wrong about using the necklace to cheat in the Contest. She said if I did, Ethan would be king, and that hadn’t happened. She’d manipulated me, as Ethan had said. Because she’d lied, I didn’t believe a damn thing the monster had said anymore. Even if Milonna had sent her.
There must’ve been some misunderstanding along the way. Whatever it was, there was no figuring it out now. The crown was lost, so I needed to move on to other opportunities.
I took a nap to recover, then headed to the library to do some homework once it got dark. I didn’t come back to the dormitories until I looked up and realized time had gotten away from me. It was later than I expected, around midnight. Most of the other students had gone to bed, or were in the Rec Room hanging out. The rest of campus was completely empty.
When I put my things away and emerged from my room, I saw Ethan slipping out of his dorm. He looked around, then headed down the vacant hallway with his shoulders thrown back, a sense of purpose radiating from his form.
Now where was he going? Getting into trouble as usual, I suspected.
Gabby said I had to stop him from getting in the Black Claw’s way, so I decided to tail him. Before I left, I grabbed the white mask from the drawer and pocketed it before I slipped on my jacket to follow.
The thought came to me that Ethan was a shifter— he might smell me from a distance and realize I was chasing after him. I cast an illusion to mute my scent before I spritzed on a ton of perfume. My mom had gotten it for me for Christmas and I’d had yet to use it. Ethan wouldn’t recognize it. I choked on the heavy scent, but hey, it was better than being found out.
I had to hurry to catch up with him, until I recognized voices ahead. Ethan was talking lowly around the corner— I pressed myself to the wall to listen.
“If you’re not going to be supportive, get out of my way,” he said. “I don’t have time for this.”
My heart pounded as I waited. Who was he talking to?
I heard a familiar voice reply. “You can make time. This is important.”
It was Stefan. He’d caught Ethan just like I had, though he didn’t act surprised.
“Whatever you can tell me, it can wait,” Ethan said. “You know time’s short.”
“You’ll want to listen,” Stefan hissed. “I think I may have found a clue.”
“To the cult’s location?” Ethan’s tone was hopeful.
“Yes,” Stefan replied. “It’s somewhere in the woods, to the west near the boundary wall. No more than a mile outside the city.”
Ethan was looking for the Black Claw’s hideout? To do what with it, exactly? Blow it up? Like that was going to stop them.
“How’d you find this out?” Ethan’s tone was suspicious.
“People talk, and I get around,” Stefan replied. “If you haven’t noticed I’m pretty popular with the ladies.”
I had to put a hand over my mouth to keep from snorting. I imagined Ethan giving an eye roll.
“You’re putting yourself in danger.”
“You could say thank you. I just saved your ass from another night of waltzing around in the cold-ass snow without a lead,” Stefan shot back.
“Stefan, I said I didn’t want you getting involved.”
Did Stefan know Ethan was the Phantom? Interesting. Though it hurt my feelings that Ethan had trusted Stefan enough to trust him and not me.
Though on second thought, maybe Ethan didn’t tell him at all. That boy was too secretive for his own good. I bet Stefan had worked it out on his own.
“And when do I ever listen?” Stefan’s easy-going snicker echoed down the hallway. “I don’t have to be out there with you. But there’s no reason I can’t gather some intel for you on the side.”
Ethan paused. He was thinking. “If the rumor is true, they’re likely staged somewhere near the boundary wall protecting the city. Though why, I don’t know.”
“Don’t you think you can use your vast royal wealth and princely influence to change things in Dolinska for the better, instead of running around as a masked caper? It would be much easier,” Stefan said skeptically.
“I have no more influence over the country since my father died and I lost the Contest. As for the royal treasury, I have no access to it but my monthly allowance, and though it’s substantial it’s not enough to make a real difference.” Ethan’s