"Tell me again how you ended up in...a strange forest with soporis poisoning and a vynari hot on your tail?" Professor Flamel asked, pouring two cups of steaming chamomile tea. Messy blue-black hair standing at odd angles and round spectacles askew, he looked just like the mad scientist he proclaimed not to be.

"I wish I could, professor," I said, running a finger over the immaculate bandage covering my upper arm.

According to Professor Flamel, the cut on my tricep—a cut I hadn't even noticed thanks to all that adrenaline and my arm being numb—wasn't deep, but vynari claws were jagged and it had taken ten stitches and a good amount of water rua ointment to seal it. As grateful as I was for the healing effects, that part of my arm would probably be sky-blue for a good week due to the herb's distinct coloring effects.

"You have to give me something here." Professor Flamel placed one of the cups in front of me. "Soporis is kept under lock and key. If anyone accessed the university's supply, we need to know. This is serious." Holding up a small box of indigo candies, he added, "Dew drops?"

"Thank you." I dropped two into my tea and watched pale purple steam rise from the cup. "I... I didn't realize until I was well into the forest that something was wrong with me. I don't even know how the powder got there."

"You understand how lucky you are, don't you?"

"Lucky isn't exactly the term I would use to describe nearly dying twice," I grumbled, "but sure."

"Vynari encounter aside—the amount of soporis I found on your jacket could have killed you ten times." His ice-blue eyes flashed as he gripped the handle of his teacup. "You really have no idea who could have put it there?"

"No," I lied.

Four names danced around my head but all I had were suspicions. Suspicions that would get me nowhere. But it had to have been one of them, right? My jacket had been sitting on my desk for a good ten minutes while I'd been sorting my things in the bathroom, plenty of time for any of them to drop a little black powder on a black jacket.

Still...they barely knew me. I probably knew even less about them. So why would my roommates or their shifter friend want me dead? Could the grudges between humans and supernaturals run that deep or was this more of a personal matter?

Professor Flamel quietly sipped his tea, studying the mess of herbs, flasks, and tomes on the table between us. The remnants of the antidote were a cruel reminder of how close I'd come to just ceasing to exist. A peculiar thought. Would anyone miss me? I didn't exactly have friends, even less now that the fake ones had dropped me for good.

Dad would miss me though. Right?

"I informed the chancellor about the...vynari incident," Professor Flamel said. "I imagine the ambassadors will be notified, but not to worry, I made sure to keep your name out of it."

I inclined my head in thanks and lifted the cup to my lips. The faint dew aroma added a pleasantly sweet taste to the tea, and I felt myself relax. My limbs were no longer numb, but soporis and the unexpected physical exercise had taken a toll on my body. Everything hurt. Almost dying sucked. Zero out of ten stars.

"Professor Renis checked the portal," Professor Flamel continued, "and it seems that the crystals were tampered with."

I lowered my cup. "How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure." He frowned. "The sentinels are programmed to react to any unauthorized entry or manipulation, but in this case, they didn't. Either—and this would be quite alarming—someone found a way to bypass them, or whoever messed with the portal was authorized to access it."

"Where did it take me? Do you know?"

He sighed, setting his now empty cup down. "Yes, but until we know who's behind this, I'm not at liberty to say."

"Professor"—I tried to keep my voice steady—"someone clearly went to great lengths to end my life tonight. Don't you think I deserve to know?"

"At this point, it's unclear whether the portal incident is even related. Unless...you have reason to believe it is. If so, it's time to speak up."

Fair point. As he'd previously said, the soporis was more than enough to kill me. Teleporting me to a place away from help was overkill. Still...what if it wasn't just some coincidence?

"What about the vynari?" I asked instead.

"Its presence is still under investigation and no less concerning." He got up and walked over to the cabinet behind his desk. "I don't believe someone would sic one of those on you though."

If someone powerful enough to command a realm guard was after me, that would be quite concerning. Putting that off as a coincidence was much easier. It had to have been there for an entirely different reason, but what?

Figuring that out would be next to impossible without knowing where exactly I'd been. Professor Flamel wouldn't be of any help in that regard, but considering this was a high-profile matter, there was someone else I could ask. Someone I didn't want to confide in... But desperate times.

With two vials of a liquid so pale green it was almost entirely see-through in one hand, Professor Flamel closed the cabinet and returned to the table. "You're in the clear but take one of these before bed tonight and tomorrow, just to be safe."

"Thanks, Professor," I said, accepting the complex healing elixir. "I, quite literally, owe you my life."

"Try not to go on any more midnight adventures," he replied dryly, adjusting his glasses. "I am glad you're okay."

"Me, too," I breathed. After downing the rest of my tea and slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I added, "Maybe you should add advanced healing potions and antidotes to the curriculum this year just in case."

Who knew, I might need them.

"Maybe," he said, his lips curling up in a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

He knew something. Whatever that was, it was bad enough to disturb his universally calm aura. Bad enough that he felt the need to exclude my name. If there was anyone who understood my complicated relationship with Dad, it was Professor Flamel.

An ex-ambassador himself, he'd had to deal with my father's wise-guy-up-in-everyone's-business attitude on a regular basis. If Dad got word of what had almost happened tonight, he would undoubtedly pull me out of school and lock me up in that wretched mansion he still called home. Hell would freeze over before I willingly went back to that house.

"Ariel," Professor Flamel called as I reached for the door. "Someone wishes you ill. I advise you to take a closer look at those around you and...tread carefully."

***

Pacing in front of the two sentinels now blocking the entrance to the portal room was not how I wanted to spend my—admittedly very late—Thursday night, but going back into my dorm was out of the question.

Whoever had poisoned me likely expected me to be dead. Returning in my weakened state tonight would be a terrible idea on so many levels. Nope, I had to go to NYC as I'd originally planned. Only now I would extend my stay, whether I wanted to or not.

Plus, by staying away for a couple of days, I could test which one of my roomies was most surprised when I walked through the door entirely unscathed next week. A master plan.

Well, almost. Facing Dad would suck, but it would be a whole lot worse if I waited until tomorrow. Per usual, he would scold me, remind me of what a terrible, ungrateful daughter I was for making him worry or wait or whatever reason he would name, and then his phone would ring, or someone would send him a late-night email and he would forget I was even in the room with him. And like always, I would use the opportunity to disappear into my suite.

All I needed was an excuse—a damn good one.

When the sentinels retracted their spears and stepped away from the doorway in perfect unison, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Followed by two cloaked figures, Professor Renis stepped out of the portal room. Seeing me, his golden eyes widened and he stopped midstride. One of his companions' heads nearly collided with his elbow, and the man—at least I thought it was a man—uttered a low curse.

Like Kenas, Professor Renis was a half-giant. Standing an impressive nine feet or so, he was the tallest teacher on campus. Portal science was his specialty, but I knew from taking crystallography last semester that his knowledge of crystals and their uses was vast.

"What are you doing here, Ariel?" he asked, adjusting the hood of his royal blue ambassador cloak. Two crystal shards–dog tags?–clinked as he did so. The golden giant insignia on his chest glowed softly in the dim lighting. If he was still here, he was likely involved in the investigation, but who were the others?

Entirely concealed within their gray cloaks and faces obscured by the shadows of their hoods, it was nearly impossible to make out any distinct features. Before I could get a closer look, Professor Renis dismissed them with a flick of his hand and they swiftly ascended the stairs. Whoever they were, they were outsiders. And that wasn't good.

"Ariel?" he prompted.

"Right, sorry." I straightened up. "I was supposed to see my father tonight. Figured it was better to be late than make him worry until tomorrow morning."

A well-rehearsed answer, but one that Professor Renis would no doubt buy. Being the daughter of an ambassador had its perks, although I hated using them.

He nodded, stepping aside. "I see. Best be on your way then."

He didn't need to tell me twice. Still...I couldn't resist asking, "Was something wrong with the portal?"

Casually tilting his head until a strand of auburn hair fell into his eyes, he said, "A minor crystal malfunction, nothing more."

So, that was the story they were going with. Interesting. I had to hand it to him, his poker face was by far the best of all the ambassadors I'd met thus far.

"It's late," he added when I didn't make a move to enter the room. "I'm sure your father is waiting."

"Right. Have a good night, Professor."

Tightening my grip on my backpack, I walked past him toward the gateway. A glance over my shoulder confirmed that Professor Renis's watchful gaze followed me until I stepped through and the room vanished.

Weakened once more by nausea, I stopped for a good five minutes, listening to the welcome sounds of cars and people while my head slowly stopped spinning. Central Park had never felt this welcome.

As I left the secluded portal niche, I couldn't get over how stupid and blind I'd been for mistaking any other forest for this place. Despite the late hour, people strolled along the park's many paths and hung out on benches. It was full of life, safe, a place that almost felt like home—that should feel as familiar as the penthouse considering how many hours I'd spend here instead of in my suite.

Three days wouldn't be so bad. With Dad being gone most mornings and afternoons even on weekends, I'd have the place to myself. At least that's what I thought until the forty-story apartment building came into view and I saw what was on full display in the no-parking zone right in front of the entrance.

My stepbrother's flashy red sportscar.

Who would have thought this day could get any worse?