Chapter 39

The pounding of feet made me turn my head to face the door, and a moment later Archer appeared in the doorway. His eyes widened with astonishment as he saw the aftermath of what we had just attempted to do.

“Jesus! What happened in here?” he asked, but I was too busy panting to answer him. I heard more than saw Zoe and Merrin as they began to rouse themselves from where they were crumbled in heaps on the floor behind me.

“Is everybody okay?” Archer asked.

“I’m fine.” Zoe was the first to speak and so I turned my worried gaze on Merrin as I tried to get a handle on the powerful beating of my heart.

“Merrin?” My voice was little more than a whisper, but as if she heard me, she nodded and propped herself up against the bed.

“I’m alive.” She gasped as though she too was having trouble breathing.

“Are you alright?” Zoe asked, and I watched as she hurried across the room to help the lecturer to her feet.