Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

They all studied Rachel’s stance critically, hoping for a way to help her as she tightened her jaw and tried the move again, still panting from the last failed attempt.

‘Is there anything she’s doing wrong?’ Allie murmured, half turning towards Carter so he could hear her. ‘Is she not planting that leg?’

He shook his head glumly. ‘It’s just conditioning. Strength.’

This time, when Rachel swung, her foot ended up in the correct place, and Nicole feinted to one side, swinging up with her fist, which Rachel blocked.

Allie sagged back with relief. They’d done it.

Looking pleased, Nicole patted Rachel on the shoulder.

‘That was adequate.’ Raj’s tone was dismissive. ‘You must do better.’

But every person in the room knew Rachel couldn’t do better. And Allie had no idea what to do. If she was allowed out in the field in this condition she’d get killed.

Something had to give.



After practice that night, Allie walked out of the dressing room at the same time as Carter and they fell into step together. She cast a sideways look at him. He was looking ahead, frowning to himself, as if thinking about something troubling.

‘What the hell are we going to do about Rachel?’ Allie asked quietly.

Carter shook his head. ‘We’ve tried everything. She needs to drop out, for her own sanity. But she just … won’t.’

‘I wish I knew how to convince her.’ Allie said. ‘But I yelled at her so much at the beginning, now she just dodges me whenever the subject comes up.’ She gave a regretful sigh. ‘And I don’t blame her.’

‘You had your reasons,’ Carter said.

Allie considered this. ‘Sometimes I think I’m not really a people person.’

This surprised a wry chuckle out of him.

‘I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you,’ he said. ‘I don’t like most people and I get along just fine.’

For a while after that, they walked down the narrow basement corridor in companionable silence. The fluorescent strip lights above them buzzed quietly and cast the scene in a greeny-yellow glow.

‘Can I ask you something?’ Allie said.

He shot her a sideways glance. ‘Sure.’

‘Are you scared?’

He arched an eyebrow.

‘About the parley, I mean,’ she said. ‘It’s going to be messed up, right? However much we train and prepare. It doesn’t matter. It’s going to be bad.’

Carter shook his head. ‘Not scared. More like … I’ll be glad when it’s done.’

Allie nodded to herself; that was exactly how she felt.

‘I just wish I knew for certain everyone would be OK,’ she said.

They’d reached the foot of the basement stairs. Carter leaned against the handrail, studying her thoughtfully.

‘You know this isn’t your fault, right?’ he said. ‘All this …’ He waved one hand. ‘It’s not because of you.’

Allie, who very much thought it was her fault, bit her lip.

‘I get what you’re saying but … still. Maybe I could stop it if I just … I don’t know.’ She could hardly bring herself to say the next words. ‘Did what Nathaniel wanted. Joined his side.’

Carter blew out his breath. ‘I knew you were thinking that. I could just sense it.’ He held her gaze. ‘Look, Nathaniel is just using you as a focus point because it drives Lucinda nuts. What he really wants is the school. The organisation. Orion. Everything. He’d be doing this whether you were here or not.’

His words made sense but Allie still couldn’t accept his logic.

‘I get it. But I … feel like I’ve dragged all of you into this.’ She glanced at him and then away. ‘And I hate that. It’s so dangerous—’

‘We’ve all made up our own minds about this, Allie. The same as you. And we can change our minds. Whether or not I go to the parley is my decision, not yours.’ His words were sharp but there was gentleness in his tone. ‘And if something were to happen to me, it would be on me. Not you.’

Allie’s eyes shot up to his. ‘Nothing’s going to happen to you.’

A long look passed between them. ‘OK,’ he said with quiet intensity. ‘Nothing’s going to happen.’

A shock of connection like an electrical current jolted her. Their eyes locked.

She thought she saw something in his gaze – desire. And it made her legs feel strangely weak.

Jump.

A sudden burst of harsh laughter from the corridor made her start and she spun around. But it came from the distance – a group of Night School students further down the hall.

When she glanced back at Carter, whatever she thought she’d seen in his eyes was gone. He just looked a little bored.

With a sigh, he lifted himself off the wall. ‘It’s getting late. I’ve got to go.’

As he loped up the stairs, she flushed, mortified by her own confused thoughts.

I am losing it.





22





Twenty-two





After giving Carter a good head start so she was certain not to run into him again, Allie climbed the stairs to the girls’ dorm deep in thought. In her mind, she replayed their conversation over and over again.

The more she thought about it, the more idiotic she felt.