Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

While she understood their motives, she wished they’d given her more credit. And she wished they understood why she’d said yes to the parley. That there was no other way.

After all, it wasn’t like she was completely self-destructive. She knew perfectly well the parley was a trap. And she had no intention of getting caught in it.

Dom was right. Not every trap catches its prey.

Besides, she thought as she passed a team of security guards, right now the school is as much a trap as the parley.

Hell, life’s a trap, when you stop and think about it. No one here gets out alive.

She’d nearly reached the bottom of the staircase when Zoe raced up to her, grabbing her hand.

‘Quick,’ she said, pulling at her. ‘Isabelle wants you.’

‘Oh God.’ Allie sighed. She really wasn’t in the mood for one of Isabelle’s lectures right now. ‘Do I have to?’

Zoe looked at her like she was crazy. ‘Yes.’

Reluctantly, Allie turned towards Isabelle’s office but she didn’t hurry her steps. Every time they’d spoken since the meeting in the chapel, Isabelle had tried to change her mind about the parley. There was no doubt she was in on last night’s plan.

On the ground floor, she made her way down the hallway to the office under the stairs and raised her hand to knock.

The sound of raised voices inside the room stilled her hand. Frowning, she leaned forward to hear what was happening inside.

‘It’s a terrible idea, Lucinda.’ Isabelle’s voice was sharp.

Allie’s heart jumped. Her grandmother was here? Now?

Even with her ear pressed to the door, she couldn’t hear what her grandmother said in reply, her voice was too low. But whatever it was she said made Isabelle angry.

‘She’s a child,’ Allie heard Isabelle say. ‘She should be worrying about her A-levels, not her life. I won’t let you put her through this.’

After that, she lowered her voice, and her words were lost in the thick oak panelling.

Wondering what Lucinda had said, Allie knocked. The conversation inside ceased.

‘Come in,’ Isabelle said after a moment. Her voice had regained its normal air of calm authority.

The door sprang open at Allie’s touch and she hurried in. Everything in Isabelle’s office was in its usual place – the large desk dominating one side, the low file cases and cabinets.

But other than the headmistress, it was empty.

For one perplexed moment, Allie peered into corners as if her grandmother might be hiding behind something.

She cleared her throat. ‘Zoe said you wanted to … see me?’

‘She’s here,’ Isabelle said to her desk.

‘Oh good. Allie, thank you for joining us.’ Lucinda’s voice emerged, thin and tinny, from a mobile phone resting on the green leather blotter in front of Isabelle. ‘I thought it was time we had a chat.’





19





Nineteen





‘Have a seat please,’ Isabelle said.

Feeling oddly nervous, Allie perched on the edge of one of the leather chairs facing the desk and shot her an enquiring look. The headmistress looked as if she wanted to speak but then she stopped herself and instead gestured at the phone.

Even when she wasn’t physically present, Lucinda was in charge.

‘Allie, I hear you’re doing very well, readjusting to Cimmeria life.’ Her grandmother’s powerful voice sounded almost comically small through the phone’s minute speakers. ‘I’m not at all surprised.’

Again Allie’s eyes flitted up to Isabelle’s face, searching for clues as to what was happening here. The headmistress kept her gaze lowered, giving nothing away. But Lucinda’s next statement answered Allie’s unasked question.

‘I’ve asked you here to discuss our plans for the parley with Nathaniel. I understand you have been informed of his requests?’

Allie nodded, then remembered her grandmother couldn’t see her. ‘Yes.’

‘And you think you should come with me?’

Allie hesitated – it sounded like a trick question.

‘Ye-es …’ she said with more caution.

‘You are fully aware of how dangerous Nathaniel is. What he’s capable of. And what he wants,’ Lucinda said. ‘Yet you still want to take this risk? Why?’

Across the desk, Isabelle lifted her golden brown eyes to meet her gaze. Last night’s tense training session flashed into Allie’s mind again. She remembered how sickened she’d felt seeing the knife in Carter’s hand.

Whatever she’d said at the time, and however angry that had made her feel, in some way it had worked. She was much more afraid now than she’d been when she agreed to go to the parley.

And yet she still knew in her heart it was the right decision.

Jump.

‘You’re going to the parley. You’ll be taking a risk,’ Allie reasoned. ‘Why shouldn’t I?’

‘We are not the same,’ her grandmother’s voice said. ‘I am trying to fix a problem I had some hand in creating. You, on the other hand, are purely innocent in this. Each side wants to use you to their own ends.’

Allie saw Isabelle’s eyes widen in surprise.

Each side wants to use you …