The Crimson Shard Read Free Page B

better as soon as the summer air touched her skin.
    “I don’t like you wandering around London alone,” said Rhona in a peevish voice.
    “I’m not alone, and I’m absolutely fine. Honestly, Rhona, I am fifteen now, you know.” She glanced up at the top floor of Starling House and sighed. “Mr. Doran trusts us, unlike you.”
    “That’s uncalled for, Sunni. You know very well why I’m concerned. After what happened in February . . .”
    “I know, I know. Sorry.” Sunni walked back and forth in front of the house, half noticing the blue plaque on the wall commemorating its famous resident, Jeremiah Starling.

    “Look, I need to go. How’s Dad?”
    “He’s great and sends you hugs.”
    “Okay, me too. And Dean?”
    “Right where I can see him, playing his Skeeterbrain game.”
    “Typical.”
    “I’ll tell him you said hello.”
    “Yeah, okay. Bye, Rhona.”
    Then Sunni called Blaise’s dad and left a message. “Hi, Mr. Doran, it’s Sunni. We got caught up at some old museum that Blaise wanted to see. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
    She turned off her phone, reentered Starling House, and shoved her feet back into the felt slippers.
    Sunni padded upstairs and peeked around the door frame of the Cabinet of Curiosities. She was irritated to see Blaise still drawing Livia in his sketchbook. Neither of them noticed her there.
    Suddenly Throgmorton moved into view and said, “Blaise, we must go now.”
    “Go where?”
    “To see the Academy.”
    A pang of mistrust made Sunni hang back to hear more.
    Blaise paused. “But Sunni’s still outside.”
    “You are very considerate but, sadly, we cannot wait for her.”
    Sunni was tempted to burst in and tell him what she thought of that, but something still kept her back.
    “I’d feel pretty weird going without Sunni,” said Blaise, his brow furrowed. “Besides, she’ll be back any minute —”
    “No, Blaise,” Throgmorton interrupted gently. “We can see the Academy now, at this moment, but not later. Visitors are invited in only at certain times.”
    “I can’t leave Sunni.”
    “You do not have to. The Academy is under this very roof. Through that door.”
    Puzzled, Blaise swung himself around to look at the corner Throgmorton was pointing to. “But that’s a painted-on door. Isn’t it?”
    Livia laughed and shook her head.
    Sunni’s heart began thumping. Blaise was right; it was painted to look exactly like a brown-wood paneled door with a brass handle, just like the real door they had entered. What was going on?
    “It is a real door,” smiled Throgmorton. “Come. I cannot wait to show you the Academy.” He led Livia toward the corner, out of Sunni’s view.
    “But —”
    “Only a short visit, Blaise. You will return here before your friend does.”
    “I don’t know. . . .”
    Sunni shook herself into action and entered the Cabinet of Curiosities as Livia’s tinkling voice chided, “Why do you look so worried, Blaise?”
    His face lit up with that besotted grin. “I’m not worried, Livia. Everything’s okay now.” He threw Sunni a cool glance as he deposited his sketchbook in his messenger bag. “Finally. What took you so long?”
    “Hold on,” Sunni spluttered. “I had to go all the way outside, you know.”
    But Blaise had already turned and walked toward Throgmorton and Livia, who gestured for him to leave his slippers behind.
    Somehow while Blaise had turned to talk to Sunni, the painted door had opened. Blaise was following Livia through it, past Throgmorton’s outstretched arm. Sunni shed her slippers and hurried after them, still not quite believing they were walking through what she had thought was only paint on a wall.
    Throgmorton’s arm twitched as she approached, but his face was expressionless. Sunni couldn’t help feeling the tour guide saw her as Blaise’s tiresome sidekick, tolerated but unwelcome.
    She paused before the door, still suspicious of its solid timber and the brass handle. She peered