Allie nodded. ‘I’m good.’
‘Thank God.’ Isabelle turned to include the other girls in her gaze. ‘Please go on to the common room and wait for me there. I’ve had some tea and sandwiches put out for you – you must be frozen solid.’ She turned to Carter. ‘A word, please?’
As the two walked back down the stairs, talking confidentially, Allie wondered what they were saying.
‘Come on, Allie. You should be inside.’ Grabbing her hand, Zoe dragged her into the grand entrance hall where Nicole waited for them.
Usually dimmed at this hour, the chandeliers were all aglow. It gave the empty hallway an oddly festive feel, like a party to which no one had shown up.
The two guards were still with them – Karen walked well ahead; Peter had dropped behind. When they reached the common room they flanked the doorway – letting the girls in first then closing ranks outside the door.
After hours out in the cold, the deep leather sofas and Oriental rugs looked inviting. A fire crackled merrily in the large fireplace; nearby, a tea tray had been set out piled with sandwiches and biscuits.
Needing no more invitation, Nicole and Zoe dropped into chairs by the fire.
‘This is much better,’ Nicole said, stretching her legs out towards the flames.
But Allie stood just inside the door, staring around her blankly. It was all too civilised and ordinary – as if they’d just come back from a jolly afternoon of ice skating or shopping. She couldn’t make sense of it. There were guards outside the door.
And yet she was starting to believe if Nathaniel wanted to, he could walk right past them.
She was so lost in thought she never heard Carter approach.
‘You OK?’
At the sound of his low voice, Allie’s breath came out in a sigh. When she turned towards him, his dark eyes surveyed her with concern.
The memory of how she’d felt in the training room when he hadn’t come over to say hello came back to her, unbidden and bitter.
I guess it’s OK to be my friend now, she thought dully. Jules isn’t here to see.
‘I’m OK,’ she lied.
‘Raj told me about the note…’ He shook his head, at a loss for words. ‘Are you really fine?’
‘No, I’m not.’ Her voice was thick with emotion. ‘I’m freaking out and I don’t understand any of this. I hate myself for not catching Nathaniel and I hate Raj because he can’t catch him and… I’m just scared. About what’s going to happen next.’ She covered her mouth with one hand as if to shut herself up. ‘I’m sorry. I think it’s all making me crazy.’
Carter shook his head. ‘You’re not crazy. The world is crazy. It’s not our fault. We didn’t make it this way; we just inherited it.’
As she looked into those familiar depthless eyes, her heart ached. She hadn’t realised until this moment how much she’d missed his calm rationality. The way he got her. The way he could calm her down when she lost it.
It still worked. Her lips quirked into a shaky smile. ‘I think the world’s in trouble if we’re the sane ones.’
‘Doomed,’ he agreed, grinning back to her.
Footsteps in the hallway interrupted her thoughts and the moment dissipated as suddenly as it began.
Zelazny, Raj and Isabelle walked into the room together. Their grim expressions made Allie’s stomach tighten.
Motioning for the other students to stay where they were, Isabelle turned to face her. ‘Allie,’ she said. ‘Please come with us.’
THIRTEEN
‘T
here’s nothing new in the note,’ Zelazny said dismissively.
‘I disagree.’ Raj’s voice was low but firm. ‘You have to look beyond the superficiality of words on paper to what he’s really saying. And I think his message has changed.’
They were all crowded into the headmistress’ small office – Isabelle sitting at her desk with Raj and Allie in the chairs facing her. Zelazny stood with his back against the door, arms crossed.
With so many people in it, the room felt hot and stuffy. It smelled faintly of sweat.
‘I’m not sure I see that – what’s the new message?’ Isabelle asked, frowning. With her dark blonde hair loose, she looked younger – more like a student than a headmistress. But her demeanour was authoritative. And angry.
‘The note is addressed to Allie but it was meant for us. He’s telling us he’s about to make his move,’ Raj said. ‘He’s not asking Allie to come to him. He’s asking us to send her to him.’
The room fell silent.
Icy prickles of fear ran down Allie’s spine. Now that Raj had said it, Nathaniel’s underlying message seemed so obvious. He was giving Isabelle a way out. Inviting her to betray Allie and Lucinda.
Giving her one last chance.
Isabelle made an impatient sound. ‘If so, then this was a waste of his time.’