Something in his tone made Allie nervous, and she was glad when he changed the subject. ‘So, what exactly did Rachel say that pissed you off?’
Pulling her hand free, she twisted the hem of her shirt tightly around her finger, frowning with thought. ‘She acted like it was this evil thing, and like she thought I was stupid for joining. She was really angry.’ She added worriedly, ‘Rachel never gets angry.’
He didn’t seem very surprised. ‘You know she doesn’t approve of Night School, right?’ he said. ‘I mean, she’s told you that. Everyone knows she’s been asked to join several times and turned it down. And, I mean, nobody turns Night School down. It’s a big thing between her and her dad.’
Allie’s head shot up. ‘What … really? She never told me that. She just said her dad wanted her to do it and she didn’t want to.’
‘Yeah well …’ Carter said. ‘She really hates it.’
‘But why?’ Allie asked. ‘Why does she hate it so much?’
‘Rachel’s a genius, you know that. She’s got political objections to it, which are totally reasonable. Night School isn’t fair. Never has been. It makes things easier for rich kids – like they need things to be easier for them.’ He stretched out his legs. ‘But I think there’s more to it than that. Something to do with her dad. You should ask her.’
Worry twisted Allie’s stomach. ‘I hope she’s not too mad at me. I didn’t mean to be thoughtless. I just … wasn’t thinking.’
Carter barked a laugh then grew serious again. ‘Al …’
His tone was so hesitant she looked up at him with concern.
‘I’m glad you’ll learn to defend yourself, and obviously that’s a good thing, but I have concerns, too. You know I don’t trust the people running Night School – we’ve talked and talked about it.’ When she opened her mouth to object, he rested his finger lightly on her lips. ‘I know I’m in it and I’m a total hypocrite, but I had my own reasons for joining. But that doesn’t mean I want you to get caught up in it, too. It kind of scares me that you’re going to be right in the middle of it now.’
‘Here’s the thing.’ She pulled his hand away from her mouth and held it against her cheek for a second before dropping it. Then, sitting straight, she filled him in on what her mother and Isabelle had told her. When she’d told him everything she finished by saying, ‘I think I’ve been in Night School my whole life. I just didn’t know it until now. And now maybe it can help me … I don’t know … stay safe. Stay alive.’
For a long moment Carter looked away, lost in thought. Then he turned his dark eyes back to her.
‘OK.’
‘OK what?’ she said cautiously.
‘OK Night School.’ His jaw was set in a grim line. ‘You need to learn to defend yourself. So, welcome to Night School. I hope you don’t like it too much.’
SIX
Somewhere in the dark distance she could hear voices calling her name. But she was running fast – as fast as she could.
Soon the voices faded into silence.
The night was clear – a full moon turned the forest into shades of blue as she hurtled down the footpath.
She didn’t know where she was going or why she was running, but she knew she couldn’t stop. Her breathing was ragged – her lungs burned. Still she ran.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move through the trees.
It seemed to flit, like a bird, but she knew it wasn’t a bird. She stopped, effortlessly.
‘Who’s there?’ she called into the darkness then gasped when she saw someone move again. Just slow enough to be seen. Just fast enough not to be recognised.
‘This isn’t funny,’ she called out. She’d begun to tremble. Something wasn’t right. It wasn’t right at all. Where was she going anyway? And why was she outside so late at night?
Suddenly, from behind her, a low, threatening growl.
With a muffled scream Allie sat bolt upright in bed. Clutching the covers to her neck, she looked around the dark room in panic. At first she was disoriented. The room wasn’t familiar. Nothing was where it should be.
Then she remembered.
‘Cimmeria,’ she murmured, lying down again. ‘I’m at Cimmeria.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I’m safe.’
After rushing through breakfast the next morning, Allie made an excuse to Jo and headed to the library in search of Rachel. She had to make up with her. Fighting with Rachel was absolutely not on the agenda for the first week back at school.
Just inside the library door, painters were setting up a metal forest of ladders with a clamour. Big cans of paint and fluffy pale blue rollers leaned about like fallen trees; the air already had the acrid petrol smell of white spirits.
Hurrying past them, she made her way down the long room. A wide metal table had been set up along the back wall where Eloise and Rachel were filling cardboard boxes with books. Each layer of books was separated by sheets of crisp tissue paper, and they nestled the heavy old leather tomes in as if they were fragile pieces of crystal.
Pushing her glasses back up her nose, Eloise looked at her enquiringly.
‘Can I talk to Rachel for a minute?’ Allie asked.
Eloise glanced back and forth between them; Rachel avoided Allie’s eyes. With a sympathetic look, the librarian slid a box across the table.