The Prince of Nowhere by Rochelle Hassan

Author:Rochelle Hassan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

Ch. 20

THE POUNDING OF BOOTS ON TILE ECHOED THROUGH THE library. They had no time to react; the stranger was almost upon them—

A white-haired figure burst out from behind the nearest bookcase, long skirt swirling around her legs. Her blue eyes were wide, her chest heaving with every breath. When she caught sight of them, the corners of her lips twitched up in what might have been a triumphant smile.

It was Aunt Dora.

“What—” Roda began, but Aunt Dora crossed the space between them in a few quick strides and took her by the shoulders.

“It’s not safe here,” she said, her eyes darting between Roda and Ignis. “You need to hide.”

Aunt Dora gave Roda a gentle push toward the far side of the library, where the aisles were cloaked in shadow. Roda clutched at Aunt Dora’s sleeve, not willing to leave her side yet. They’d just found each other, and all Roda wanted was to hear her say that everything would be all right. That Mom was going to be fine. That she would fix it, the way Aunt Dora always fixed everything.

“He’s coming,” she said. “There’s no time. Hide!”

“You can’t just—” Roda protested. But Ignis took Aunt Dora’s warning seriously. He grabbed Roda’s hand and pulled her after him to the back row. Roda hooked her arm around Will’s. The three of them dove behind the shelves and crouched low—just in time. The library doors flew open again with such force, they slammed against the walls.

Footsteps struck the tiles, fast and urgent. Roda and Ignis pushed aside some of the books to make a window in the shelf, through which they could see Aunt Dora leaning over the desk. Reverently, she plucked one of the journals from the haphazard pile and paged through it.

A figure loomed out of the darkness.

Tall and thin and cloaked in black, his presence alone made the starlight dimmer. His clenched fists and stiff shoulders radiated anger. The ends of his mist-bleached white hair curled over the back of his neck and disappeared into his high collar. From her angle, Roda couldn’t see his face; she fought the instinct to shrink away and tried to memorize every detail about him she could. This had to be the Prince of Nowhere.

“How did you even learn to read this?” Aunt Dora asked. She waved the journal carelessly.

“Put that down.”

That voice was somehow familiar.

“Why should I? It’s not yours. All of this belongs to Professor Kader.”

A beat of irritated silence passed.

“Is this where you’ve been hiding all day?”

All day? That meant Aunt Dora had gotten here last night, when Roda was watching the comet pass by with her classmates. She must’ve left in the morning to make the journey in time. At least that explained why she hadn’t been around when Anonymous had attacked Mom.

“Oh, here and there,” Aunt Dora said. She turned a page. “So. Ten years, huh? Was it worth it?”

“It’s going to be,” he said.

Aunt Dora closed the book and set it down gently on the desk.

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