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I stepped away from Tomus, but I hesitated before turning my back on him in order to pick up my bag. When I straightened, we were alone in the lecture hall. He hadn’t moved from his spot where Nedra shoved him.

“It’s not right,” Tomus said, a grim set to his jaw. “She comes in a year behind us, is bumped to the best class, and then steals the professor from us. From the rest of us, I mean.”

“It’s not her fault,” I said. “Nedra doesn’t make Master Ostrum’s decisions for him.”

He watched me for a moment, not speaking, but so intent that I felt too awkward to leave.

“My father hates your father,” he said finally.

“I’m... sorry?” I said, confused by the change in conversation.

“He always said Linden Astor was useful because of his connections and power, but that he would use anyone and anything to get ahead. You’re not like him.” He paused. “But you’re still going to get ahead.”

“That’s not what this is about.”

“That’s what everything is about.”

I started for the door.

“Are you coming to my party tonight?” Tomus said, holding me back.

“I don’t know,” I said warily. I’d been planning on it, but after this morning...

“Come.” Tomus sounded sincere. “Bring your little girlfriend.”

“She’s not my—”

Tomus tensed, as if my denial was a personal insult.

“Come,” he said again, his voice brooking no argument.

•••

I found Nedra in the library. She was in the restricted section, where the oldest records were kept.

“Whew,” I said, sitting down beside her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought you might be at the hospital and that I’d missed you.” I spoke in a whisper not because we were in the library, but becausethe books were so ancient looking I worried they would fall apart if I breathed too hard.

Nedra wore white cotton gloves as she carefully turned the page of a book bound in cracked and flaking leather. “I’m going there after lunch,” she said.

I should go with her. I knew I should. I couldn’t recognize the twisting reluctance in my gut to stay on campus. Was it fear? My father’s prejudice rang in my ears:They need soap. I shook my head. Dirt was not a virus.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Research.” Nedra did not look up from her book, but I couldn’t see how there were any answers for a new disease in a book as old as that.

“So,” Nedra said, leaning back from the tome. “Are you going to ask me to Tomus’s party?”

I blinked several times. “I—you know about that?”

“I heard the others talking. Although I doubt Tomus wants me there, not after this morning.”

“He does,” I said slowly. “He said he does.”

“Then he’s either planning something horrible for me, or he wants to suck up to me as he thinks I may be useful to him in the future.”