He nodded to himself, biting his bottom lip. ‘Thing is,’ he said after a second, ‘nobody went back to business as usual, Allie.’
She hadn’t expected that.
‘What do you mean?’ she asked, her brow creasing.
‘I mean, everything changed. I guess nobody told you because they knew you… needed space or whatever.’ He plucked a dead leaf from the tree, avoiding her gaze. ‘But we’ve been having loads of meetings about it. All Night School training has changed, too. They are looking for the spy – everyone’s completely paranoid about it. And Raj tracked Gabe and Nathaniel everywhere they’ve been.’ He shook his head and his gaze glanced off hers. ‘You know Raj is Batman, right?’
‘So wait.’ Allie needed him to get back to the point. ‘Are you saying all this stuff has been happening but nobody told me?’
Carter’s expression was hard to read. ‘Isabelle said you weren’t ready yet. You needed to grieve.’
Allie’s jaw was so tight it was difficult to speak.
‘I’ve grieved enough,’ she said. ‘Now I’m ready to make Nathaniel pay.’
NINE
Allie’s classes went more smoothly that day – students paid less attention to her, and the lessons began to make a tiny amount of sense.
In her free moments she thought about what Carter had told her. Why hadn’t Isabelle ever mentioned what they were doing? She tried to remember anything the headmistress had said about tracing Jo’s attacker, finding the spy. But all she could recall was being told not to worry about it. That it was under control.
But as afternoon turned into evening, and evening into night, she grew increasingly jittery. She was about to find out for herself – her Night School training started that night.
When she joined Rachel and Zoe in the library after dinner, nerves gnawed at her stomach and it was hard to focus on Rachel’s chemistry tutoring.
‘You’re not paying, like, a huge amount of attention,’ Rachel complained when Allie stumbled over the same problem for the third time.
‘Soz.’ Allie dropped her pencil with a sigh. ‘Maybe I just need to do something else for a while and come back to this. My brain is tired.’
Across the table, though, Zoe gave a significant look. Allie glanced at her watch – it was nearly nine. Time to get ready.
‘Actually,’ she said, pushing back her chair, ‘I think I’m just knackered.’ She began gathering her books. ‘I guess I’ll have an early night and start fresh tomorrow.’
Rachel gave a sympathetic nod. ‘Probably a good idea. You do look worn out.’
‘I have to go too.’ Zoe jumped to her feet. ‘I’m way ahead with my work, anyway.’
As they hurried out, guilt nibbled away at Allie’s battered conscience. Lying to Rachel felt wrong. Their friendship was being re-forged link by link – deception made it seem more fragile.
Outside the library door, Zoe stopped. ‘I’m going upstairs to drop my books first. Want to come?’
But Allie just wanted to get on with it and she shook her head. ‘I’ll meet you down there.’
After Zoe dashed up the stairs to the girls’ dorm, Allie made her way down the grand hallway, her heart in her throat. She could do this. She could go back to Night School and not screw it up this time.
She was so lost in thought she didn’t hear footsteps. Turning a corner, she ran headlong into someone coming the other way. Their shoulders collided with a jarring thud that sent a quick sharp pain down Allie’s side.
‘Ouch. Bugger… I mean, sorry.’ Allie reeled back clutching her arm. Only then did she see who she’d crashed into.
‘Did I hurt you?’ Sylvain’s blue eyes surveyed her with concern.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, flushing, although she wasn’t entirely certain that was true.
When he saw the way she held her arm, his brow furrowed. ‘Merde. I did hurt you.’
He reached for her shoulder as if he could fix her then thought better of it and dropped his hands. ‘I’m sorry, Allie. I was in a hurry – I didn’t see you.’
‘It’s not that bad,’ she mumbled. Looking up, she met his vivid gaze. ‘I don’t think you broke me.’
‘I can’t believe I was so clumsy. I’m just late for…’ He gestured down the hall to where the door leading down to the basement yawned open.
‘I’m going there too,’ Allie said.
His eyes widened. ‘You’re back in it again? When did this happen?’
She shrugged, as if Night School was no big deal. ‘It’s part of my punishment.’
His eyes swept across her face – although he didn’t mention it, she got the feeling he was surprised she was talking to him. She’d been diligently avoiding him since the night of the winter ball.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him. She just hadn’t known what to say. Their kiss that night had been so epic – so intense. Just thinking about it made her heart flutter.
But then Jo died. And the world changed overnight.
That night she learned Nathaniel would kill the people she cared about. That night she’d decided to try not to care about anyone ever again.
‘It must be hard for you after everything that happened,’ he said. ‘Are you ready?’
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But I have to do it. For her.’
He nodded as if he’d expected nothing else. ‘I would do the same.’
Her eyes darted up to his. ‘You would?’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘It’s the only way. You have to get strong and you have to fight. And win.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, meaning it. ‘That helps.’
When he smiled it softened his sharp features, making him look boyish – less sophisticated. Sometimes he seemed so grown-up it was easy to forget he was only sixteen.
Then he glanced at his watch and the smile faded.
‘We will both be late, I’m afraid,’ he said. ‘I have to run upstairs first.’
‘Of course,’ Allie said, taking a step away.
‘Allie…’
She looked up at him enquiringly but he seemed to change his mind.
‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘See you down there.’
He sped away with the smooth gait of a panther.
Alone, Allie made her way downstairs. The once-familiar basement steps had never looked grimier or less inviting. And the walk down that dingy, narrow corridor had never seemed lonelier. She was relieved when she reached the girls’ dressing room.
The big square space was mostly empty – only a handful of girls were getting ready, most already in their black Night School training gear.
In one corner, she saw Nicole, still in her school uniform. As she flipped her long dark hair up into a ponytail, their eyes met. Nicole didn’t seem surprised to see her – or if she was, she hid it well.
‘So, are you ready to return to the meat grinder?’ Her French accent made ‘meat’ sound like ‘met’.
‘Is that what we’re calling it now?’ Allie forced a smile.
‘It is an appropriate name, n’est ce pas?’
Nicole’s bitter tone perfectly reflected the way Allie felt. A bit brave. A bit angry.
The two of them had only got to know each other at the end of last term but Allie had quickly started to like her. She was far too pretty – small and slim, with huge brown eyes – but she didn’t seem to be afraid of anything.
‘Good point.’ Allie walked over to a hook with ‘Sheridan’ stencilled above it in neat square letters. Hanging from it were black leggings, two snug-fitting long-sleeved tops – one for inside, one for outside – and a zip-up jacket. Stacked on the wooden bench below were sturdy waterproof running shoes, a black knitted hat and thermal gloves.
She wondered if it had all been there the whole time she’d been out of Night School. Just waiting for her to come back.