Read Online Sideswiped by Kim Harrison - Free Book Online

entirely.”
    Fat chance , Silas thought as Professor Woo drew himself up in anger. “You can’t do that, Milo,” he said, and Milo looked the smaller man up and down in threat.
    â€œNo? See if I don’t.”
    Head craned, Professor Woo pushed into Milo’s space, almost shoving the taller man onto the couch. “I have listened to you rant for twenty minutes now. Get off my student’s back. It’s a year-end prank. Let it go at that.”
    â€œPrank!” Milo became choleric. “They destroyed an entire semester’s grades.”
    â€œProve it,” Allen muttered, and behind Peri, Dr. Cavana chuckled, hiding it with a cough.
    Professor Woo backed up, his expression grim. “I checked into it while you were on your tirade. It doesn’t need rebuilding. The system is in a reboot spiral. Whoever did it can undo it. Your reactions are not based on the current situation but on your bruised pride, and I won’t let you kick Denier out of the program because he’s smarter than you and you can’t handle it.”
    Speechless, Professor Milo stared at the slight man, his face flushed as his darting gaze read amusement all around. His eyes fastened on Silas, and the hatred poured from him.
    Thanks. That helps a lot, Professor Woo.
    Dr. Cavana bent at the waist, his lips near Peri’s ear as he touched her shoulder and said, “Doesn’t take you long, does it.”
    Leaning to the side, she beamed up at him. “I was trying to make friends.”
    Sighing, he straightened, hand still atop her shoulder. “Maybe I should transfer out here,” he said, and Peri’s expression froze as his ­fingers gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Or do you think you can keep from antagonizing the apple cart from here on out.”
    Silas’s eyebrows rose. Two sentences. That’s all the punishment she had needed. Peri, while clearly not about to subscribe to a halo, would be more careful in her independence, if only to make sure she maintained it. It was a warning well heard.
    â€œAre we being questioned?” Silas suddenly asked. “Is this a formal hearing? If not, I’d like you all to leave.”
    â€œSilas,” Summer quietly protested, but he was well within his rights, and they all knew it.
    Dr. Cavana cleared his throat to speak, but Professor Milo nervously blurted, “I see no reason to take this outside academia. Silas will be removed from the program—”
    â€œOn what grounds?” Allen protested, jaw clenching when Milo turned his anger to him. “You can’t prove we had anything to do with anything.”
    â€œTampering with and removing an underclassman’s security bracelet. Interfering with six students’ finals. Give me time,” Milo said forcefully. “I’ll come up with more. You and Summer will remain on probation and will be required to repeat the entire semester, since we seem to be unable to access your grades. And as for Reed?”
    Peri looked up from under her bangs, placidly waiting.
    â€œThere is no way I will approve accelerating her studies,” Professor Milo said, missing the danger as he was focused on Peri and not Dr. Cavana behind her. “She can start with the freshmen like every other incoming student.”
    Peri looked up and behind her at Dr. Cavana with an easy expectance. Silas could almost see her silent communication: I’ll behave if you get me out of this.
    â€œThat is not what is going to happen,” Dr. Cavana said calmly. “I warned you not to underestimate her, and you housed her with beginners and maybes,” he said, his tone edging into disgust. “She found the excellence among your ranks and took them somewhere new, as I trained her. If you force her to stay with the freshmen, you will have four years of this, not one.” Lips in a wry smile, he turned to Professor Woo. “You’re right. I’m beginning to see