Conrad Edison and the Anchored World (Overworld Arcanum Book 2) by John Corwin

special," Lily replied, a hint of jealousy in her voice. Her eyes narrowed. "I'd be interested to see your written exam score, Conrad."
    "Let's go, let's go," Harris said impatiently. "I want some more cake."
    I took a step back. "Please go without me. I have to catch up with my friends."
    Harris and the Baxter froze in place, eyes wide, mouths hanging open.
    "We're your new friends," Harris said in a querulous voice.
    "Maybe we can become friends," I said. "But Max and Ambria are my true friends, and if Baxter can't be nice, then I can't be friends with him."
    "And to think I thought you were smart," Harris said. "Do you know how many people want to be our friends?"
    "I want to be your friend." I looked at Baxter. "But Baxter is ruining it for you." Before they could reply, I turned and ran after Ambria and Max.
    When I exited the building, I saw Ambria racing toward the forest near the cliff overlooking the valley and ran after her. When I finally caught up, she was already talking to Max.
    "There you are," I said.
    She flicked her head toward me. "I thought you were hanging out with your new friends."
    I walked up to Ambria. "After all we've been through, what makes you think I'd abandon you just like that?"
    Max grinned. "Well, hey, at least you get to be friends with a loser like me."
    "You're not a loser, Max." I bit my lower lip and stared back at the university. "How do you think you did on the written exam?"
    He shrugged. "I knew everything on there, or at least I thought I did." He shook his head. "I must've failed the psychological scenario, or done something wrong on the final trial."
    "I assume you performed the candle test?" Ambria asked.
    He nodded. "Took me two minutes."
    "Something's not right." I motioned them to follow. "Let's ask to see your written test."
    Blue stood outside the entrance. Her eyes brightened when she saw us and she loped over. "Hey, I was looking for you, Conrad."
    I took a step back and gulped. "Oh? What about?"
    She frowned. "I was looking around in the front hall for you when I heard that awful Baxter kid talking about Max."
    Max looked down. "Yeah, he doesn't like me much."
    "Oh, well it's worse than that." Her eyes darkened. "He said he switched your test for one he filled out with the wrong answers."
    "He what?" Max shouted. "I'm going to beat the—"
    "Maxwell Tiberius, you will not get into a fight," Ambria said. "Somehow we need to get your real test."
    "That explains why he was following me so close when I went to turn in my test," Max said. "I heard him laughing when I left the room."
    "Professor Grace didn't see him?" Ambria asked.
    Max shook his head. "He was busy handing out tests to other students." A hiss escaped his clenched teeth. "I hate Baxter."
    "Do you think he threw away the real test somewhere?" I asked Blue.
    She quirked her lips. "Well, I didn't see him showing off anything to the others, so I'd bet he did."
    "Oh no." Max's eyes widened. "We have to find the right rubbish bin before the golems empty it."
    "Let's start at the classroom and look around," I said.
    We dashed inside and found the first rubbish bin next to the examination room. I lifted off the lid and dug through the crumpled papers inside. We sorted through candy wrappers, soda bottles, and other odds and ends, but found no test papers inside.
    Ambria looked up and down the hall. "Baxter probably went to eat next like the rest of us."
    Max sighed. "Let's go."
    The dining hall had two bins outside the door and none inside.
    "I hope he didn't leave it on his dinner plate," Max said. "If he did, it's probably gone for good."
    Blue sniffed around the containers. "I got Baxter's scent when I was close to him. I don't smell him on these containers."
    "How can you tell his smell from the rest?" I said. "Dozens of students have been through here."
    "He uses soap that smells like lilacs," she said.
    Ambria wrinkled her nose. "Are you certain you didn't smell that on a girl? Boys don't use lilac-scented