The mummy looked up from her nails.
"How's Autumn doing?" she asked, sounding as snooty as she usually did, but with a tinge of sincerity.
"She'll be okay," Beatrix said. "Why are you out here?"
"I was waiting for you to leave before checking on my teammate."
"Wow, thanks."
"I didn't mean I wanted to avoid you," Cleo scoffed. "I overheard some of your conversation with Autumn in the nurse's office. I didn't want to disturb."
"Oh," Beatrix said, feeling bad for assuming the worst. "Well, thanks."
"You're different from what I expected," Cleo said. "The way you reacted to Autumn getting hurt... it made me realize I'd judged you too quickly."
Beatrix was surprised by the comment.
"Autumn's my best friend. Did you expect me to be like that witch from Deuce's scary Halloween story? Those stories don't paint witches in a good light."
"Yes. More like that witch," Cleo said, deathly serious. She rubbed her wrappings on her arms, soothing herself subtly. "I hate that Deuce keeps telling that stupid story, making it sound like a witch trapping monsters in stone walls deep in the mountain is entertaining. Being alone and cramped in the dark for an eternity is a kind of hell most will never know. It takes someone heartless to do that to another person."
Right... as a mummy, she must have spent time in a tomb. Beatrix felt a lump in her throat. But that means...
"A warlock locked me away," Cleo finished Beatrix's thought. "A high priest, technically."
"I'm so sorry," Beatrix said, the horror of what happened to Cleo dawning on her.
"I am too," Cleo said. "That's why you've surprised me." Beatrix was curious to learn more of Cleo's background, but Cleo's moment of vulnerability had passed, and the mummy strode ahead to the nurse's office.
As Cleo entered, Astar was on his way out. He looked her up and down with his yellow eyes. Cleo purposefully ignored him.
After the door closed, Astar came up to Beatrix. "That mummy is hot stuff," he grinned.
"She has a boyfriend. Plus, she despises dark magic," Beatrix rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but soften a bit. "Thank you for helping me with Autumn."
Astar's and Beatrix's eyes connected; Beatrix was genuinely grateful.
"That's what I'm here for. To help you," Astar said.
"And to investigate those student murders, in case you forgot," Beatrix said. "It seems like you're more focused on flirting and working out than getting to the bottom of these unsolved cases."
"I'll get to that soon. This place is surprisingly fun, all things considered. These domesticated monsters are quite entertaining. It's the first time I haven't been stuck in military training like I was back in the fifth circle of hell. "
"Where the wrathful duke it out for eternity?" Beatrix asked.
"Oh, so you've been reading up on my hometown?"
"No way. My friend Jackson keeps notes on monster types. He told me," Beatrix said.
"Sure," Astar teased. "I know you can't resist me, even though you pretend otherwise."
Clawdeen dashed into the building through a side door. She had a bundle of hay in her arms, and her eyes were filled with concern.
"Clawdeen! There you are!" Beatrix called.
Clawdeen ran over. "Something is going down outside. School security isn't here yet to lock down the area—"
"What are you talking about?"
Clawdeen couldn't find the words. Astar was already heading toward the exit, and Beatrix hurried after.
They burst outside and saw a small group of students gathered near the edge of the school grounds, close to the tree line separating the school's perimeter from the forest beyond.
Something pale was lying in the grass just beyond the school's boundaries, on the other side of the wrought iron fence. Beatrix couldn't quite make out the shape from this distance.
But deep down, she already knew. It was another dead student.
Without hesitation, Beatrix sprinted to the cluster of students, heart pounding. As she got closer, she could see the body on the other side of the fence—a Monster High boy named Henry Hunchback she vaguely recognized from serving food in the creepateria.
Beatrix spotted Grey standing near the fence, and he quickly noticed her. He reached for her wrist, pulling her toward the back of the group. Grey looked down at her with cold, distant eyes, as though he were an impenetrable wall.
"You shouldn't be here," Grey stated.
Astar stepped between Beatrix and Grey. Despite being shorter than Grey, his chest-puffing and devil horns made him appear taller than his actual height.
"And why can't she be here?" Astar challenged. "You her dad or something?"
Tension simmered between the two boys, like ice and fire colliding.
"It's none of your concern," Grey said darkly to Astar. A clear warning for him to back off.
Astar, however, refused to be intimidated. "It is my concern. I'm Bee's familiar, I'm sure you heard. I'm taking care of her now," he returned, arrogant. "It's strange that you're keeping us away from this crime scene, Reaper."
Grey remained stoic, ignoring Astar's attempts to provoke him.
However, Grey's hand went to his retracted weapon at his belt.
"We both know you can't use that on school grounds. What a shame," Astar needled.
Beatrix wasn't following.
But she realized Astar had a point.
Grey was always quick to arrive at murder scenes and gather information about these incidents. His involvement in these matters puzzled her.
Why can't I be here?
Beatrix then had a bizarre feeling that Astar might be more honest with her than Grey.