The anger in her eyes was so raw Allie felt a wave of fear for him.
‘I will need you to debrief the others about what you’ve learned. I’ll set up a meeting in the usual place for first thing tomorrow – that’s presuming you are able to attend.’ Their eyes locked as she added, ‘You’ll be lucky if Jerry Cole doesn’t try to have you expelled from Night School. But you knew that.’
‘What? You can’t throw Sylvain out,’ Allie protested, sliding forward in her chair. ‘I made him …’
‘That is no excuse for somebody as experienced as Sylvain to do what he did tonight.’ There was no sympathy in Isabelle’s voice, only resignation. ‘He risked both of your lives. He knows The Rules better than anybody here. He knew what punishment he would face if he did this.’
Shocked, Allie turned to Sylvain, but he was watching Isabelle through swollen eyes.
He went with me, knowing he could lose everything? Guilt and confusion did battle in her mind.
‘I think it’s best if you don’t go to that briefing, Allie,’ Isabelle continued. ‘Zelazny will have to be talked out of expelling you. If you’re there it will be worse. I’ll send for you later.’
‘I want to be involved,’ Allie said, sitting up straight. ‘Whatever happens next. I want to help.’
‘I rather think that you needn’t worry about that,’ Isabelle said icily. ‘At this point you’re in it up to your eyebrows whether you like it or not.’
TWENTY
‘Are you OK? You really should go and see the nurse.’ As they stood in the hallway near Isabelle’s office, Allie studied Sylvain’s battered face worriedly. He’d stopped bleeding, but one eye was swollen shut, and his jaw was so bruised his mouth barely worked.
‘I will.’ His good eye blinked at her.
‘How’s your …’ She gestured at her neck.
He gave a weak shrug, and then winced. ‘Fine, I think.’
Talking seemed to hurt him and, as they stood in awkward silence, Allie could think of a thousand things she wanted to say but she didn’t know how to say them. Or whether if she did it would convey what she really felt.
And what did she feel anyway?
Thank you for nearly dying for me. Thank you for risking everything for me. Thank you for being there for me. What are we going to do now?
Instead she said, ‘Do you want me to come with you? Do you need help?’
‘I’d rather do it,’ he said painfully, ‘myself.’
‘OK.’
‘Well,’ he said after a long pause. ‘Bye.’
As he turned in the direction of the infirmary, her hands curled into fists so tight her nails dug crescents into her palms. Was she really going to let him just walk away after all that happened tonight without saying anything? He’d nearly died for her. She’d nearly killed someone for him.
What’s happening here?
‘Sylvain!’
Her tone was sharp and, creakily, he turned to look at her.
‘Thank you.’ Frustrated by her own inability to say what she meant, or even to know what she meant, she held her hands up helplessly.
For a brief second his battered gaze held hers. Then his swollen lips tried to curve upwards.
‘Any time.’
The sound of footsteps and voices in the hallway woke Allie late the next morning. For a brief moment she didn’t know where she was and she sat up in a panic.
She was in her own room, her own bed.
After watching Sylvain make his way to the infirmary last night, she’d trudged up to her room and tumbled into bed, stopping only long enough to strip off her dirty clothes and pull on a T-shirt. She’d been sure she’d never fall asleep, but exhaustion had taken over so quickly she hadn’t even dreamed about Christopher.
Christopher.
Now bright sunlight flooded the room, and she pushed her tangled hair out of her eyes so she could see the alarm clock.
Nine o’clock.
Jumping to her feet, she grabbed a towel and hurried down to the bathroom, not even seeing the girls she passed in their uniforms, who glanced at her curiously.
After rushing through a shower, she threw on a clean uniform and clattered down the stairs; a worry headache had already begun to throb. She had to know what had happened while she slept. Had Sylvain been expelled? Had they found Christopher or Gabe?
And Carter … At the thought she skidded to a stop.
She had to find Carter before he learned what had happened last night. Either way he was going to be so angry when he found out she’d gone with Sylvain.
Her stomach contorted and she grabbed it with one hand. When was the last time she’d actually eaten? Not yesterday. Maybe the day before?
Isabelle’s office was her first stop, but it was empty, the lights turned off. The common room was busy, but nobody she recognised was there.
She was halfway to the library when she spotted Jules walking towards her.
‘Hey, Jules, do you know where Carter …’ she started, but her voice trailed off when she saw the anger in her eyes.
‘Allie, what the hell were you thinking?’
‘I—’ she tried, but Jules cut her off.
‘I’ve just been given a vicious bollocking by Isabelle. She says you sneaked out last night and met your brother and Gabe,’ Jules hissed, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. ‘All the senior Night School students have been called into a strategy meeting about what to do next. Frankly, I can’t believe you haven’t been expelled yet.’