Flushing, Allie dropped her gaze. ‘Bloody Rachel. I knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret.’
‘My mother would be so jealous.’ Katie sounded almost wistful. ‘I do wish we were still speaking so I could tell her. She’d just love to have you to dinner then. Or for dinner. Whichever. Envy is her main character flaw. And mine, to be fair.’ She turned stern, lowering a glare at Allie. ‘Why should you have a title if I don’t?’
For a split second, Allie wondered if she was serious, but then the redhead grinned again.
‘Oh, I forgot. Because my mum used to be a receptionist at one of my dad’s companies. That’s why. She’s new money all the way. God, she’d hate that I’ve told you that.’ She settled more comfortably on the sofa. ‘I really must try and think of more scandalous things about her to tell you.’
Allie had to laugh at that. She was starting to like this new, mischievous Katie.
‘I can’t believe you’re being so nice to me.’
Katie didn’t blink. ‘I can’t believe you’re letting me. Why aren’t you snapping my head off?’
‘I don’t know,’ Allie admitted. ‘I guess it’s like you said – there are other people to fight with right now.’
They studied each other for a moment, considering this new alliance. Then Katie grew more serious. She leaned forward, lowering her voice. Allie noticed the chess players had departed at some point without her realising it.
‘Look, Allie. This meeting. If Lucinda wants Nathaniel to back off … it won’t work. You need to be ready for that.’
The warmth in Allie’s chest faded, replaced by the familiar chill of apprehension.
‘Why not?’
‘Because the wheels are in motion,’ Katie said. ‘The board is so behind Nathaniel now, I don’t think he could stop this thing if he tried. They want what he wants. And these people – my parents and their friends – they’ll stop at nothing.’
On some level, Allie had already suspected this. But hearing it said aloud was still shattering. If Katie was right, there was no hope.
‘Are you telling me you think this is all over?’ Her voice was barely above a whisper. ‘There’s no way Lucinda can win?’
Katie’s nod was reluctant but Allie saw no doubt in her expression. ‘I think Lucinda and Isabelle know it, too. They’re just trying to slow the process.’
‘So we’ve lost already.’ Allie felt bleak.
Losing had always been unthinkable. They didn’t have a plan for failure. Suddenly she had to imagine a situation in which they were all homeless. With no family to turn to. No future. And it was awful.
‘I don’t understand. Why would Lucinda go through with this if it’s hopeless?’
Katie’s green eyes studied her with curious kindness. ‘There are different ways to lose, Allie. Sometimes you lose and it’s a sort of victory. I think that’s what she wants.’
‘How?’ Allie was baffled. How could losing be anything other than failure?
‘We are fighting for a lot of things here. For the school, Orion, the board, power, money …’ Katie ticked the items off on her fingers like a shopping list. ‘Lucinda cares about some of them more than others. If she loses control of one, can she gain control somewhere else? If she loses the school, can she find another place? If she loses Orion, can she gain power in another organisation? She needs to hold out long enough to stop Nathaniel from getting what he really wants. This is strategy.’
For some reason Allie found herself thinking about her old life. Before Cimmeria. The way her parents always took their work so seriously. Leaving every morning at seven and not returning until dinnertime. How every little thing that happened in their offices had to be discussed, analysed.
They weren’t poor. They actually had things pretty good compared to some people. But everything mattered.
By comparison, this, treating power and wealth like it was one of those giant chess games you see on holiday – move a pawn here, a king there – seemed garish. Irrational.
Insane.
She forced herself to ask one last question. ‘If she can’t win, what is Lucinda trading Jerry for?’
Katie didn’t hesitate. ‘Time. She needs to buy some time to decide how to lose without losing everything.’
30
Thirty
‘I just don’t see the point.’ Rachel slammed her book shut with a bang. Nicole and Allie stared at her in surprise. ‘And I hate that I can’t see the point in studying. Because I love studying.’
It was Sunday afternoon and they were in the library. They had the room to themselves. Even Eloise wasn’t there today. So they weren’t bothering to be quiet.
‘Come on, Rachel. You can’t give up on normal life.’ Nicole’s delicate French accent made normal life sound dazzling. ‘No matter what happens.’
Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)
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