“The Forbidden Book”

“You brought that to work?”

Tash’s whisper is urgent as she snatches the book from my hand and shoves it under a pile of papers.

“Hey! Give it back!” I hiss, grabbing for the book. Tash just shakes her head and pushes it farther away from me.

“No. Do you know what would happen if Henri caught you with this?”

“If I caught you with what?” My boss’s deep voice cuts through the air like a knife. I sit up at attention, trying not to shake, as Henri’s piercing gaze shifts between me and Tash.

“N-nothing.”

But my eyes betray me. They flicker to the pile of papers before returning to Henri’s face. His face contorts into a scowl as he knocks Tash’s hand to the side and begins rifling through the papers. His hand stills when it lands on the glistening green cover.

When his eyes return to mine, they’re glimmering with rage.

“You. Dare. Bring. This. Here?” His voice is a low whisper, but he might as well have been shouting from the intensity behind his words.

“I—”

Tash throws me a panicked warning glance. Don’t, she mouths.