Queen of Darkness WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 3]

25

"What happened?"

Hathor glanced back at Dex. He was seated on the floor in the narrow passage under the Library, a holographic screen hovering over a small keyboard which he'd been typing on for ten minutes. She turned back to the passage's entrance, fingering the blue stone pendent around her neck. "What makes you think anything is wrong?"

"You've been staring at the wall since we got here," he said. "Personally, I don't think there's anything interesting about a stone wall -" she laughed at that "-But either you do or something is bothering you."

"Something might be bothering me." 

Oh, what an understatement that was. 

"Is it that friend of yours?" Dex asked. "Troy, isn't it?"

Troy had avoided her all week! Of course she was bothered. She had no idea why he'd been avoiding her. Even in the classes they had together. He refused to be her training partner in Combat - Dex had stepped in for that - and refused to sit anywhere near her in Technomagic and Magic Studies. Why wouldn't it be bothering her? Although, she didn't that it had been that obvious.

"Do you . . . want to talk about it?"

Hathor looked back at him. He seemed genuinely concerned about her. When she made no move to say anything he pushed the screen and keyboard aside, stood, took her hands, and pulled her back so they could sit together.

"Troy's still avoiding me," she said. 

"Still?" He sounded surprised. "Thought you two were best friends or something."

"We are. He is my best friend but he's been avoiding me. Since you first brought me here, come to think of it." She looked down at their joined hands. "I don't know why he's been acting so strangely." That was putting it lightly.

Dex's eyes narrowed. "Maybe he's jealous."

She blinked. "Jealous of what?"

"You being with another guy."

"Why would he be jealous of that?"

He let go of her hands, reaching for the keyboard and screen. "Never mind. Just a thought."

Instead of pushing the matter which she felt would be a bad idea, Hathor glanced at the ever-moving screen. Her eyes could barely keep up with all the letters, numbers, and symbols dancing all over the screen. It gave her a headache. "So, what is all this?"

"Hacking," he put simply. "It's not like you see in the movies."

She sighed, leaning against the hard stone wall. "I haven't been to the movies in ages."

He smirked. "I'll take you over the weekend."

"Really?"

"Sure. If there's anything good on." 

"Sounds like f-"

"Damn!" Dex slammed his hands on the keyboard. "They must've figured out I got in!"

"Why?" Hathor asked. "What happened?"

"They changed the system!" he exclaimed, madly typing. "How did they do that in a fucking week?"

The pattern of typing and swearing continued for another twenty minutes before Dex finally gave up on his mission. He put the keyboard aside and rested his head in his hands. Hathor put an arm around his shoulders. 

"Sorry," he eventually said. "I really wanted to show you around."

"We can find another way in some other day. Then you can show me around."