Night School: Legacy

‘OK.’ Her voice was dull. ‘I guess I deserve that.’


‘I’d like to say you don’t, but yes, you do.’ Isabelle’s voice was peevish, but when Allie sat staring glumly at her hands, she added, ‘Eat your sandwich.’

Allie took a dutiful bite, avoiding the headmistress’ eyes.

‘There’s something else,’ Isabelle said with a sigh. ‘And you’re not going to like it either.’

Allie swallowed hard. ‘What is it?’

The headmistress rubbed her eyes. ‘We need you to talk to Christopher again. When he next gets in touch with you, you’ll make a date and set a meeting point.’

‘And then you’ll … what? Grab him?’ Allie set her plate down with a clatter. ‘He has people on the inside, Isabelle. He knows everything about me. My grades. Who I’m dating …’ She slid down further in her chair. ‘If he knows that kind of stuff, he’ll know all about your plan. And he’ll use that against us.’

‘We will have two plans.’ Isabelle said the words so quietly Allie almost missed them. ‘One that we tell the staff and senior Night School students. And one that I tell you, Sylvain and a handful of people I trust.’

Allie covered her mouth with the fingers of one hand. ‘Do you know who it is, Isabelle? Who’s working for Nathaniel?’

Isabelle shook her head. The conversation seemed to be ageing her – she looked drawn. ‘I wish I did.’

‘It’s somebody high up, isn’t it?’ Allie said. ‘Somebody close to you.’

‘And to you,’ Isabelle said.

They stared at each other for a long second, the enormity of the situation reflecting back to Allie from Isabelle’s worried eyes. In the corner the kettle ticked as it cooled.

And that’s when Allie decided she didn’t care what Christopher said. She trusted Isabelle. She would side with Isabelle and fight with Isabelle against whatever it was he believed.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Christopher.’

The headmistress regarded her coolly.

‘I couldn’t, Isabelle.’ Allie knew she sounded desperate, but she needed her to understand. ‘I knew what you would do. I knew you’d set him up and grab him, and he’d know I turned him in. I couldn’t do that without talking to him first. I needed to hear what he had to say.’

‘And now?’ Isabelle’s voice was heavy.

‘Now …’ Allie clutched her cup again so tightly she was surprised it didn’t burst. ‘Now I know my brother is gone. I don’t recognise the person who’s replaced him. He’s changed. And I don’t want anything to do with him.’

Isabelle leaned towards her. ‘I care about you, Allie. But you must have faith in me. I know a lot about how Nathaniel works.’ She was close enough for Allie to see the green flecks in her light brown eyes. ‘And I am afraid if you don’t learn to trust me, one day you’re going to get hurt.’


After her meeting with Isabelle, and unable to find Carter anywhere, Allie fled to her room. Exhausted, she fell asleep, and didn’t wake up until it was nearly dinner time.

Just before seven, she was walking down the stairs towards the dining hall when she saw Sylvain walking a short distance ahead. For a split second, her heart leapt and she hurried her pace. Then she saw that he wasn’t alone – Nicole held his arm. Her long dark hair swung with each step and from time to time she glanced over at him, worry clouding her big dark eyes. As Allie watched, Sylvain fell slightly behind her. When Nicole turned to see why he’d slowed, her gaze met Allie’s. Leaning towards Sylvain, she whispered something – he turned to look at her and Allie felt a charge of electricity.

He was the only one who knew what had happened last night. The only one who understood.

She didn’t want to feel like this, but she did.

He said something back to Nicole and they stood still, waiting for her.

Faking a casual smile, Allie waved as if she’d been hoping to see them together and hurried down to them.

‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Sylvain. Oh, hey, Nicole.’ She was pleased her voice sounded normal. ‘Are you feeling better?’

But even as she cheerfully uttered the words, her eyes skittered from wound to wound, silently assessing him. He was covered in cuts and bruises. One eye was still thoroughly swollen, but his jaw looked better – no longer puffy.

‘I’m alive,’ he said. ‘But this is not the best I’ve ever looked.’

Nicole slid her hand down his arm to his hand. ‘I told him it looked like he crashed his motorcycle without a helmet, but he says only that there was a fight and that you helped him.’

Allie tried to imagine him, not in his uniform, but in jeans and a T-shirt, riding an expensive motorcycle. It wasn’t that hard to do.

Sylvain was still watching her. ‘Sit with us at dinner,’ he said.

Allie hesitated. If he was dating Nicole again she didn’t want to be a gooseberry. But Nicole interceded. ‘Yes,’ she said, leading the way. ‘Please do.’