Page 43 of Stardusted

What…what happened?

The last thing I remembered was walking down the hallway in the anthro wing, searching for?—

“I think she’s awake,” said an unfamiliar feminine voice.

“Er, Raven?”

I recognized those dulcet tones. They could’ve been straight from a BBC literature special. And when I cracked open myeyes and found a concerned gaze behind thick-rimmed glasses, I recognized that, too. Not to mention the tweed.

“Professor Stern?” I croaked. “What…?”

Then it all rushed back.

Everythingslammed into place. Terrifying and impossible. Images straight out of my favorite sci-fi movies.

But it hadn’t been a movie. It’d beenreal.

I gasped and shoved myself upright.

Too fast. The world spun into a colorful blur. Acid swelled in my throat, and my heart rabbit-kicked my ribs.

I’d seen...

WhathadI seen?

I clawed at my sternum, fighting for air. That charred-ash taste—it was everywhere. That and panic. Because none of this could bereal?—

“Careful, Miss Barrister.” A calm female voice broke through my spiral. “You’re experiencing shock. Let’s take it slow. Breathe in and out with me.”

No shit.I was experiencing a hell of a lot more than justshock. But it was either that or start screaming and never stop, so I squeezed my eyes shut and obeyed.

In. Out. Again. Once more.

Gradually, the tightness eased. The trembling lessened enough for me to raise my head.

I blinked, dazed.

An older woman in a blue EMT uniform knelt at my side. Behind her, Professor Stern hovered, his dark skin several shades paler than usual. He was flanked by other professors I half-recognized and a wide-eyed student I’d had a class with once. Firefighters moved in the background, their breathers off, shouting instructions and checking walls.Two police officers stood farther back, one scribbling in a notepad.

But it was the three strangers standing just beyond them who caught my eye: two men and a woman, all in fitted blazers and slacks, not a logo or badge in sight. Beside them, a gray-haired man in military uniform watched me silently, eyes unreadable behind wire-rimmed glasses.

They looked…out of place.

Then again,Iwas out of place.

I blinked again and focused on the crooked bulletin board on the wall across from me.

“Why am I in the anthro hall?” I rasped, glancing between the EMT and Professor Stern. My voice sounded strange. Hoarse, like I had already been screaming. Which checked out. I had the urge to scream again, too.

Because I might be out of place, but I knew this hallway. I was slumped against the wall outside the stairwell I’d first walked down that morning. Dust smeared the walls. The scent of fried plastic and bitter smoke hung in the air. My book bag lay beside me, looking a little worse for the wear. I was sure I did, too.

None of this made sense.

The last thing I remembered?—

I grimaced and pressed my fingers to my temple.No.I knew where I’d been. I’d been in the lab. Thecleanroompast the storage room.

I remembered falling. The lights. The smoke. The sound of everythingbreaking.