I sigh, rubbing my temple where the pain has gone from a dull ache to a sharp pain. I get out of the Jeep and reach for my bag.

“Did you know?” Natalie’s question takes me by surprise, and I turn to face her.

“What?”

“Did you know she was seeing a human?”

I shoulder my backpack and walk past Natalie toward Covington, where the library is located.

“Why do you think Lily would share that information with me?”

“She shares everything with you.” Her voice is tinged with jealousy.

“Not that.” Lily and I have a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy. It’s a safety measure for situations just like this.

Lily was one of Natalie’s closest friends, but they’d become distant over the summer. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s when her relationship with the human began. Lily probably didn’t want to face Natalie’s judgment.

“It isn’t like I could have kept her from seeing him anyway.”

“She should have known better.”

“And you wonder why Lily won’t talk to you? The righteous prophet.”

“Don’t be an asshole, Shy. You know the rules just as well as me. This is serious.”

I know it’s serious, but you can’t tell me Lily’s the first Valryn to mess around with a human. She just got caught. Now she’ll have to face the elites and her father, who is a commander like mine. She will be questioned about the relationship and forced to give details that will only add to her shame. The “severity” of her “disobedience” will determine her punishment, which will range anywhere from probation to exile.

The embarrassment of having her relationship advertised on Roundtable is all extra.

The details of Lily’s relationship aren’t for me to speculate, and I’m not going to be the one to ask Lily how far things went. She is going to get enough of that just as soon as the Order becomes aware of her…transgressions.

Just using that word feels like a betrayal in itself.

Entering Covington is like stepping back in time. The walls alternate between dark wood panels and white stucco. The ceilings are arched, exposing decorative woodwork. As I top the stairs leading to the first floor, I turn to the right and head downstairs. The girl’s restroom is directly to the left of the stairwell. I knock on the door and call, “Lily! It’s Shy. Open up!”

I pause for a moment, giving her a chance to answer. Just as I start to knock again, the door opens, and Lily appears. Her eyes are watery and swollen. Her usually clear skin is red and patchy, and she holds a shaky hand over her mouth and nose.

Seeing her like this makes everything in my chest hurt.