asked.
“An-tiq-ui-ties.” Drea overenunciated the word, tapping Crow’s shoulder with every syllable. “As in, related to Greece and Rome. Basically, it’s a really quiet room in the USM library with a lot of really old books.”
Em waited for him to ask why in the world they would wantto go there, but Crow just nodded, as if it was a totally normal place to visit. “Sounds cool,” he said. He cast a sideways glance at Em. “Secret’s out. I always knew deep down you were kind of a nerd. And not just about lava volcanoes.”
“I guess I’m more than a spoiled princess,” she tossed back.
Her self-satisfaction doubled when she was able to direct Crow to the library parking lot using only the map—no GPS, no smartphone. You can still do something right , she told herself.
The girls hopped out of the truck. “Take care of this one, Drea,” Crow said, nodding his head toward Em. “She doesn’t leave the compound much.”
Then he cranked his music and peeled out of the lot.
Em felt Drea’s eyes on her as they walked toward the entrance. She wondered whether Drea was as nervous as she was. It felt like there was a marching band in her stomach.
“I think he likes you,” Drea announced.
This took Em completely by surprise. She wrinkled her nose. “Who likes me? What?”
“Crow. I think he has a crush on you.”
Crow? Having a crush? On her ? “Are you high?” Em scoffed. “Crow thinks that I’m Princess Popular. He’s only nice to me because you and I are friends.” And they were friends—Em realized it as she said the words.
“It just seems like he likes you, that’s all. He was staring at you in the car. I kept thinking he was going to drive off the road.”Drea shrugged and looked at Em critically. “You are kind of having a good skin day.”
Em shook her head, laughing a little. This was crazy. Since when did Drea talk shop about boys and skin? That was Gabby’s job. “Let’s go in, weirdo,” she said.
• • •
The University of Southern Maine antiquities research room was a special section, wood-paneled and remote, near the top of the university library. A severe-looking woman with black hair and dark red lipstick sat at a desk by the door.
She sat up sharply when Em and Drea entered. “You have to sign in,” she said, pointing to a sign that asked for photo ID.
“Can I help you girls?” she asked as she typed their information into the computer.
“We’re just doing some research for a school project,” Drea said, grabbing back her ID and sailing past the desk nonchalantly while whispering under her breath, “We’re not gonna rob the place, lady.” But then she did a double take. “I’ve seen that woman before,” she said to Em as they moved out of earshot.
They searched Furies and made their way to a row of books about ancient Greece; the librarian watched them closely the whole time. She was in heaven, running her fingers over the books’ leather bindings and gold-embossed lettering.
“Here’s one,” Drea said, heaving an oversized volume off one of the shelves. They brought it to a table and hunched over it;meanwhile, the librarian had moved from her watchful perch and moseyed over to the search computers. Em saw, out of the corner of her eye, that the woman was trying to get a better look at what they had typed into the computer. They were definitely being watched.
“Okay, let’s see,” Drea was mumbling. “Erebus . . . Eurydice . . . Fates . . . Furies . . . Here we go. Page 282.” Em could sense now that the librarian was hovering behind them.
They flipped to the page and Em pulled out her notebook, grabbing a pen cap with her teeth and tugging it off so that she was ready to take notes. She was ravenous for the information.
But page 282 offered nothing more than what they already knew.
“What’s the next one called?” Drea asked as Em scanned the computer search printout.
“It’s called . . . oh my god,
“An-tiq-ui-ties.” Drea overenunciated the word, tapping Crow’s shoulder with every syllable. “As in, related to Greece and Rome. Basically, it’s a really quiet room in the USM library with a lot of really old books.”
Em waited for him to ask why in the world they would wantto go there, but Crow just nodded, as if it was a totally normal place to visit. “Sounds cool,” he said. He cast a sideways glance at Em. “Secret’s out. I always knew deep down you were kind of a nerd. And not just about lava volcanoes.”
“I guess I’m more than a spoiled princess,” she tossed back.
Her self-satisfaction doubled when she was able to direct Crow to the library parking lot using only the map—no GPS, no smartphone. You can still do something right , she told herself.
The girls hopped out of the truck. “Take care of this one, Drea,” Crow said, nodding his head toward Em. “She doesn’t leave the compound much.”
Then he cranked his music and peeled out of the lot.
Em felt Drea’s eyes on her as they walked toward the entrance. She wondered whether Drea was as nervous as she was. It felt like there was a marching band in her stomach.
“I think he likes you,” Drea announced.
This took Em completely by surprise. She wrinkled her nose. “Who likes me? What?”
“Crow. I think he has a crush on you.”
Crow? Having a crush? On her ? “Are you high?” Em scoffed. “Crow thinks that I’m Princess Popular. He’s only nice to me because you and I are friends.” And they were friends—Em realized it as she said the words.
“It just seems like he likes you, that’s all. He was staring at you in the car. I kept thinking he was going to drive off the road.”Drea shrugged and looked at Em critically. “You are kind of having a good skin day.”
Em shook her head, laughing a little. This was crazy. Since when did Drea talk shop about boys and skin? That was Gabby’s job. “Let’s go in, weirdo,” she said.
• • •
The University of Southern Maine antiquities research room was a special section, wood-paneled and remote, near the top of the university library. A severe-looking woman with black hair and dark red lipstick sat at a desk by the door.
She sat up sharply when Em and Drea entered. “You have to sign in,” she said, pointing to a sign that asked for photo ID.
“Can I help you girls?” she asked as she typed their information into the computer.
“We’re just doing some research for a school project,” Drea said, grabbing back her ID and sailing past the desk nonchalantly while whispering under her breath, “We’re not gonna rob the place, lady.” But then she did a double take. “I’ve seen that woman before,” she said to Em as they moved out of earshot.
They searched Furies and made their way to a row of books about ancient Greece; the librarian watched them closely the whole time. She was in heaven, running her fingers over the books’ leather bindings and gold-embossed lettering.
“Here’s one,” Drea said, heaving an oversized volume off one of the shelves. They brought it to a table and hunched over it;meanwhile, the librarian had moved from her watchful perch and moseyed over to the search computers. Em saw, out of the corner of her eye, that the woman was trying to get a better look at what they had typed into the computer. They were definitely being watched.
“Okay, let’s see,” Drea was mumbling. “Erebus . . . Eurydice . . . Fates . . . Furies . . . Here we go. Page 282.” Em could sense now that the librarian was hovering behind them.
They flipped to the page and Em pulled out her notebook, grabbing a pen cap with her teeth and tugging it off so that she was ready to take notes. She was ravenous for the information.
But page 282 offered nothing more than what they already knew.
“What’s the next one called?” Drea asked as Em scanned the computer search printout.
“It’s called . . . oh my god,
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