White Thorn | On Hold

Crosses and Criminals

A hand clamped over her mouth, Velvet staring down at her intently as she pointed to the door. The Disciplinary Committee were still outside and unfortunately, they had ears. "Oh." She mumbled, smiling slightly as the death-grip on her lips was released hesitantly. "Hey?"

Velvet rolled her eyes. "Only you, Arya..."

She smiled, knowing in an instant she wasn't a threat. This was the same Velvet she'd met on her first day—the one who'd introduced her to the school, and the many dangers of Fae life. The grin soon fell from her lips as she remembered the reality of the situation. "What's going on?"

"I'm fairly sure of who's behind everything, and I don't like it one bit." She bit her lip. "If I'm right, and I'm not a hundred percent sure just yet, then it's not just you and I who're in danger."

"Oh goodie."

"You know, I missed your sarcasm."

"Why thank you."

"I think we ought to be serious for once, though." Velvet sighed, the bed creaking as she swung her legs over the side. "I'm being used as a scapegoat, and by the time those idiots on the Disciplinary Committee figure out what's going on, it'll be too late."

"That's right." The voice made the pair of them freeze, heads cranking around to find the girl waiting in the corner of the room.

Brown eyes met theirs, tawny beige arms folded across her chest, short silky black gloves covering her hands as she leant back against the wall. She was half-hidden in the shadows, the dim lighting in Arya's room just enough to illuminate the folds of the ruched lacy black dress she wore and the crimson pendant that hung around her neck—an exact copy of the one at Arya's bedside.

"History's trying to repeat itself..." She smiled grimly, trailing off as another knock sounded at Arya's door.

"Arya. I can hear voices..."

"First sign of madness, you know."

Blaine ignored her. "Don't tell me Lydia and Jake are back... I'd hate to have to give them another detention..." The door handle turned, and the three of them froze. "Honestly-" He sighed, freezing as his eyes fell on the two girls seated on the bed, immediately locking on the supposed criminal among them. "Velvet."

"Yo." She smiled nervously. "Been a while hasn't it?"

"Get away from her, Arya!"

"I'm afraid she's taken me hostage." Arya grinned, throwing Velvet's arm around her should. "Oh no! Save me!"

Velvet rolled her eyes.

"You just had to interrupt, didn't you?" The third occupant of the room stepped out from the shadows of the corner, one hand closing around each of their wrists, pulling them to their feet in seconds. "Come on. Seems we need to have this conversation elsewhere."

"Why are you here?!" Blaine stared at her, eyes wide, only able to watch as she stepped into the rippling shadows and then he was alone in the room.

***

Shadows spat the trio back out in a library. Evidently there had to be more than one library, though, since it didn't look a thing like the place Arya had been in only hours before. Bookshelves surrounded them, the lighting dimmed—though not completely. It was oddly eerie.

"OK... That was cool." She mumbled, staring at the shadows from which they'd emerged, prodding the solid frame of the bookshelf they'd walked through only seconds before.

Velvet on the other hand froze, eyes swinging around to lock on the Sixth Year, her expression unreadable.

"Leave it. We don't have long."

"Yeah." Arya said, thinking of the lecture she was sure to get when a certain blonde Commander heard exactly who'd decided to pay her a visit. He seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to tracking her down, and no doubt Blaine was hauling him out of bed as they spoke.

He'd find them in no time.

"You said history was going to repeat itself." Velvet said, cutting straight to the heart of it, eyes narrowed. "This has happened before?"

"You know about the incident. Everyone does." She folded her arms. "Even Arya knows about it now. You guys told her."

"The Red Mourning?"

"Got it in one."

"The culprit succeeded, and you've heard about the fallout." She sighed, leaning back against the bookshelves.

"So... you mean..." Arya gulped, staring between the two who seemed to be handling the news rather calmly. "More people are gonna die?"

"Yes." Brown eyes bore into her own. "Unless you figure out who your little suspect is and turn them in—with proof." Her gaze flickered over to Velvet. "You're the prime suspect, and your disappearing act didn't help your case."

"I didn't vanish of my own accord, you know."

"What?!" Arya blinked. "I thought you were investigating behind the scenes?"

"If that counts as being kidnapped, drugged, and held against my will, then technically I was." She shrugged. "I gathered a few clues before I escaped—and I have my suspicions... I'm just not sure..."

"In other words, you don't want it to be true." The older girl sighed, guiding them towards the emergency exit as the sounds of footsteps echoed around the library.

"How do you-?"

"Because I didn't want it to be true, either." She said, vanishing into the shadows of the nearest bookshelf, leaving the pair of them alone.

Arya stepped towards the door, freezing when Velvet grabbed her arm.

"Don't trust her, Arya."

She blinked. "Why?"

Her gaze darkened, staring at the shadows the older girl had vanished into. "She can use Black Magic."

"Can't anyone?" She asked, watching as Velvet shook her head.

"No. Only Underfae can."