Thursday and Friday were over far too quickly, and Saturday morning dawned cloudy and rainy. Nicole sighed, staring out the window while she picked up spider traps alone. For the first test, she'd been assigned a time slot at seven in the morning, and it was Lizzie's only opportunity to sleep in. Nicole was fine with that—the girl was up way too early every other day.
Butterflies erupted in Nicole's stomach each time she allowed herself to think about the upcoming tests, especially the one on magic. She tried hard not to dwell on it, but couldn't help it. Hopefully, the experience wouldn't scar her for life. Hopefully, Coolidge would overlook her inability to do anything magical. And hopefully she'd still be able to go to school without feeling like an idiot.
Nicole practiced in the living room with a mute, knowing the sounds of her cello wouldn't wake Lizzie. She was determined to squeak even a small bit of magic out of her instrument before leaving.
But nothing worked, and she ran out of ideas. For the last five minutes of available practice time, she stared at her music, unwilling to feel any emotion of any sort—excitement, nervousness, sadness.
At six thirty, Nicole packed a sack lunch, then put away her cello, her pulse quickening. She had to try several times to grasp the buckles on the case—her hands were shaky and clammy. She wiped her palms on her jeans and pulled herself to her feet. She wasn't ready for any of this—she couldn't possibly be ready.
Nicole walked to her car, hoodie up and hair tucked where it wouldn't get wet from the rain. She drove to the museum and studied the pages stuck to Coolidge's lab door. With so many students competing, apparently Coolidge and seven of his doctorate and master's students would be administering the first test.
The classroom she was assigned to was down the hall and around the corner. She glanced heavenward when she saw Judith Ann's name next to her own. What were the odds? Maybe Nicole would get lucky and not see the girl. But then—and Nicole's finger pressed against the paper as she read it—Austin was also scheduled with them. It occurred to Nicole that since they were all in the same class, they'd be assigned to the same time and area. That made sense.
Nicole found the place, her breath stuck in her throat. Four rooms were tucked into a corner. Professor Coolidge was leaning against the wall in the hallway, holding a clipboard behind his back, staring up at the ceiling.
Many students were sitting along the wall, studying. Nicole assumed they were doing last-minute memorization. She grabbed her notes, wanting to do the same.
A door opened moments later and Austin stepped out, adjusting his backpack.
Coolidge clapped him on the shoulder. "And that's why I double-booked your room—knew you wouldn't need it long."
Austin brushed past Nicole, not meeting her gaze. She rolled her eyes. So he was back to ignoring her. Whatever.
Professor Coolidge went into the room and shut the door—probably to check Austin's work and rearrange the items—then came out and sent the next student in. He resumed his stance.
Judith Ann walked around the corner, saw Nicole, and stopped short. "Still trying to play grown-up games, huh?"
"What is with you?" Nicole asked.
Judith Ann opened her mouth to respond, but Coolidge cut her off.
"There will be no conversation before or after the exams. Please, wait in silence."
Nicole breathed a sigh of relief and continued studying her notes. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she had eaten a very light breakfast. She ignored the temptation to eat her lunch, popping in a piece of gum instead.
After five minutes, another room emptied, and Coolidge checked the things inside and motioned to Judith Ann. "It's ready for you."
Nicole didn't feel bad that Judith Ann got to go first—she didn't want to wait with the girl. Was it possible that Coolidge felt the same? Nicole bet so.
Judith Ann stepped into the room and squealed in disgust. "The gun is here!" She whirled, glaring at Professor Coolidge. "You did that on purpose!"
Coolidge frowned. "Actually, I didn't. And thank you for giving away its location. Now I have to rearrange the objects in all of the rooms." He nodded to Nicole and the others. "You're excused. I can't have you around to see which objects end up where. Return in twenty minutes."
Judith Ann stomped a foot and stormed around the corner, flipping her hair. Nicole half smiled, shaking her head. She walked in the other direction, sat on a bench, and pulled out her lunch, deciding to eat part of it now anyway. She could restock at the cafeteria between tests.
The food calmed her nerves and she was able to finish reviewing what she'd learned the night before. The time passed quickly, and Nicole returned just as Judith Ann disappeared into a room. Coolidge motioned Nicole to an open room and she went inside, shutting the door behind her. She peered at the table and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized she recognized all seven objects.
Of course, the book was one of them. She hesitated. Had it followed her, or was Coolidge really wanting her to be familiar with it?
Nicole took a deep breath, headed straight to the book, and put it on the far end of the table. It would be the most powerful thing in the room, she was sure of it.
Nicole stepped back and examined the remaining objects.
The porcelain doll was there, along with the beanie, the gun, a wad of tissue, a coin pouch, and the bowl they'd talked about the second day of class.
Nicole started touching the objects, weighing them in her hands. She was surprised to find that she could recognize a difference in the magical pulses of three of them. Wow—that was better than she thought. She placed those items on the table according to the strength of their magic.
She studied the remaining objects—the beanie, the coin pouch, and the bowl. Where should she put them? None of them seemed any more important than the others, and their magical pulses felt the same. The bowl was thousands of years old, yes, but that didn't make it more powerful. The beanie was from the seventies; the coin pouch, the thirties.
Nicole felt time ticking and tried not to rush herself. She put her shaking hands in her back pockets, trying to force herself to concentrate. What if she failed the first test? Would she be allowed to make mistakes? She suspected that it all depended on how the other students performed. She couldn't help but wonder what Judith Ann was doing. She'd probably left already.
Okay, enough rambling and mind wandering. Nicole closed her eyes and took a deep breath, pulling the information on the objects to the front of her brain.
The beanie was created by a wealthy man. It looked shabby because it really was his first crochet project. But he was a very powerful Arete. He'd made it for his only child, a boy with a mental disability. He hoped it would prevent the son from developing further problems by offering cushioning to the boy's skull. Whether it worked or not, Nicole hadn't been able to find out, but she knew the man had put his heart and soul into the beanie.
The coin pouch was made magical by a woman who suspected her husband was filching her money. The pouch caused money not owned by the man to turn red. Again, Nicole didn't know if it had done what it was supposed to do, but she hadn't been very impressed with the woman's other projects.
The bowl was a fertility item with a long history of supposedly helping couples get pregnant.
Finally making a decision, Nicole put the beanie above the coin pouch and the bowl in between them.
Without looking at the objects again, she stepped out of the room and nodded at Coolidge.
She didn't wait for him to check on her work, knowing he wouldn't tell her how she did right then. Instead, she rushed down the hall and up the stairs. She burst through the doors that led outside and sucked in a breath of Seattle's humid, chilly air.
First test completed.
***
At ten o'clock, Nicole walked to Coolidge's lab and, after waiting her turn, scanned the two pages tacked to his door. Out of the thousands of students who'd competed, one hundred had passed. They were listed alphabetically.
Nicole got jostled several times as other students tried to get around her to look, but she held her ground and glanced over both pages of names.
Judith Ann and Austin both made it. Great. But Nicole couldn't help grinning when she saw Williams, Nicole printed near the bottom of the second page. She'd done it!
She did a little celebratory dance, then stepped through the people to Coolidge's office door where another page had been taped with information on the second test, including the fact that it would be held in the testing center. Students would need to pass it completely, and Coolidge would not budge on that.
That was totally okay with Nicole—she'd spent the last week and a half memorizing every detail she could find on the items and was positive she'd do well. It was the third test that still freaked her out.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and Nicole turned. It was Professor Coolidge.
"I need to apologize for what happened with that exam."
Nicole frowned, tilting her head. "What do you mean?"
"You were tested on seven items instead of six—the book wasn't supposed to be there—and that wasn't fair. Judith Ann was only tested on five." He unlocked his office door and glanced at her. "Sorry for that. On the other hand, you did very well."
He entered his office, closing the door.
Nicole couldn't help but grin. A verbal pat on the back from teachers always made her day.
It was with that cheer that she started and finished the second test. Her results were available immediately. She'd aced it. Nicole took a deep breath and left the testing center with a sense of elation she hadn't felt in a long time.
Now she needed to prepare for the third test. Her smile faltered.
No—she pushed her negative thoughts away. She was not going to let that cloud her happy mood. In fact, she wasn't even going to practice. She would treat herself to ice cream and the reading of a good, non-school-related book.
***
Nicole tightly gripped the neck of her cello. Her bow was ready and she knew which song she'd play.
As with the first test, Coolidge had assigned each student to a specific place, but this time, he was using special rooms in the science building that had been built to allow Aretes to practice their powers.
"Go ahead and get comfortable," Coolidge said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Nicole didn't have much time to follow his instructions—she was soon joined by one of his doctorate students who was helping him keep things organized.
"Nicole, right?" the girl asked. "I'm Sylvia. I've heard a lot about your talent on the cello."
Nicole looked up from tuning her instrument. "You have? How?"
"Coolidge has been discussing the potential undergrad contestants for several days."
"Are you going?"
She nodded. "Hopefully. My husband is arranging to stay home from work with our two-year-old."
Coolidge entered just then, and Nicole finished tuning. She wished Sylvia hadn't come in so soon—she really could've used the extra time to get ready.
She cleared her throat, trying to swallow. "I feel like I'm auditioning for the symphony all over again. Except this time, I'm totally and completely nervous."
She chuckled. Neither Sylvia nor Coolidge responded. Coolidge was shuffling through his briefcase, and Sylvia was messing around on her tablet.
"How does this work?" Nicole asked. "Am I supposed to tell you what song I'll be playing?"
Coolidge waved his hand. "No. Just pick something you like and concentrate on your magic."
Nicole took a breath. "Okay." That was the same thing he always told her to do back in his office. How was this supposed to be any different?
She didn't voice her question. Instead, she closed her eyes and put her cello into position. Not hesitating, she started playing Ashokan Farewell, putting as much as she could into it.
Nicole finished and opened her eyes. "Anything?"
Coolidge rubbed his chin. "No."
Even though she knew that would be his answer, she still felt disappointment roll over her, bringing on an exhaustion headache. She'd tried—and failed.
He hesitated, studying Nicole and her cello as if watching the magic around her. "Do it again." He leaned forward. "But this time, I want you to concentrate on the wind in your lungs as you play. Breathe in, breathe out. Make it smooth and even."
Nicole felt a cold sweat rush over her. He was giving her another shot? She hadn't known he would do that. She quickly raised her bow and played the song again, this time doing as he'd asked. It was a silly request, but she was willing to do whatever was needed.
She felt the wind smoothly rushing in and out of her lungs.
"That's it," Coolidge said. "Good concentration. Keep playing. While you're breathing, envision the wind from your lungs flowing into your cello and out the holes. Make it follow the music."
Nicole adjusted her thought process accordingly, concentrating on the wind, picturing it flitting, bustling around with fall-colored leaves. It swirled in her imagination, exiting her lungs, entering her cello and drifting out.
She opened her eyes, almost expecting—hoping—to see something happening. But nothing had changed.
She bit her lips, struggling to keep her voice even. "I'm never going to gain control, am I?"
Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "You're being too negative—magic never follows negativity."
Coolidge lifted a hand, silencing Sylvia. "Nicole, your powers are right at your fingertips, quite literally. They're begging to be released. Let them go. Allow them to do your bidding."
"You say it like it's so easy." Nicole stopped talking. If Sylvia was right, she needed to be positive. Or at least not negative. "Should I play a different song?"
He shook his head. "I don't think it matters. Just repeat this one. Follow the steps I've already given you. Go ahead and start."
Nicole did so, concentrating on each step long enough to get through the song an entire time before moving on to the next one. Breathing in and out. Imagining the wind rushing into her cello. Watching in her mind as it then rushed out.
"Keep going," Coolidge said. "Now concentrate on the pulses of campus. Tell me when you sense them."
Why hadn't he been doing this with her all along?
Nicole continued with the breathing technique and tentatively reached out for the pulses of campus. There they were—fainter here, but tangible. She approached them mentally, feeling her way around their edges. "Got them."
"Good. The pulses that belong to you aren't so different. They'll be calling to you—listen for them. Catch their feel and release them."
Nicole nodded. After making sure her concentration was strong, she turned an inner eye toward herself, searching for pulses that were similar to those of campus. She sensed the magic coming from Coolidge and Sylvia, swirling and mingling with the ones from the university. She compared the three sources. Coolidge's and Sylvia's were softer edged than the campus's pulses. Hers would feel the same, right?
Breathe in, breathe out. Imagining autumn leaves blowing into the cello, out of the cello.
The pulses from the other two were strong—too strong. Nicole pushed back from them momentarily.
Then she sensed something else. For a moment, her mind flitted to the book, nearly ruining her concentration. Was that what she'd felt?
No, this was different.
She pushed thoughts of the book away and again sensed that other magical source. It was muffled, soft, faint. She tried to reach the edges of it, wanting to test its size and depth, recognizing with chagrin that she'd played through Ashokan Farewell multiple times. Coolidge and Sylvia had to be bored out of their minds. Still, she kept going, eyes closed. It no longer mattered what the others thought as they whispered to each other occasionally. This was too important—more important even than the expedition.
While probing, Nicole realized something. The power she felt was separated from her by what she could only describe as an incredible wall or ocean of water.
She knew she needed to break through it before she could release her powers.
Nicole wasn't sure when she started playing Stravinsky, but after several minutes, she became aware of an uncomfortable silence in the room and nearly stopped. But she refused to allow herself to be further distracted. She kept her eyes closed and continued.
It took a couple moments for her to regain her concentration, but once she had, she sensed a sliver of a crack in the ocean wall. She attacked that with a vengeance, her bow and fingers following with excitement, matching her enthusiasm.
With one more rush of playing, Nicole felt a small, tiny, barely there wisp of magical energy pulse through that crack. She opened her eyes. A tendril of red-colored air wafted out of her cello's F holes. She slumped back in her chair, letting her instrument drop against her.
Coolidge leaned forward and grinned. "Well done, Nicole." He beamed at her, showing more pride for her in that moment than her parents ever had. "Very well done."
"Will it always be this difficult?" she asked.
"Hopefully not," he said, then frowned. "I've been thinking a great deal about something that we should discuss. My usual techniques for helping students unlock their powers haven't worked with you. What I had you do today was something I haven't needed to introduce in years."
"It seems like something that should be tried first," Nicole said. She didn't want her frustrations with him to leak through, but she couldn't help it. "I wish you'd had me do that a long time ago."
He shook his head. "No, I've only had a couple of students need it out of tens of thousands. Besides, the circumstances have to be perfect. All of them did it in a moment of stress. I couldn't have you try the breathing technique in my comfortable office with two nice, supportive guys helping." He grabbed his briefcase from the small table behind him. "As I was saying, I want to talk to you about something important." He pulled out a business card and handed it to her.
Nicole read the name on it out loud. "Professor Stephen Nielsen." She looked up at Coolidge. "Who is this?"
"A cello Wind Arete who teaches in Ohio. I want you study with him next semester for a few weeks."
She frowned. "What about Katon? If I go on the expedition, I'll already be missing this semester."
Sylvia shook her head. "Working with Professor Nielsen won't set you back academically. Like the expedition, it's considered a credit-earning internship. Everything you do there will transfer here."
Coolidge nodded. "Professor Nielsen is excellent at what he does. He's a good friend, and I believe he'll help you a lot."
Nicole looked down at the card. "But I just produced magic. Don't I simply need to practice more?"
"No," Coolidge said. "I'm sure you sensed that something is blocking your way. That something is still there, and I can only help you so far with the cello. Steve will have a lot more assistance to give. So, after the expedition is over, I want you to go work with him. Depending on how long we take in Arches, you might even be able to do it before Christmas."
Nicole grinned. "I'm going to Arches?"
He nodded. "As long as you pass the fourth test, yes."
She set her bow and cello down and jumped to her feet. "Awesome! Yes! I can't wait to tell Lizzie!"
He laughed, pulled something else from his briefcase, and handed it to her. "I need you to sign this."
Nicole looked at the sheet. It was a release form stating she wouldn't sue if anything happened to her both during the fourth test and while on the expedition. She cleared her throat and glanced at Coolidge. "Even the test is dangerous?"
He nodded. "I can't tell you much more about it than that—it needs to be a surprise for you. Otherwise, part of it won't work."
Nicole pulled out a pen and stared at the release form for a moment. Was this something she really wanted to do? Was it so important?
For a moment, she nearly changed her mind. But when she thought of where she was now versus where she wanted to be at graduation, she didn't. It would only be through experiences like this that she could possibly grow and nurture her Arete abilities.
Nicole signed her name and handed the sheet back to Coolidge.
"Good." He folded the paper and tucked it into his briefcase. "I'm assigning you to the four o'clock slot for the test. Be prepared for it to take several hours—at least three." He told her to meet him outside of the museum at that time, then nodded at Sylvia. "Go ahead and get another student ready. I'll be in the next room."
Coolidge left, and Sylvia turned to Nicole. "Well done. I hope you do get to come. It would be nice to have another woman on the trip."
"You're the only one?"
"I don't know about those from Armitage, but out of the Katon students, yes. From what Coolidge has said, the rest probably wouldn't work with those he's already chosen."
Sylvia got to her feet and Nicole started putting away her instrument. She couldn't help but wonder about Judith Ann. Maybe she'd done perfectly on the first three tests, but if Coolidge didn't think she'd get along with the others, it would make sense that she wouldn't be going.
Nicole practically danced out of the room, pulling out her phone to call Lizzie, and promptly collided with Austin. She dropped her phone in her scramble to stay upright.
"Austin, hi," she said, grabbing her cello before it also fell.
"Hi." He retrieved her phone and held it out to her, an expression on his face that she couldn't read. For once, though, it wasn't dark or angry.
Austin cleared his throat, looking away. "Good job in there."
"You knew what was happening?"
"Yes. Even heavily insulated walls don't keep me from sensing powerful magic."
Nicole swallowed. "Powerful?"
He nodded, meeting her gaze. "It was impressive. Well done."
Nicole sensed a happy feeling that floated into her chest at his praise, but then a negative thought popped into her mind. She flung her hand toward the room. "But it was just a trickle! I barely did anything."
Austin's eyes dropped to her lips, and he hesitated long enough for Nicole to wonder if Lizzie had been right all along. Was he attracted to her? She couldn't believe it was possible. Not with how abruptly he treated her.
"It doesn't matter. The power waiting to be unlocked is much stronger than what most Aretes have."
Austin brushed past her, entering the room she'd just vacated. What was he doing?
Nicole wondered only briefly before he stuck his head into the hall, spotted Coolidge who was already out of the other room, and spoke.
"The room is ready. Send in the next student."
So, he was helping Coolidge. It made sense, being the new teacher's pet, and for some reason, it didn't bother her. He'd actually complimented her. Weird.
Nicole decided to tuck the exchange away for the time being as she stepped out of the building and made her call to Lizzie. As soon as Lizzie answered, Nicole shrieked, "I'm going on the expedition!"
"That's wonderful! I thought it would take all day—I've been on pins and needles waiting to hear."
"Well, I still have to take the fourth test, but Coolidge pretty much told me I've already made it."
Lizzie didn't respond at first. Then she cleared her throat and said, "Isn't that test supposed to see how well you handle fear? Think about it, Nicole. He's not going to go easy on you just because you passed the third test."
Nicole hesitated. She was right.
Lizzie suddenly squealed. "Hey! You must have produced magic! You couldn't have passed the third test any other way."
"You bet I did!" Nicole told Lizzie what happened, finishing by mentioning Coolidge's Ohio suggestion. "I'm positive my parents would be okay with me doing it. And I really do want to get to the bottom of all this."
"I totally agree. When's the next test?"
"In about forty-five minutes." Nicole sighed, hoping the time would pass quickly. She wanted to get the test over with as soon as possible. "And it's going to take several hours. He said at least three."
"Three hours?" Lizzie said. "What could he possibly make you do for three hours?"
"I don't know, but I'm nervous and excited and can't wait to be done."
***
Nicole met Professor Coolidge and one of his doctorate students, whom Coolidge introduced as Jason, just outside of the museum. Nicole noticed right away that Jason's hair was already turning gray. It was at the stage where the amount of gray versus the amount of original hair made it nearly impossible to tell if he'd been blond or light brown. That was kind of cool.
"Jason is very experienced with spelunking and knows the Seattle Underground very well, which is why he's helping me out today. Oh, and he'll also be on the expedition."
"The Seattle Underground?" Nicole asked, following Coolidge and Jason toward the parking lot. "That's where we're going?"
"Yes," Coolidge said, his eyes sparkling.
"Okay . . . Should your reaction make me even more nervous?"
He shrugged. "Depends on what scares you."
Nicole didn't respond. She didn't want to give him any ideas.
Coolidge drove them to an empty warehouse. He and Jason grabbed boxes from the trunk and carried them inside, indicating for Nicole to follow. They took her downstairs and into the basement, where a set of doors led to what used to be a ground-level street in Seattle. Nicole knew the history behind the Underground—a fire had destroyed over thirty blocks, and rather than rebuild what had been burned, the city decided to build above it. Totally fascinating, and she couldn't help the excitement that lightened her step.
Nicole turned to Coolidge, a grin on her face. "Are we going to explore the tunnels?"
He half smiled. "Yes. But not in the way you think."
"All right. Just tell me what to do."
Coolidge handed her a box. "Open it."
She did so, then held it away from her and looked up at him, wrinkling her nose. "A dead rat?"
"Pick it up."
"You can't possibly be seri—" She cut herself off. Of course he was serious. Time for her to show her true Texas grit.
Biting back a grimace, Nicole put her hand into the box, hoping the rat wasn't still warm. Luckily, it wasn't. But the flesh had deteriorated enough to where it was spongy and slightly gooey. She ignored the fluid that dripped off her hand as she lifted the creature.
As soon as the rat was out of the box, it moved. Nicole jumped, nearly dropping the dead thing. She barely stopped herself in time, but couldn't help shrieking when it curled itself around her hand, its belly resting in her palm.
Coolidge turned on a flashlight and shone it at the rat. "It was dead for forty-eight hours before an Arete turned it magical. The spell required that it be dead that long."
Nicole nodded, doing her best to control the spasms that fled up her arm and down her back. The rat's eyes were sunken in, its face turning leathery. The liquid still dripped, and Nicole felt bile rise in the back of her throat.
"Why is it leaking?"
"The state it was in when turned magical will forever be perpetuated. The liquid replenishes itself from moisture in the air. Lovely, huh?"
Nicole frowned and lowered her hand slightly. "What does it do?"
"It measures the amount of sweat on your palm and, well, changes your experience accordingly." Coolidge started walking toward the set of double doors, Jason following, carrying a couple of the boxes.
Coolidge opened the door for Nicole and motioned for her to go ahead. She turned back to him.
"Should I have brought anything? A flashlight? A gun?"
"No. Jason and I have everything and will protect all of us if necessary." He waited for Jason to close the doors, then turned back to Nicole. "I need to reiterate what I said before—don't expect this not to be dangerous. The rat will conjure up things that will be real and could possibly cause harm."
"And you're doing this how many times?" Nicole swallowed, trying to rid her mouth of the bitter taste that now filled it.
"I'm not the only one conducting these tests—my doctorate and master's students are with undergrads too."
Nicole squared her shoulders. "Tell me where to go."
"Just follow me for now—we'll be walking for quite some time."
Coolidge started off into the dark tunnel and Nicole fell into step behind him, with Jason bringing up the rear.
Nearly as soon as they started walking, Nicole's eyes blurred. She blinked several times to clear them and was astonished to see that the walls were coming closer. Water dripped down them and into puddles that the group splashed through. More than once, Nicole saw rats racing by.
Coolidge led her through several switchbacks and occasionally through buildings. They went down stairs and up stairs and once had to climb over sunken cement.
Nicole tried to hold her hand up to keep the rat from falling off, but her arm tired quickly and she dropped it. The rat stayed attached to her hand, allowing her to focus only on keeping its liquid from dripping onto her shoes. Gross.
Conversation was stilted—Coolidge and Jason only grunted in response when she tried to talk with them. After a while, Nicole needed the extra energy just to continue.
She kept expecting something to jump out at them, but after an uneventful hour of walking, she relaxed.
Half an hour or so later, Coolidge stopped. He turned to her. "Now the test begins. Guide us back to the warehouse."
Nicole felt her breath shorten. She hadn't been paying attention that closely. "Um . . . Okay."
Coolidge handed her a flashlight. She turned in the direction they'd just come and started forward, praying that she could remember—that her internal compass wouldn't fail them.
After walking for nearly thirty minutes, her flashlight died.
"Professor Coolidge? Do you have another one of these?"
No answer. She could hear the men behind her, so she knew they were there. Why hadn't he responded?
She turned to face them, but couldn't see anything. "Hello?"
Was this part of the test? Did they totally ditch her? Or was the rat changing her perception of things?
Nicole walked quickly forward again, noting that the sounds of the men continued as well. Then a new sound entered the tunnel—heavy, loud breathing. It echoed off the stone and wood walls. Nicole glanced back.
Something cold brushed against her hand and she shied away. Two faint, ashen-faced men floated toward her, feet dragging on the tunnel ground. Their eyes were closed, their expressions blank.
Had Coolidge and Jason turned into ghosts? She couldn't be sure. If they hadn't, where were they?
Nicole backed against the wall of the tunnel, feeling the rotted boards of an old storefront behind her.
The ghost-like figures floated past and she slumped in relief. But one of them stopped suddenly and turned to face her, eyes opened.
The wall behind Nicole moved, shook. It pushed her forward, closer to the apparition. Nicole couldn't see anything but the ghost, and when a drop of water landed on her face, she jumped.
"I'm just going to keep walking." Her voice cracked. She wanted to tell herself that Coolidge wouldn't put her in any danger, but she had signed a release form stating that she realized this would be dangerous. "Oh, please, oh, please, just don't kill me," she whispered, passing the ghosts.
Her flashlight flared into life, and for a moment, she was blinded. When her eyes cleared, she almost wished the device hadn't chosen that moment to start working.
A man leaned against the wall ahead, leering at her. A cigarette dangling from his lip fell when he grinned.
Nicole tried to sidestep him, but the wall pushed her closer.
The man grabbed her arm and yanked her to him, breathing onto her face.
"Hello, pretty."
He eyed her mouth, and before Nicole could force him away, his lips landed on hers. She gagged on his suffocatingly disgusting breath and bit him, pushing back. He laughed and pulled her closer with one hand while the other tried to get into her shirt.
Nicole struggled and broke his grasp.
She shrieked when his arm fell out of its socket and dropped to the ground with a thud.
He grinned down at it, then stopped smiling when the other arm fell too.
"Oh, no . . ." the man groaned.
A leg collapsed under him and he toppled onto Nicole. Nicole fell to her butt under the weight of his torso, cringing when his head detached and rolled down her back.
She scrambled out from under his body, grabbed the flashlight she'd dropped, and jumped to her feet, watching as he melted into the dirt.
Bile rose in Nicole's throat, but she swallowed it away, gasping for air. Gotta keep going, gotta keep going.
She turned and continued walking, glancing over her shoulder every so often. The gray apparitions were still there, following.
Suddenly, the rat shifted its position, digging its nails into her skin. Oh, that would be fantastic—getting some horrid disease from a rotting animal.
It stopped moving, and immediately, creatures swarmed through the air around her, tugging at her clothes and hair and skin. What were they? Bats?
Nicole did her best to brush them off as she scrambled forward, nearly falling several times. Her flashlight became a weapon and she batted the little beasts from the air, noting as she did that these were skin-toned creatures, not dark and furry like a bat.
As she rushed onward, Nicole noticed a few things that she remembered passing earlier. An old sign hanging over a saloon. A huge burned wall, revealing what might have once been a restaurant kitchen.
A shadow passed through a doorway on her left, making Nicole jump. Then someone yanked her down to the boardwalk.
"How 'bout a penny for your food, miss?" a woman with rotted teeth said.
Nicole shoved herself away from the woman, scrambling to her feet again. "I don't have any."
The woman sneered. "What's that you're holding? Looks like food to me."
"This?" Nicole looked at the rat. "Sure, take it. Eat it. It's not helping me out right now." She offered it to the woman, but was refused.
The woman melted into the shadows and Nicole continued walking, wondering how far she'd gone and how much farther she had to go. This test was more like a clinical experiment with hallucinations.
She glanced backward. The ghosts were still there. "Okay, not much farther," she said, more to herself than to the men.
And she was right. After a few more turns, Nicole spotted the warehouse ahead of them in the beam of her fading flashlight. She yelped with excitement and crossed the distance at a run.
The minute she stepped into the warehouse basement, the rat loosened its grip and dropped to the ground.
"Quick, pick it up!" Professor Coolidge called out.
Nicole jumped to obey, grabbing the rat as it tried to scurry off. Coolidge joined her and they forced the squirming creature into the box.
"Let's go upstairs to discuss," Coolidge said, motioning for Jason to lead the way.
Nicole followed the men up, keeping her hand away from herself. She didn't even want to know what her clothes looked like.
"How long were we gone?" she asked as soon as they'd reached the main level.
Jason looked at his phone. "About five minutes."
Nicole frowned. "Whatever. We walked for at least three hours." She motioned to her feet. "I mean, my feet ache—" She looked down and rolled her toes in her shoes. "At least, they did."
Coolidge smiled. "The rat manipulates time along with atmosphere."
"Why did you tell me to prepare for it to take so long?"
"Because you needed to believe it would." He motioned to a table and some benches. "Let's have a seat."
They did so, and Coolidge turned to Nicole. "You did really well. Jason here was pleasantly surprised."
Jason glanced at her. "The other two girls fainted and screamed themselves silly. Even some of the guys reacted similarly."
Nicole scoffed. "You can't be serious. Wimps." She frowned. "How many other people still have to be tested?"
"You were the last," Coolidge said.
Nicole nodded, then leaned forward, still keeping her hand away from herself. "What all did you guys see?"
"Pretty much everything," Jason said, "though in a fast-forwarded version. We discussed your reactions compared to how the others handled the test."
"It was the same for everyone?"
Coolidge nodded and smiled. "I appreciated you offering the rat to the woman."
"She seemed to think it was food, and I figured, why not? Maybe it would tell the rat I wasn't intimidated."
"Well, you did excellently," Coolidge said. "Especially compared with many others. Congratulations."
He reached across the table to shake Nicole's hand, but she pulled away, cringing. "Are you sure you want to do that?"
"It was just water," Coolidge said. "Pulled from the air, like I said, but don't worry—it's not decomposing rat organs." He grinned. "All part of the experience."
Nicole released a breath of air and finally shook Coolidge's hand.
"Welcome to the team," he said. "We'll be meeting at my place tomorrow for dinner and for everyone to get acquainted with each other. My wife loves black-tie events, so dress up."
He told her he'd email her more specifics regarding the dinner and expedition, and after he made sure she didn't have any more questions, they exited the warehouse.
The sun was peeking through the clouds for the first time in a long while, and Nicole turned her face toward the warmth. She felt weird, as if she had jetlag. And she sort of did. Her body had just gone through several hours' worth of stress and physical activity, and only twenty minutes had passed from when they'd arrived at the warehouse.
Following the others, Nicole got in the car and strapped on her seat belt. "So, that was scary, but it could've been so much more intense."
Coolidge pulled out of the empty parking lot. He sighed. "I really don't know what to expect in Arches, but something tells me it's not going to be pretty. Without knowing what to expect, it's hard to tell the rat what to create."
"Understandable." Nicole slumped back in her seat. She was done. She'd completed the fourth test. She was going to Arches!
"Who else is on the team, if you don't mind my asking?"
"A few of my graduate students, including Sylvia and Jason. Then Austin and you. I still have to choose the third undergrad."
Nicole watched the buildings pass. At first, she didn't pay them attention, but when she recognized the name of the street they'd just turned onto, she sat up. "Let me off here—I'll find my way back to campus."
Coolidge pulled over, and Nicole grabbed her purse from where she'd left it under the seat and hopped out of the car.
The white-and-glass exterior of Westlake Center gleamed in the sun before her. Nicole breathed deeply, the smell of the ocean entering her nose.
She grinned. Time for some shopping.
She'd totally earned it.
***
Nicole received Coolidge's email the next day. As he'd mentioned to her, he wanted everyone to meet at his house for dinner.
The trip itinerary he included showed an early flight out of Seattle on Wednesday morning, with a couple of stops on the way to Moab. Once there, Coolidge would rent several Jeeps and hire drivers.
The email instructed her to pack things appropriate for a lot of hiking and camping. They'd be staying in hotels part of the time, but depending on where they decided to start digging, they could possibly end up having to set up camp.
Nicole grinned. It had been a long time since she'd braved the outdoors. This was going to be awesome!
Coolidge's email mentioned that he'd arranged for each of the students' classes to be dropped without penalty. She was just fine with that.
***
Nicole stepped out of her car and into the brisk evening. She pulled her jacket closer, taking care not to wrinkle the elegant, floor-length evening gown she'd bought specifically for the night. Even though she knew her dress made her look pretty and confident, she still couldn't get over the jitters that were bouncing in her stomach.
She'd be the only person in attendance who didn't know her own powers—who'd never really sensed them, apart from the third test the day before. She was Austin's age, but not even close to his experience and talent.
What was she doing?
It hadn't taken long to find Coolidge's place. It was a white-paneled house on the shores of Union Bay. The house itself was gorgeous, and at first, Nicole wondered how a university professor could possibly pay for it. Then she remembered who Professor Coolidge was and stopped wondering. He probably did things for people and companies around the world—he didn't teach at the university because he had to, but because he wanted to.
Sylvia opened the door when Nicole rang, and Nicole nearly stepped back in surprise. She'd been expecting a butler or another, more official person.
"I was so glad when Coolidge told me you passed the fourth test," Sylvia said, showing Nicole where to put her jacket. "And that dress is beautiful. Where'd you get it?"
"Westlake. I'm glad you like it."
"Too bad it can't come with us to Arches, huh?"
Sylvia's tone implied she had something on her mind, and Nicole knitted her eyebrows, head cocked. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing," Sylvia said, turning to walk down the hall, beckoning Nicole to follow. She paused. "Okay, so a couple of the guys are worried that you're too prissy."
Nicole snorted. "Are you serious? What gave them that idea? Get me near a campsite and they won't be wondering that anymore."
"Well, your purses are Gucci, and you always dress nicely." Sylvia held up her hands. "Don't get me wrong—I'm on your side. I think you'll totally kick trash and shame the men into little boys. I just wanted you to know what they've been talking about."
Nicole folded her arms. "What does Coolidge think?"
"He hasn't said anything. He doesn't usually—he lets us control the conversation."
Nicole nodded. Coolidge was the same in her sessions with the cellists. "Well, I'll be sure to show them that I can keep up—and beat—any of them with starting a fire or staking tents."
Sylvia grinned. "You and me both."
They continued down the long hallway, through an open area with a piano in it, and into a plush sitting room where everyone else waited. The men looked fantastic in tuxes, and the women were beautiful in dresses.
They were still waiting for Jason to arrive. Nicole took a seat and watched and listened. She wanted to see how they interacted with each other before joining the conversations.
Right away, she noticed that Austin didn't speak often, but when he did, the others listened. Even Coolidge. Austin seemed a lot more laid-back here in Coolidge's house than he did on campus. Maybe because he was with people more on his level of intellect?
While Lizzie had done Nicole's hair earlier, she'd repeatedly said that Austin wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off her. And Lizzie was partially right. He did keep glancing her way. Nicole couldn't help but wonder what he thought about her making the expedition. She wished she could have eavesdropped in on the earlier conversations.
Nicole's phone chimed, signaling an incoming text message. It was from Toby. He was asking if they could do something together away from Pete after the expedition was over. Nicole smiled at the "away from Pete."
Was Toby asking her out? Obviously, yes. But why had he waited so long to say something? He'd flirted with her just a bit in their first meeting, but hadn't since then, even though he'd had plenty of opportunities.
"Toby's a good guy," Sylvia said. "And cute, too."
Nicole flushed, realizing that the girl had read over her shoulder. She tucked her phone away, deciding to answer him later, and struggled to control her embarrassment at Sylvia's comment. She glanced up. Austin's gaze was on her again. It was obvious he'd heard Sylvia—everyone had. They were all staring at Nicole.
She cleared her throat, putting her hand to her neck and felt heat rising from her skin. Dang it, Sylvia! "Yeah, he's a good friend."
"Looks like he wants to be more than friends," Sylvia said.
Nicole's blush deepened, and not knowing what else to do with her hands, she grabbed the blanket from off the arm of the couch next to her and laid it across her lap. Her hands fisted beneath it. She couldn't think of a way to respond—not without either confirming that she was interested in being more than friends or rejecting Toby before she'd even had the chance to get to know him. With how quickly things moved in certain circles at this university, she was positive he'd hear either way.
"Speaking of relationships," Sylvia said, "I heard that Jenna and Tom are tying the knot."
Several members of the group jumped on the new topic, probably sensing Nicole's discomfort, and Nicole felt a tiny bit of gratitude toward Sylvia for obviously trying to distract everyone. But why bring attention to Nicole in the first place?
Nicole glanced across the room. Austin's dark gaze was on her, his expression unreadable. She looked away, not wanting to understand him, not even caring what he thought at that moment.
Finally, Jason arrived, and Coolidge's wife, Hayla, invited them into the dining room for dinner.
Sylvia grabbed Nicole's arm as they were leaving the room. "I'm really sorry I embarrassed you," she whispered. "I've been told I'm abrasive and speak my thoughts too easily. Most of the time, I'm not aware I've done something wrong until after it's happened."
Nicole took a deep breath, feeling her anger with Sylvia ease away. "I was embarrassed, but it's fine. I'm sure we'll all forget it soon."
And they did. The food was delicious—brisket, shrimp, and loaded mashed potatoes. Nicole ate as much as she could, knowing she'd burn it off quickly when they arrived in Arches.
After they finished, they retreated to the sitting room again. Nicole waited until no one was talking to Coolidge, then asked him if it would be possible to take her cello on the expedition.
She rushed on before he had a chance to answer. "The more I thought about it, the more I realized I don't want to drop symphony. I worked too hard on my audition. And the conductor agreed to keep me in class as long as I practice for the concert in December. But that means I need to bring my instrument." She took a breath. "On the other hand, cellos aren't exactly cheap. If you think there's a chance it'll get ruined, I'll leave it behind."
Coolidge rested his head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. "It should be fine. One of the professors from Armitage is bringing a lot of expensive equipment. I'm sure we could arrange for you to keep your cello in his air-conditioned shed. It'll be protected against weather and vandalism."
Nicole thanked him and leaned back in her seat, grateful she wouldn't have to leave behind the one thing that had allowed her to produce magic so far.
The others continued chatting as Hayla, Coolidge's wife, brought around dessert. Nicole responded to Toby's text, saying yes, she'd like that, then ate her ice cream slowly. Sylvia was right—Toby was cute. But Nicole wasn't sure she wanted a relationship with him. Not yet, anyway. She needed to know him better first.
Nicole tried to follow the discussions, wanting to look like she fit in and understood all of the topics. But when Hayla returned to gather the dishes, Nicole jumped to help. She was done pretending to know what everyone was talking about.
She followed Hayla into a huge kitchen complete with an industrial-sized grill that would've made a chef faint with envy. Nicole put the bowls and silverware where Hayla indicated and surveyed the room. Dishes were piled high on the counters and in the sink. Leftover food covered a breakfast table tucked into one corner of the room. A couple of spills on the floor made it impossible to maneuver safely.
Without asking, she turned on the sink and began filling it with water.
"Oh, Nicole," Hayla said, "that's really not necessary."
"Of course it is. This could take you all night. Besides, I'd rather not return to the awkward conversations just yet."
"I found them stimulating," a deep voice responded.
Nicole didn't even need to turn to know it was Austin. What was he doing? Why'd he follow them?
She felt, more than heard, him approach. Her back straightened as she went on the defensive. She wasn't in the mood for his crankiness or attitude.
Austin placed a dirty ice cream bowl next to the sink and leaned against the counter several feet away. He folded his arms. Didn't say anything. Didn't look at her.
What was his deal? Was he going to "mood" her into talking?
Nicole decided not to rise to whatever the challenge was, and instead continued to wash dishes as Hayla put the leftovers away.
After several long moments, Hayla left, mumbling something about the dining room table. She probably wanted to escape the awkwardness. Or was it to give the students alone time? Yeah, they didn't need any of that. Sure, Austin was hot—incredibly hot. But he was arrogant, and Nicole didn't want to be alone with him.
Several moments passed. Nicole loaded the dishwasher, then scrubbed furiously at the leftover dishes. Still, Austin didn't say anything. Was he waiting for her to respond to his earlier comment? She couldn't even remember what it had been. Could a guy be any more clueless? Was her body language not enough? Go away!
Austin surprised her by grabbing a towel. He started drying the pile of clean dishes that had accumulated.
Nicole glanced sidelong at him. He was staring at her. She dropped her eyes.
Austin cleared his throat, taking a pan from her. She caught a whiff of his aftershave and found herself relaxing in the deep, musky scent. Oh, so that was his plan. Torture girls with amazing cologne and a rude personality. What a waste.
"Coolidge has been very impressed with you."
Nicole raised an eyebrow, surprised at Austin's choice of conversation and the fact that he finally broke the silence. "With me? Why?"
Austin shrugged. "He says you have a good work ethic."
Nicole scowled, knowing where Austin would take that. Good work ethic in no way equaled talent with Arete abilities.
"Personally," Austin continued, "I think he just didn't want to bring someone who'd invite drama."
Okay, that wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Austin met eyes with her again, a question there. "He believes you won't."
"I'm not into drama, if that's what you're wondering."
He nodded. "I didn't think you would be. Anyway, Coolidge just told everyone—"
"Ouch!" Nicole jerked her hand out of the water when something sharp pricked her palm. Blood dripped down her fingers.
"Did you grab a knife?" Austin asked.
Nicole scowled at him and then turned back to the sink, choosing not to respond to such a ridiculous question. Of course she hadn't grabbed a knife—she wasn't stupid enough to put one in the soapy water in the first place.
She rinsed the blood away and tried to inspect the cut. It kept bleeding, though, preventing her from seeing anything. "Ouch," she repeated.
Austin reached for her hand. At first, Nicole resisted. Why would she want his help? He kept challenging her intelligence!
"Come on—it's not going to stop until you do something about it."
He waved a paper towel at her, and finally, she relented, allowing him to press the towel over the cut.
"I got it," Nicole said, trying to take over.
Instead of letting go, though, Austin enveloped both her hands with his own and raised his eyes to hers.
Nicole's heart rate increased and her breaths shortened. Austin's expression was open, unguarded. His warm brown eyes searched her face, soaking her in.
Why the sudden intensity? Didn't he hate her?
Nicole opened her mouth to speak and noticed his gaze wander there. She licked her lips automatically, hoping they didn't look rough. Of course, doing so made her feel silly. What an obvious "please kiss me" action. She didn't want him to kiss her.
At least, she didn't think so.
"Um . . ." she said, searching for something to talk about. "What were you going to say?"
He blinked. "What?"
"About Coolidge. He told everyone something?"
Austin's hand still pressed against hers, his long fingers wrapped around her own. "He, uh . . . he said there'd been a fifth test—one he hadn't mentioned in class."
Nicole tried to force her breath to return to normal. Should she pull away? Was he waiting for her to do that? Was she making herself look desperate by not pulling away?
Deciding it was better to take charge of the situation rather than appear too eager for attention, Nicole edged out of his grasp, acting like she needed to shift the position of the paper towel while still maintaining pressure on the cut.
"Would you look for a first aid kit?" she asked, not wanting him to feel like her action was a rejection.
Austin stepped back and nodded. "Sure." He ran a hand through his dark hair and turned to the cupboards over the sink. He stared at them for a moment before opening them, apparently readjusting his thoughts. "Coolidge said that any student who couldn't get along with the others was eliminated. He said he'll send people home if they create problems."
Nicole's thoughts flew to Judith Ann. So that was what happened with her. She caused too much drama. Nicole agreed—she was grateful she wouldn't have to deal with the girl while in Arches.
Hayla returned at that moment, and Austin asked her for a first aid kit. She paled, pointing to a cupboard. "Is everything all right?"
Nicole nodded. "I cut my hand on something in the sink. Don't worry—it's not bad." She didn't think so, anyway.
And it wasn't—Hayla was able to cover it with a single Band-Aid.
"But no more washing for you," Hayla said. She drained the sink, revealing a broken glass at the bottom. "There's the culprit," she said.
Nicole blushed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even hear it break."
Hayla waved her off. "Don't worry about it—it was a mismatched set anyway." She cleaned the shards out of the sink with a damp towel and shook them into the garbage can. "Thanks for your help. You were right—it would've taken me hours to get through everything."
Coolidge wandered into the room just then and kissed Hayla on the back of the neck. He turned, seeing Austin and Nicole, who now sat at the breakfast table. "There you two are. Nicole, I've been meaning to ask if you've seen the book recently."
She shook her head. "Not since yesterday."
"It disappeared after the test. I'll do another search in my lab, but if my suspicions are correct, it's with you again."
Nicole really, really hoped he was wrong.
The drive home went quickly as she struggled not to daydream about Austin and his brown eyes and dark hair. She felt his hands around her own again, imagining how it would feel to have those hands in her hair or around her waist as they kissed.
Nicole shook herself. Forming a crush right before she'd potentially spend a lot of time with him was not what she needed. He'd know right away that she was interested, and it would probably only feed his ego. Except tonight, he hadn't been as arrogant as usual. He'd been gentle, caring, and warm—and that was confusing.
"Come on, Nicole, drop it," she whispered as she pulled into her parking structure. "It's not like he's asking you out or getting your number." She flushed, realizing he hadn't really done anything to show his interest.
Time to focus on the expedition, not the hot guy going on it. Drama obviously was the last thing Coolidge wanted, and she couldn't afford to get sent home for making an idiot of herself around another team member. i