They were all subdued as they escorted Iliana back to classes. The quietest of all was Keller.
She had overreacted, let her animal senses throw her into a panic. It wasn't the first time in her life. The first time in her life had been when she was about three... but better not to think about that. Anyway, it wasn't even the first time in her career as an agent for Circle Daybreak.
An agent had to be ready for anything at any moment. Had to have radar running, in front, in back, and on all sides, all the time, and be prepared to react instinctively at the slightest stimulus. If that sometimes caused mistakes-well, it also saved lives.
And she wasn't sorry. If she had to do it over, she'd do it again. Better one nice brown-haired girl scared than Iliana hurt. Better, Keller thought with
bleak defiance, one nice brown-haired girl killed than Iliana in the hands of the enemy. Iliana represented the future of the entire daylight world.
But...
Maybe she was getting too old for this kind of job. Or maybe too jumpy.
Iliana sat moodily during afternoon classes, like a fairy who'd lost her flower. Keller noticed Winnie and Nissa being extra vigilant-just in case their boss got preoccupied. She flashed them a sarcastic look. "You waiting for me to slack off?" She poked Nissa in the ribs. "Don't hold your breath."
They smiled, knowing they'd been thanked.
And Galen...
Keller didn't want to think about Galen. He sat quietly but intently through each class, and she could tell his senses were expanded. He didn't try to speak to her, didn't even look at her. But Keller noticed that every so often he rubbed his palm against his jeans.
And she remembered the way his hand had pulled back from her shoulder. As if he'd touched something hot.
Or something repulsive...
Keller gritted her teeth and stared at various blackboards with dry and burning eyes.
When the last bell finally rang, she made the whole group wait in the chemistry classroom while the school emptied out. Iliana watched and silently steamed as her friends all left without her. Even the teacher packed up and disappeared.
"Can we go now?"
"No." Keller stood at the second-story window, looking down. All right, so I'm a tyrant, she thought. A nasty, unsympathetic, whip-wielding dictator who jumps on innocent girls and won't let people out of school. I like being that way.
Iliana wouldn't argue. She stood rigidly a few feet away, looking out the window herself but refusing to acknowledge Keller's presence.
Finally, Keller said, "All right. Nissa, get the car."
Galen said, "I'll do it."
The answer to that, of course, was, "No way." But Galen was going on.
"It's something useful I can do. I've been standing around all day, wishing I was trained at something. At least driving I can handle. And if anybody comes after me, I can run fast."
The answer to that was still no. But Keller couldn't bring herself to say it, because she couldn't bring herself to face him for a long debate. She was afraid of what she might see in the depths of those gold-green eyes.
It would be funny if she'd managed to turn the prince of the shapeshifters off from shapeshifting altogether. Wouldn't it?
"Go on," she said to Galen, still looking down onto the circular driveway in front of the school. After he had gone, she said to Nissa, "Follow him."
That was how everyone happened to be where they were in the next few minutes.
Keller and Iliana were at the window, staring out at a cool gray sky. Winnie was at the door to the chemistry room, watching the hallway. Galen was a floor beneath them somewhere inside the school, and Nissa was a discreet distance behind him. And standing beside the circular driveway, obviously waiting for a ride, was a girl with familiar brown hair. She was reading a book that didn't look like a textbook.
Jaime.
It all happened very fast, but there were still distinct stages of warning. Keller was aware of them all. The first thing she noticed was a blue-green car that cruised down the street in front of the high school. It was going slowly, and she narrowed her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver.
She couldn't The car passed on.
I should make her get away from the window, Keller thought. This wasn't as obvious a conclusion as it seemed. The Night People weren't in the habit of using sharpshooters to pick off their targets.
But it was still probably a good idea. Keller was tiredly opening her mouth to say it when something caught her attention.
The blue-green car was back. It was at the exit of the circular driveway, stopped but facing the wrong way, as if it were about to enter.
As Keller watched, it revved its engine.
Keller felt her hairs prickle.
But it didn't make any sense. Why on earth would Night People want to park there and draw attention to themselves? It had to be some human kids acting up.
Hiana was frowning. She had stopped tracing
patterns in the dust on the windowsill. "Who's that? I don't know that car."
Alarms.
But still...
The car roared again and started moving. Coming the wrong way along the driveway.
And Jaime, right below them, didn't look up.
Diana realized at the same time Keller did.
"Jaime!" She screamed it and pounded the window with one small fist. It didn't do the slightest good, of course.
Beside her, Keller stood frozen and furious.
The car was picking up speed, heading straight for Jaime.
There was nothing to do. Nothing. Keller could never get down there fast enough. It was all going to be over in a second.
But it was horrible. That giant metal thing, tons of steel, was going to hit about a hundred and ten pounds of human flesh.
"Jaime!" It was a scream torn from Diana.
Below, Jaime finally looked up. But it was too late.
Chapter 10
The car coming. Iliana screaming. And the feeling of absolute helplessness-
Glass shattered.
Keller didn't understand at first. She thought that Iliana was trying to break the window and get Jaime's attention. But the window was safety glass, and what broke was the beaker in Diana's hand.
Blood spurted, shockingly red and liquid.
And Iliana kept squeezing the broken glass in her hand, making more and more blood run.
Her small face was fixed and rigid, her lips slightly parted, her breath held, her whole expression one of complete concentration.
She was calling the blue fire.