‘We must make it fairer,’ Nicole said. ‘I hate how unfair Orion is. It treats ordinary people like cattle.’
The others nodded.
‘Can we have more real people at Cimmeria?’ Carter looked around the group. ‘Does it have to be people from the same background all the time?’
‘Everyone’s real, Carter,’ Katie reminded him tartly. ‘I didn’t ask to be born into my family, believe me. No one would ask for that. And I want to make things better, too. Just like you.’
He winced. ‘Sorry. That came out wrong. But you know what I mean, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Rachel agreed, dispelling the tension. ‘We want good people. And your bank account is just your bank account. It’s not your worth.’
Allie looked around the circle of familiar faces and wanted to hug everyone. For the first time in a very long time, her heart felt light.
‘This is what Lucinda always wanted,’ she said. ‘She thought Orion was messed up because it was so unfair. Obsessed with last names.’
‘Can we really do this?’ Nicole struck a note of caution. ‘We’re just kids. Will they listen to us?’
‘I can’t promise we’ll get everything we want,’ Allie admitted. ‘But we’ll be part of something. We have a chance.’
Rachel glanced at Allie. ‘If Nathaniel’s keeping Orion as a name, I wonder what the new group will be called?’
‘We need a cool name,’ Zoe said. ‘Like the Avengers. Or the Sisterhood of Pain. We could do it in Latin or something. For the old people.’
Allie opened her mouth to argue but Lucas got there first.
‘I like the Avengers,’ he said unhelpfully.
Katie shot him a withering look. ‘I think it’s taken.’
‘That doesn’t matter,’ Zoe argued. ‘It’s not like there wasn’t someone called Orion before.’
‘All the other groups are like Greek and Roman gods, aren’t they?’ Rachel tapped her forefinger against her lip. ‘Orion, Prometheus, Demeter…’
‘How about Medusa?’ Katie’s tone was dry. ‘I think that one’s free.’
Rachel ignored her. ‘There must be one. A good one…’
Nicole leaned over and whispered something. Rachel’s eyes widened. ‘Oh my God, that’s perfect.’
‘Share, please.’ Katie crooked her fingers.
‘Aurora.’ Rachel took Nicole’s hand. ‘The goddess of the dawn.’
The others fell silent.
‘I love it,’ Allie said.
Even Katie looked pleased. ‘It could be worse.’
Zoe stared at them in disbelief.
‘You think that’s better than the Sisterhood of Pain?’
35
By the time they got back to the school building, work was already underway. Isabelle and the teachers met to discuss the plan and decide how to proceed, while, in London, Julian agreed to take the idea to the rest of Lucinda’s supporters within Orion.
Everything seemed to be happening very quickly, fuelled by concern about Nathaniel and what he might do now. So far, there’d been no word from him. And his silence was somehow chilling.
No one doubted how furious he must be.
Dom was still making sure his communication system was monitored at all times.
They were, in a way, in a race against his revenge.
Despite all this, Allie found it hard to stay on edge. With Carter back and everyone together again, she wanted to let herself be happy. She wanted to go to class and study. To get back to normal.
She wanted it all to be over. It just wasn’t, yet.
That evening, she was walking down the wide main hallway to meet the others in the common room, when she saw Christopher turn into the library.
She followed him in, but kept a distance away, watching as he sat down at a table covered in books. He didn’t notice her standing by the door, as he pulled a book from atop it, and sat down to read it.
After a second, she walked over. ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘Can I join you?’
He looked up and smiled. ‘There you are. I was looking for you earlier.’ He gestured at the seats across from him.
She slid into one.
Christopher wore a Cimmeria uniform now, a white button-down shirt and navy trousers. Seeing her checking out his clothes, he flushed self-consciously.
‘I know, I’m too old to be a student here, but I took what I could find.’ He brushed invisible lint off the leg of the trousers. ‘It’ll do for now, anyway.’
‘It looks good,’ Allie said, honestly. ‘You would have been an awesome Cimmeria student.’
‘Maybe.’ He changed the subject quickly. ‘Hey, I heard everything went well last night, and your friend’s back. Well done.’
‘That’s what I came to talk to you about,’ she said. ‘I wanted to just… thank you. For helping us with the guards, and telling us all you did.’
He held her gaze. ‘I’m glad it helped. And I hope you believe I’m on your side now.’
‘I do,’ she said. And, to her surprise, she really did. Her doubts about her brother had faded every time his information had proven right. Now she was certain he really was trustworthy.