their projects. This was the corner being completely ignored by everyone else, including the teacher. Elsa headed over and pulled up a chair. Nikolai plopped down beside her. There was a lump of clay at the center of the table and they each grabbed a handful.

Elsa tried to look purposeful, all the while thinking about everything except the clay in front of her. Next to her, Nikolai seemed to be doing the same thing. When Elsa glanced over, she could see, once again, the narrow-eyed intensity etched in his face, though this time it was directed at a grey clay lump on the table. She looked away, but it didn't help. She could feel his irritation quietly burning on her periphery.