Sentinel

Chapter 11: Speak of the Devil

My Tuesday late morning math class had been unremarkable but I had high hopes as I sat down in a seat near the middle of the art history classroom. I hadn't ever taken a class like this so I was excited for a change of pace.

As I pulled my notebook from my bag the professor walked to the front of the class. At least I thought it was the professor until I looked up. An unsettling chill ran through my body.

Dr. Whitney stood in front of the whiteboard with a polite smile on her plump face.

What the hell is she doing here? This isn't her class.

As if she could hear my thoughts, Dr. Whitney said, "I know most of you are probably wondering why I'm here. Well, Professor Chen has some personal business to attend to and won't be able to teach this semester. Instead of canceling the course I volunteered to take it over. My name is Dr. Gloria Whitney."

She kept talking but I stopped listening. I knew it didn't make sense for me to think that her teaching this class was in some way connected to me but I did anyway.

Maybe she knows about my mark. Maybe she wanted to steal it.

I kept theorizing as Dr. Whitney went through a slideshow of paintings and gave a sample analysis of a few before asking a student to take a stab at it. During the lull between students she would look at me as if she was going to ask for my input, but luckily she never did.

When the class was finally over, I sighed in relief. As I walked passed her to leave the classroom, Dr. Whitney gave me a smug smile, enjoying how much her presence set me on edge. 

I wanted to go up to her and shake her until she let me in on whatever stupid joke she was laughing about by herself. But I forced myself to turn away from her and walk out the door.

I wasn't going to get any answers from her. But that didn't mean I would stop looking for them.

***

"Ugh," the grunt forced its way out of me when I hit the ground. Today's training session wasn't going much better than my last one. The goal of today's exercise was to get the other person on the ground. So far it was Will three, Skylar zero.

"Will, I'm trying to tell you something," I said as I labored to stand up.

He cocked an eyebrow. "You were talking about your art class. I know a distraction technique when I hear one."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not talking about the art class itself. The professor was supposed to be Mr. Chen but –" I dodge Will who was about to do another move that would put me back on the ground. "But, Gloria Whitney is teaching it. "

Will finally focused on what I was saying. "What? Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. She said Mr. Chen had some 'personal business' and couldn't teach this semester."

He ran his hand through his hair. "That doesn't seem good."

"Maybe it's just coincidence," I suggested.

"I hope so. But we can't rule out the possibility that she knows about your mark. If she has been in contact with Ronan the cat might be out of the bag. Which is exactly why having Ronan running around is dangerous for you."

I was about to respond when Brynn came bouncing out of the house.

"How's training going?" She asked with a smile.

"Not much progress," Will teased.

I glared at him.

"Don't be so hard on her." Brynn joined me in my glare. "And what's with all the hand-to-hand? It's not like she's going to face the chimeras unarmed."