‘Very few people know this, Allie – the Night School instructors know about the tech but they don’t know about the change in instruction for the guards. Only Raj and I and his guards know. And now you.’
‘But… I don’t… Why…?’ Allie wanted to ask why Isabelle had her followed. Why no one had warned her this might happen. Why she’d been left so exposed when she’d trusted Isabelle to look out for her.
The headmistress thought she was asking something else. ‘We haven’t allowed technology – computers, phones, anything – since Nathaniel hacked our system five years ago. He gained access to all our files, student records, instructor information, Night School plans, guards’ names and addresses, schedules – everything.’
‘So why change now?’ Allie asked dully. She wasn’t sure she cared. But it seemed the obvious question.
‘A recent Cimmeria graduate is a tech designer – young and innovative. He says this system is hack-proof. And after what happened with Jo and you… We knew things couldn’t continue as they were. We had to find a better system. That’s why the guards patrol less frequently. That’s why you don’t see them as much. They’re trying a different tactic. And so far it’s working.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Allie searched Isabelle’s face for clues that she’d done this out of malice, but all she found was weariness.
‘No one knows. And I’d like to keep it that way. Until we know who the spy is, I need you to promise me you will tell no one about this. And I do mean no one – not Carter, not Rachel. No one.’
Allie felt blindsided. Isabelle was asking her to betray her friends. The people who’d got her through the last few months. Who’d stuck by her when she’d melted down after Jo’s death. Who’d been dragged into hell because of her family.
‘I can’t do that,’ Allie said. Isabelle’s breath caught but Allie didn’t give her a chance to speak. ‘I’m sorry, Isabelle. I just can’t. Those days are over. I’ll decide who I trust from now on.’
‘You could be making a very big mistake…’ Isabelle said. But then the first student walked into the room, glancing at them curiously as he made his way to his desk.
Her eyes alight with disapproval, Isabelle straightened. But when she spoke her tone was as calm and professional as if they’d just been discussing Allie’s marks.
‘I need you to come to my office after classes today so we can discuss this further.’
‘I can’t.’ Allie spoke without thinking. ‘I’ve got a meeting with…’
Her voice trailed off. She was supposed to meet the others to talk about their plans. She couldn’t tell Isabelle that… could she?
Isabelle’s reply was sharp. ‘“Can’t” is not a word I want to hear from you right now, Allie. I’ll expect you there.’
As the headmistress strode away, her shoulders stiff, Allie sighed. The others would have to meet without her.
Still, when her classes ended that day, Allie didn’t head straight to Isabelle’s office. Instead, she intercepted Rachel in the hallway of the classroom wing.
‘Help me,’ Allie said. ‘I have big problems and I need you to solve them.’
‘Have you been doing calculus again?’ Rachel asked sympathetically.
‘It’s worse than that.’ Allie lowered her voice. ‘It’s Isabelle. And other things.’
‘Boy things?’ Rachel said hopefully.
When Allie nodded, Rachel’s warm brown eyes lit up. ‘At last! Interesting problems worth discussing.’ She steered Allie down the corridor. ‘Walk this way. The doctor is in.’
As they picked their way through hallways teeming with students, Allie spoke in quick quiet tones. She told her the basics about her meeting with Isabelle, leaving out the bit about the new security system and the spying it involved. That could wait.
‘She didn’t tell you anything else useful?’ Rachel asked. ‘Like where’s Eloise? And who else do they suspect?’
Allie shook her head. ‘Not much. We ran out of time. Anyway, she was more about the shouting and the threatening.’
‘That’s always nice.’ Smoothly, Rachel dodged a junior student running straight at her. ‘Everyone likes a bit of threatening.’
Watching the boy run laughing back to his friends, Allie envied his freedom to just be a kid. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt that innocent and happy.
‘Totally,’ she said, her tone weary.
It had been a long day already, and she still had to go and talk to Isabelle again. Allie pressed her fingertips against her forehead.
‘Are you sure she didn’t say anything else bad?’ Rachel watched her with concern. ‘You look like someone punched you. Did she punch you?’
‘No one hit me,’ Allie said. ‘Not, like… physically, anyway. Look, I should go…’
‘Oh no, you don’t. We haven’t talked about boys yet.’