A Murder Of Crows {14}

I left the room detention was held in, freed from that. Detentions were strict here, with students forbidden from talking for the duration of it. You had to do your homework, and if you didn't have homework, you'd be assigned work to do. It was designed to make students focus on their schooling to remember how important it was. Any behavior even slightly out of line could land you with extra detention, and the sessions ranged from one to three hours.

Still, it beat Kieran's ISS punishment, especially since his was indefinite. Those punishments were extremely strict, and you got slapped with a whole bunch of extra work to do.

I checked the time and debated if I wanted to go back to my dorm. There was a chance Val would come in to bother me, and I wasn't sure I wanted to risk that happening.

Maybe I'd just go to the tree trunk spot and do my homework until it got late. Hopefully Val would break into my room while I was gone and take the damn hint.

I started walking towards the path. I could focus on my homework, instead of thinking of what Val had said at lunch about Jamison.

I pulled my phone out, unlocking it and flicking through my emails. Most social ones were from classmates looking for notes, and the rest was junk mail from the Academy about events and opportunities.

Honestly, I should start charging for my note services. I guess it wasn't the worst thing in the world; some teachers had actually told me how impressive it was that I was so organized that students preferred coming to me for notes over the teachers themselves. Whatever kept up my image of hard working students, and not Collector.

I looked up from my phone and just managed to swerve out of the way of the girl fast-walking with her head down. My shoulder clipped against hers, knocking both of us off balance.

She looked up, startled, and I realized it was Nia. She had her phone gripped in her hands, and her eyes widened as she realized who she'd run into.

"I'm so sorry," she said hurriedly. "Are you okay? Oh, I wasn't paying attention. I was going through my messages." She knocked her fist against her forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"No harm done," I said.

"Please don't tell Jamison," she groaned. "He'll call me an airhead again."

"Why would I tell Jamison? I'm not going out of my way just to tell him you were looking at your phone. I don't care," I said.

She eyed my mouth. "Jamie said you still talk to Kieran, even after he did that to you. He doesn't understand why."

"He doesn't have to understand. It's not his decision," I said.

"Has he done it to you before?" she asked.

I gestured to my face. "Do I look like a scar museum here? He's never hit me before."

I knew she was trying to get me to slip information to her. She wanted anything, even the tiniest scrap, to deliver to Jamison.

But maybe I could play this game right back and get the prizes I wanted.

"The Crows have a lot of weight to throw around the Academy, and a lot of pressure to keep it up to its reputation. I'm sure Kieran's outburst made more work for you guys," I said.

Nia nodded. "We work to keep students safe. Someone like Kieran is a threat to that safety. Cole said..." She stopped herself, eyes widening a little. "Um, Cole was just...worried about you! You know, about the gossip and stuff."

Not even a good liar. No wonder Jamison wasn't impressed by her.

I shook my head. "Can't believe Cole and Kieran were friends once."

"You knew about that?" Nia said in surprise.

"Of course I knew about it. I knew Kieran, Jamison, and Cole were all friends," I said. I had to be careful; if I got it wrong, she'd know I was lying. I'd have to watch my step in this territory. But I had a few good guesses about their past. "Shame what happened."

"I..." She seemed too shocked, and shook her head a little. "Kieran told you? Jamison doesn't talk about it much."

"They clearly hated each other. I got nosy about it, and Kieran told me," I said.

Nia scowled a little. "He probably only told you his side. Jamison said Kieran makes it so much more dramatic than it actually was. I mean, they both needed that job, and it's not like someone with a temper like Kieran's would've made a good Crow."

So Kieran was supposed to be a Crow.

"I can't picture Kieran as a Crow," I said.

"Right!" Nia said. "Jamison did the right thing. Letting Kieran be a Crow would've been a mistake. Jamie wasn't being selfish, he was just being realistic."

"Still, Kieran needed that job to help his mom," I said, totally bullshitting now. Oh well. I'd gotten a nice bit of information, so if Nia caught me now, it was too late anyways.

But she didn't catch on. She just dropped her gaze and shrugged. "Jamison wanted to help his family. They both applied for that job, and it's not Jamison's fault they picked him over Kieran. Besides, Kieran gets that Academy tuition discount because of his dad. He couldn't have been that desperate for the money."

Academy tuition discount? That meant Kieran's dad was in the military. The Academy offered a discount to kids whose parents were active military members, and a smaller discount to kids whose parents were veterans. It sounded like Kieran's dad was getting the active service discount, though. Maybe that was why the headmaster had to set up a video chat with Kieran's dad; he might be deployed somewhere.

"Kieran is just jealous of Jamison. He always has been," Nia said. "And he's just pissed that Cole finally saw him for the toxic asshole he is."

I had a quick mental debate with myself, wondering how far I could push my bullshitting luck. "They were so close. It's kind of sad."

"I don't think it's sad," Nia said, her voice fierce. "I think it's good Cole sided with Jamison and got Kieran out of his life. I wish he'd stop wearing that stupid bracelet. He needs to be done with Kieran for good." The fierceness died out, replaced by nervousness instead. "I guess I should...I mean, I know you're friends with Kieran..."

"Friendship is hardly what I'd call it. I'm stuck with him because of Val, really," I said.

Bracelet? Did that mean...

"You should get away from Kieran. He's dangerous," Nia said, her expression serious. "Has he ever threatened any of you guys?"

"Nothing he'd carry through with. Just the occasional 'shut the fuck up'," I said, and checked my phone. "I've got to go."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to keep you!" She knocked her fist against her forehead again. "Stupid airhead. I always talk too much."

Hey, I was grateful for it. "Yea, a bit."

I moved past her and veered back onto the main path. I walked back to the dorms, carefully thinking over all the information Nia had just given me. What a fool. It was almost too simple to play her for what I wanted.

I reached the dorms and went inside, heading to Kieran's room. I knocked on the door, waiting until he pulled it open.

His blazer was off, revealing the black button-up shirt underneath it. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and I could see the red bracelet on his wrist, worn out in the way they got over the years. He'd had it for a while.

"You know, you can wear something other than black," I said, tugging on my blazer to reveal the white T-shirt underneath.

"Did you have a reason for coming here, or are you just here to be an obnoxious pest?" he said.

"Do you really think I'd suffer extra time with you just to be a pest? This is business. Let me in," I said.

He stepped aside and I entered his room. My eyes kept darting to that red bracelet lazily sliding up and down his wrist as his arms moved.

"Has Nia been snooping around here today?" I said.

He shook his head. "Not around me. She trying to play detective towards you?"

"I'm sure Jamison will find out and punish her for it," I said.

Kieran's expression darkened a little. "Of course he will. She's not listening to his orders. That'll piss him off. Drop a hint to him so she leaves us alone already."

"You really think she will?" I said.

"Of course she will, dumbass," he said. "She wants to suck up to Jamison. If he even bitches to her, she'll do what he wants."

It was making sense now. The bracelet, his expressions, the way he spoke.

"Then I'll do that," I said, heading for the door. I was done with him. I had someone else to see now.

Kieran just shut the door after me. I left the dorms and made my way across campus. I entered a building and went up to the Crow's Nest.

I knocked on the door. I could hear some shuffling inside, and then Kenz opened the door.

"Cor?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Jamison here?" I said.

"Not yet. He'll be here soon, I assume," she said, checking the time. "I can give you his number if you need to talk to him right now, though."

"I have it," I said. "Is it alright if I wait for him here?" I gestured to a chair in the corner. "I can just sit there. I won't bother you guys."

Kenz hesitated, but Cole looked up from the couch. "Might as well. You know Jamie will just bring him in here anyways."

"Fine. Don't touch anything," Kenz said, letting me in.

It was just the two of them in here, no sign of Nia. I took a seat in the chair as Kenz went and seated herself next to Cole on the couch. She casually swept some paperwork into a file and buried it under a stack of books, but something told me that had to do with the attacks around campus.

Man, if only we could sneak into the Nest and take a look at the files they had on the case. But I could see a security camera in the corner, and while that would be simple enough to hack and put on a loop, I had a feeling that was more there for show.

The filing cabinets would be a problem. Val might be able to pick the lock into my room, but that didn't make her an expert, and locks were different. Not to mention any sign of tampering in this room, even a paper out of place, would alert them that someone on campus was snooping around.

No, too risky. We'd just have to guess at what they knew and work from there.

Kenz was looking at a worksheet in front of Cole. "Well, go on and answer the question. The sooner you finish this, the sooner you can help with the proposal for that field trip."

"Why isn't that Nia's problem? It's a sophomore class field trip, and last time I checked, she was a sophomore," Cole grumbled, writing something on the paper.

"She's also not going to be the senior Crow member next year," Kenz said.

"Can I ask a question?" I said.

Kenz looked over at me. "What?"

"What happens next year? As far as I can tell, there are only four of you, and two of you are graduating this year, right?"

"Jamison and I will submit a list of possible applicants for the Crows. Cole will be in charge of training them," Kenz said. "As for the president, if Cole doesn't want the position, the Academy will ask a past Crow to take up the job. There are two students who left after Jamison took over as president, and both are qualified to run as president next year."

Seemed flimsy to me, but I'd also be gone next year, so it didn't matter. Being president of the Crows just meant you had more paperwork and meetings than the other members, and I doubted any of it was particularly complicated.

Still, two members leaving after Jamison took over? The only way out of the Crows was if you left on your own, or if you were forced out of your position. There was always a chance that once Jamison took over, he cleaned house.

The door opened, voices entering the room before people did. Nia and Jamison.

"-have more use for you in here. You're stepping out of line." Jamison's voice was angry, that hint of cruelty beneath his words.

"Jamie, she talked to me first!" Nia said, and she sounded a little desperate. "I swear I didn't seek her out."

"We have a visitor," Kenz said loudly.

Jamison looked over at her impatiently. She nodded in my direction, and his anger turned to surprise as he noticed me.

"Cor," he said, instantly back to the friendly Jamison. "What are you doing here? I'm surprised they let you in."

"You're the one breaking your own rules, dumbass," Cole said.

There it was. That impatient "dumbass" at the end of the sentence, punctuated by a scowl and an eye roll. Just the same as Kieran.

"I only brought him in here to pick up that key last time," Jamison said. "I didn't let him sit in here. No offense, Cor. Just rules."

"It's fine. I didn't touch anything," I said, getting up. But I kept an eye on Cole, hoping the sleeve of his blazer would tug up just the slightest so I could see his wrist.

"Did you need something?" Jamison asked.

"Just to talk," I lied. "I didn't want to go through the trouble of hunting you down, so I figured I'd just wait for you here."

"Nia, we'll talk when I get back," Jamison said, a warning hidden by a smile.

Nia dropped her head a little, but she flashed a shaky smile. "Sure, Jamie! I'll be waiting. Cole, move over. That's my spot."

She moved over to the couch, trying to shove Cole. Cole scowled and pushed her back, and I got my wish.

His sleeve moved just enough for me to see the flash of a worn-out red bracelet. It was hidden beneath his sleeve as he dropped his hand and reluctantly moved over for Nia.

"Come on," Jamison said to me, reaching his hand out like he was going to put it on my back. He hesitated and dropped his hand, leading me out of the door and shutting it after us.

We moved down to a corner of the hall and he leaned against the wall. "So what's up, Cor?"

"I need a favor. Consider it a payback for borrowing my notes. I need to borrow your science book for that take home quiz. I lost mine a month ago," I said. A bullshit story, but it was something.

"Oh, sure," he said, sliding his bag off his shoulders. "I actually just finished that a little while ago. Why didn't you ever get another science book?"

"I've been going off my notes, and looking up whatever else I didn't know. But it's hard to do a quiz that requires specific textbook citations when you don't have the textbook," I said.

Jamison dug it out and handed it to me. "There you go. You can just give it to me in class tomorrow. And I won't even make you carry it around all day."

"I would drop it on your desk and make it your problem anyways," I said, tucking the book under my arm and wishing I'd brought my bag so I didn't have to carry it back across campus.

"Is that all you needed?" he said. "Couldn't you have asked Kieran or Mia?"

"You really think they'd help me out? You're a sucker for kindness. They're just assholes," I said, moving down the hallway. "That was all I needed."

"I'll see you later, Cor," he called after me.

I didn't respond to that, just left the building. I'd assumed Kieran had been closes to Jamison out of all the Crows, but he and Cole talked the same. They used the same words, the same facial expressions, the same tones. The kind of synchronization that came from close friendship and even idolization.

The more I learned about Kieran's connection to the Crows, the less I understood. I couldn't seem to fit all these pieces together to make a coherent picture.

Instead of heading back to my room, I went to the tree stump. I dropped Jamison's textbook on it and sat down, looking up at the sky.

A personal interest in any of this was dangerous. But why, why, why couldn't I stop myself from getting so involved?

I looked back down at Jamison's textbook. So cold and threatening, flipped to a friendly smile at a moment's notice. He was more than he appeared, and it drew me to him.

"Shit," I said quietly, placing my hand on the textbook.

He could use more logic. I could use more emotion.

"Shit," I repeated, closing my eyes.