Night School: Legacy

‘Yeah I know, “bitch”,’ Allie snapped. ‘You said that already.’


Adrenaline coursed through her veins like alcohol and she wanted to hit Gabe again and again but Sylvain was pulling her away. He was saying something she couldn’t make out – his voice was faint.

‘What is it?’ she asked, leaning closer to him.

Up close she could really see what Gabe had done to him, and her heart ached – he was bleeding in so many places she didn’t know where a doctor would even start. But then she heard what he’d been trying to say.

‘Run.’ Limping, his breath rasping, he pulled her with him, and they rushed into the darkness.

Sylvain clung to her hand so fiercely it hurt but she didn’t care; she didn’t want to let go of him either. He knew these woods well – he seemed to know exactly where they were all the time, pausing only to wipe the blood out of his eyes. As the saplings whizzed by inches from her body and twigs tore at her hair and clothes, Allie found herself surrendering to the situation – fearless. The further they ran the better she felt. Her muscles were loose and strong – she was powerful. She had a strange desire to laugh.

When they broke through the treeline and sped out on to the smooth grassy lawn in front of the school building she did laugh. They’d made it.

But as they crossed the grass, a cluster of shadows broke loose from the trees and ran into their path.

Their footsteps slowed and Allie looked around, bewildered; Sylvain pulled her closer as the shadows approached them and became people – Raj’s security guards.

They were surrounded.


‘You did what?’ Raj stared at her in disbelief. ‘Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?’

They were crowded into the school’s entrance hall; in one corner, one of Raj’s men tended to Sylvain’s wounds. Others were gathered around openly watching them argue.

‘Yes.’ Her voice was cold. ‘I do.’

He was not mollified; small white lines of rage had appeared beside his mouth. ‘This is the most irresponsible thing I can imagine any student doing. You could have died. Sylvain could have died.’

‘But we’re alive.’ An errant sense of pride made her stand taller. ‘And I want to say right now, this was all my fault. I made Sylvain come with me. He tried to stop me.’

‘Sylvain,’ Isabelle’s voice rang out from the doorway where she stood like an angel of vengeance in a white dressing gown, her hair flowing loose over her shoulders, ‘will take responsibility for his own actions. Raj, Allie, in my office now.’ She pointed at the medic helping Sylvain. ‘Take him to the infirmary.’

‘I’m fine.’ Sylvain struggled to his feet with obvious effort. ‘I’m coming with you.’

‘The infirmary.’ Fury crackled in Isabelle’s voice.

But he didn’t back down. ‘I’m coming with Allie,’ his words were slurred, as if he spoke through a mouthful of ice, ‘Isabelle.’

When he said the headmistress’ name it sounded like a threat. Or a reminder. Puzzled, Allie’s gaze moved back and forth between them.

Closing her eyes, Isabelle took a calming breath. ‘I’d really rather you didn’t haemorrhage in my office. Please do me that favour.’ She snapped her fingers at the medic. ‘Give him a towel. Then you three, with me.’

With Isabelle in the lead they walked down the hall, Sylvain limping beside Allie, and Raj Patel making up the rear guard.

In case we try to flee, Allie thought.

Inside her office, Isabelle handed them bottles of water. Allie poured hers on to the towel and gently dabbed Sylvain’s wounds. Most appeared superficial, but his face was swelling alarmingly; she wondered if Gabe had broken his jaw.

All the while he sat still, stoic. As if the pain didn’t matter. Then suddenly he looked up and their eyes met. Allie’s hand stilled as the enormity of what had happened hit her. He’d nearly died for her tonight. Again.

She searched his eyes as if she could find the answer she sought there.

Why? Why would you risk your life for me?

‘Sylvain, you will see the doctor when you leave this room or as God is my witness I will put you on the next plane to France.’ Isabelle’s angry voice jerked Allie back to reality. She turned to Mr Patel. ‘What do we know?’

‘On-the-ground shift change was at midnight tonight – two members of incoming staff received messages from my phone telling them they weren’t needed.’ His tone was brisk and businesslike. ‘They followed protocol – alerting me via our alternative messaging network. That’s how we knew something was planned for tonight. We trebled our staff and we are certain Nathaniel’s people got nowhere near the building.’

‘Have you identified how many of his people were on the grounds?’ Isabelle asked.

‘We know of three.’

Three. There was another. Allie tried not to think about what would have happened to Sylvain if the third person had stopped her from stabbing Gabe.