‘Isabelle.’ Zelazny said her name with uncharacteristic gentleness. ‘I think you know she’s right. She’s trained and experienced. She’s willing to take this chance. We can protect her.’
The headmistress held his gaze for a long moment, then lowered her head to her hands.
‘I can’t do it, August.’ Her voice grew unsteady. ‘I can’t dig another hole in that churchyard.’
Zelazny paused. When he spoke, his tone was firm. ‘You won’t have to. I promise you that.’
The headmistress let out a long breath and straightened her shoulders. With obvious reluctance she said, ‘If I were to agree to this, when would you want to do it?’
Allie’s heart jumped. She tried to disguise her triumph behind a solemn expression.
‘As soon as possible. But first we’ll need to find out everything we can about him. We don’t even know his name, do we?’ Zelazny glanced at Allie.
‘Yes we do,’ she said, fighting the urge to grin. ‘Christopher said his name is Owen Moran.’
Christopher hadn’t known much about the guards, but Moran had been assigned as his driver for two months.
‘Doesn’t talk much, that guy,’ he’d said. ‘Never told me anything about himself. Seemed angry about something all the time, but I never knew what.’ He’d paused to think. ‘Hell of a good driver.’
Isabelle picked up her pen and wrote it down. She spoke without looking up.
‘I want to be included in every element of this plan.’ Zelazny nodded, as if this went without saying but she was still talking. ‘And I want Dom and her team to find out absolutely everything there is to know about this man. I want to know what he thinks, what he eats, where he sleeps. Nobody goes anywhere to meet anyone until I know him as well as I know you.’
She fixed them both with a steely glare. ‘I don’t like this. Not after everything we’ve been through. But I fear we don’t have any choice. We need to get Carter back, and then get out of this school as fast as we can. It’s time.’
24
When they walked out of her office Allie turned right, to head back to Dom’s office, but before she’d taken a step, Isabelle grabbed her arm with a firm grip.
‘Oh no you don’t,’ she said. ‘You’re exhausted. You’ve hardly eaten or slept all day. I’ve already told Dom and the teachers, now I’m telling you: all students are to get some rest. I’m banning you from work for the next hour, and I’d rather you took three. The staff have left food out in the dining hall for those who missed dinner. I want you to eat and rest. Come back later.’
‘No way.’ Allie stared at her in disbelief. She glanced to Zelazny for help, but he’d already headed down the corridor.
This battle he was leaving her to fight alone.
‘You can’t do this. Not right now.’ In her mind she could still see that red clock, ticking down.
Isabelle was unmoved. ‘I’m giving in on a lot of things Allie. But I’m not having students passing out from exhaustion. Now, go.’ She pointed down the hallway towards the stairs. ‘Eat. Rest.’
Seeing the stubborn look in Allie’s eyes, she sighed and dropped her hand. ‘If Dom needs you I promise we’ll send for you, OK? Now will you go?’
Allie accepted her fate with ill grace. ‘Fine. But I’m only taking thirty minutes.’
The thing was, now that she had a moment to think about it, she was starving. She’d been up since before dawn and she really hadn’t eaten much all day.
In the dining hall, buffet tables had been set up along one wall and stacked with food. Sandwiches and salads, vast bowls of fruit and platters of biscuits were arrayed in a tantalising display.
Copper urns of coffee and tea steamed. Nearby, bottles of energy drinks poked out of frosted silver ice buckets.
It was nearly ten o’clock and the atmosphere had a nervy late-night buzz. Students clustered at tables talking and clutching energy drinks. Guards relaxed nearby, their feet propped up on chairs, steaming mugs of tea at their elbows.
Cimmeria was always at its best when everything was going wrong.
After piling a plate high, Allie turned to look for a place to sit.
The tables had been rearranged for the late-night crowd; no elegant white table cloths or glittering candles at this hour.
A flash of copper and a sudden burst of bell-like laughter drew her gaze to where Katie was sitting with Lucas. They were snuggled close together, whispering and laughing. Allie hadn’t talked to Katie once since she and Sylvain had broken up.
She decided it was time.
‘Hey,’ she said, setting her tray down on their table.
‘Oh.’ Katie looked at her with the distant hauteur of a Persian cat. ‘It’s you.’
Lucas grinned in his usual amiable way. ‘Hey. How’s it going? Ace news about St John’s Fields.’ He cracked his knuckles. ‘Looks like we’re going out.’
‘Don’t do that.’ Katie cast a pointed glance at his hands.
‘Sorry, babe.’ He dropped his hands.
Rolling her eyes, Allie took a bite of her toasted cheese sandwich and tuned them both out. It was the first hot food she’d eaten all day. It melted in her mouth.
With a glance at his watch, Lucas stood and stretched. ‘I want to track down Zelazny. Find out how this is all going down.’
To Allie’s surprise, Katie responded seriously. ‘Go,’ she said. ‘Do what you need to do.’
He brushed his lips against her cheek and then hurried away.
Allie watched as he walked across the room. His long, loping stride reminded her achingly of Carter.
She dropped her gaze to her plate.
‘I heard about the break-up.’
Katie’s words caught Allie off guard. Her mouth went suddenly dry and the sandwich turned to paste in her mouth.
She swallowed painfully.
‘Where did you hear it from? I haven’t told anyone.’
Katie gave her a pitying look. ‘From Sylvain, of course.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ Allie mumbled. ‘Of course.’
‘I want you to know I never told Sylvain anything.’ The redhead took a prim sip of water. ‘He guessed.’
‘How?’ Her appetite now gone, Allie pushed her plate to one side. ‘How did he guess?’
On some level, she thought she already knew. She could imagine every excruciating second of his thought process. But she was tired and feeling guilty.
She wanted Katie to salt her wounds.
‘The way you were acting he knew something was wrong. You were short-tempered. Distant. Changed.’ She toyed with the label on her water bottle. ‘I didn’t tell him, Allie.’
Allie thought of the look on Sylvain’s face, the knowing, hurt look.
She exhaled. ‘I’m glad he figured it out.’
‘What?’ Katie stared.
‘I wanted to break up with him but I kept bottling it,’ Allie admitted. ‘I don’t know how it would have gone if he hadn’t finally broken up with me. I really care about him, Katie. Despite everything. So I’m glad he knows and he can just, like… move on.’ She held her gaze. ‘Look out for him, OK? I know he won’t want to talk to me but… make sure he takes care of himself. That he doesn’t do anything crazy.’
‘Sylvain would never do anything stupid.’ Katie’s tone was prim, although her expression was surprisingly sympathetic. ‘But don’t worry. I’ll make sure he eats something now and then.’
‘Is he…’ Allie cleared her throat. ‘Is he… OK?’
Katie leaned back in her chair with a sigh. ‘Of course not. He’s devastated. He loved you. But he’ll be fine, Allie. You did the right thing.’
Those were five words Allie never expected to hear Katie Gilmore say. The two of them exchanged a look of quiet understanding.
‘Allie! There you are.’ Rachel ran into the room with Nicole at her side. ‘Isabelle banned us from working. I thought you might be banned, too.’
Rachel’s wavy hair had been clipped back loosely, but curls escaped to frame her heart
-shaped face. She looked happy.
The two slid into seats next to Allie.
‘I never thought I’d say this… But I’m tired of those computers.’ Rachel glanced at Nicole who took a bite from a perfectly round apple. ‘I need a break.’
‘Personally, I cannot wait for Raj to come back and tell us we can go get Carter.’ Nicole’s French accent was like a silky blanket over every word. ‘I’m ready to go in today.’ She leaned back, her long hair draped over the back of her chair. ‘I hate waiting.’
With her dark hair, rosy cheeks and creamy pale skin, Nicole had never looked more like Snow White. Her beauty appeared so unconscious – she never seemed to really think about it. But she looked amazing – perfect figure, perfect oval face.
Why did she and Sylvain never get together? Allie found herself wondering, as she had many times before. Why me instead of her?
Nicole swallowed a bite of apple and met Allie’s gaze. ‘I hear you met with Isabelle earlier – does she think we’ll really be able to do it? Will we get Carter back?’
Allie didn’t hesitate. ‘We’re getting him back.’
Katie’s green eyes glittered. ‘The thing I don’t understand is what happens then?’
Allie fell silent. She’d never told the others about the plan she and Isabelle had concocted. In fact, she and Isabelle rarely spoke of it. They’d both tacitly agreed that all their energy was on getting Carter back. They’d worry about tomorrow when it arrived.
She wanted to tell them. She wanted them to know there was a plan. To start over somewhere safe.
But was this really the time?
She was still trying to decide when Nicole gave an elegant shrug.
‘Well,’ the French girl sighed, ‘we will not solve it tonight. We need a distraction. Rachel and I are going for a walk. We have to get out of this building.’ She glanced at Allie and then looked away. ‘Sylvain and Zoe are coming with us. You could come too…’
Katie met Allie’s gaze and arched one eyebrow.
‘No thanks,’ Allie said. ‘I’ve got to go back upstairs for something… in a minute.’
Everyone at that table knew she was lying.
‘If you change your mind, seriously… come if you want,’ Rachel urged her. ‘It would be fine.’
No it wouldn’t, Allie thought.
She wondered if there would ever be a time when she and Sylvain could be in the same room together without it all being a confusing, tense mess.
‘I might come out in a bit,’ Katie said, waving a hand at the room around them. ‘I’m sick of this place.’
Nicole and Rachel left a few minutes later, walking in perfect sync, their heads close together.
As she watched them go, Katie sighed. ‘They’re so cute.’
Bemused, Allie shrugged. ‘I guess.’
‘What?’ Katie blinked. ‘You don’t think they’re basically the cutest couple at Cimmeria right now? Honestly, Allie. What’s the matter with you?’ With an indulgent smile, she glanced back to where the two were just disappearing through the door. ‘I think they’re adorable.’
At first, Allie couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
‘What do you…?’
Her voice trailed off.
Then, with the sudden impact of a hammer strike, Katie’s words made sense. Complete and absolutely stunning sense.
Katie’s gaze floated from the door to her, and stopped. Her eyes widened.
‘Oh Allie. Come on.’ She didn’t even try to hide her disbelief. ‘You can’t not know this. Rachel is your best friend.’
Mute, Allie just shook her head. Blood rose to her cheeks.
Because she hadn’t known.
‘I don’t understand.’ Katie watched her with dismay. ‘Everyone knows. How can you not know? They’re “Cimmeria’s Adorable Lesbian Couple™”.’
She made air quotes around the words.
‘I mean, everyone always knew about Nicole, of course. Although I have to say Rachel was a bit of a surprise.’ She tapped a nail against her chin as she considered Rachel’s sexuality as if it was a menu option in an expensive restaurant. ‘But they’ve been together for… I don’t know. Months.’
Allie couldn’t believe this was happening. Had Rachel intentionally deceived her? Had she hidden it?
Or was I just a self-absorbed idiot?
Across the table, Katie was still working through the puzzle of Allie’s ignorance. ‘I guess we all just assumed you knew about Nicole. Especially after that kiss.’
Allie’s head jerked up. When she didn’t speak, Katie shot her an exasperated look.
‘Remember? During Truth or Dare? God, Allie. Do you just sleepwalk through your whole life?’
A sudden memory flooded into Allie’s mind: a bonfire, Nicole’s unexpected embrace, all soft lips, expensive perfume and long hair.
It had never once occurred to her that Nicole hadn’t kissed her solely to shock people. That she might have just… wanted to kiss her.
Katie was still looking at her as if she should be explaining herself, but she didn’t know what to say.
Yes, we kissed but I thought it was a game?
It was all coming together now. Rachel and Nicole, always together. Rachel and Nicole holding hands. Nicole’s protectiveness of Rachel in Night School. The laughter she’d heard from Rachel’s bedroom.
It was so obvious.
Her face felt hot. Her eyes had begun to burn with unshed tears.
How could I be so stupid?
Katie was watching her piece it together. ‘You two have never talked about this?’
Allie shook her head.
‘And you never noticed…?’
She never said a word.
A tear rolled down Allie’s cheek, warm at first but leaving coldness in its wake. She felt so stupid. So betrayed.
Everyone knew.
‘I have to go,’ she whispered and stood so suddenly her chair screeched against the polished wood floor.
‘No, Allie, wait…’ Katie began. But Allie was running away even as the words left her mouth.
In the quiet of the formal hallway, she stopped, uncertain where to go. She couldn’t go outside. She might run into them. Then she’d have to explain how unbelievably stupid and naive she was. In front of Sylvain. Who hated her.
She didn’t understand how Rachel could keep this from her. This was huge. Best friends don’t keep secrets like that.
Best friends trust you.
Don’t they?
‘There’s something going on in my life…’ Rachel had said once. ‘I’m going through something…’
But you didn’t bloody tell me, did you?
Allie gave an involuntary choking sob.
A trio of guards were approaching, and she spun around to face the wall. She didn’t want them to see her tears.
They ambled by without glancing at her.
When they were out of sight, Allie wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. She couldn’t stay here, standing like a complete loser in the hallway with tears running down her face.
She ran up the grand staircase, taking the stairs two at a time. Then up another flight to the girls’ dorm, quiet at this hour.
When she reached her room she didn’t bother to turn on the light. She felt her way across the room and scrambled up on to her desk, shoving books and papers out of her way. The desk lamp fell to the floor with a crash.
Flipping the latch up, she pushed the shutter-like window open so hard it banged against the wall, and let the fresh air wash over her damp face.
Outside, the moon was nearly full, casting everything in a wash of blue. It was a cool night.
For a second, she just sat there, letting herself weep.
She felt dangerous – a volatile cocktail of pain and anger and exhaustion frothed inside her. She wanted to break things.
She needed to breathe.
Most of all, she wanted Carter. She wanted to run across the roof to his room. Tell him
everything. Have him help her piece it all together, calm her down. If he was here she’d know what to do.
But he wasn’t. She was all alone.
Still. That didn’t mean she had to sit here.
She slid to the edge of the desk and, without hesitation, swung her legs out the window, into the void. Then she climbed out onto the ledge.
She stood there for just a moment, clinging to the window frame, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark.
Far below, she could hear voices and laughter, floating up to her on the breeze.
The sound made her flinch. What if Katie had run out and told the others how stupid she was? That could be them, laughing at her now.
Some rational part of her knew that wasn’t logical – that Rachel would never laugh at her, but she was too upset now to think reasonably.
It hurt so much.
She began to make her way across the roof, sliding her feet along the narrow ledge too quickly to be safe. Her vision blurred with tears but she didn’t slow.
She walked recklessly, letting her feet find their way.
The first window she passed was Rachel’s. The lights were off – the room behind the windowpane, dark.
You didn’t tell me. She imagined shouting those words at her. Why didn’t you tell me? Did you really think something like that would change our friendship? Don’t you know me at all?
‘You should have trusted me,’ she whispered, touching the cool glass of Rachel’s window.
Hurriedly, she moved on, one foot and then the other, half wishing something bad would happen. Wishing she’d be hurt.
But her steps were sure; she’d done this many times.
When she reached the point where the roof dipped down, she remembered the night Sylvain pulled her up.
But she didn’t need a boy to help her. She was strong.
She didn’t need anyone.
Grabbing the sturdy lead drainpipe she pulled herself with easy grace onto the slate tiles.
She didn’t slip. Didn’t lose her balance.
She was just fine.
She climbed up the sharp peak to where one of the towering chimneys thrust up into the sky. There, finally, she stopped.
The breeze ruffled the pleats of her skirt against her bare thighs and blew strands of her hair into her eyes. She pushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ears, letting the wind cool her face.