Fracture

‘How were things with your grandmother, really? Were you glad to see her again?’ His eyes searched hers.

‘I was,’ she said. ‘I like her, you know?’

He nodded. ‘She’s intimidating,’ he said. ‘But she is also charismatic.’

It was weird to think that Sylvain understood her grandmother better than she did. But his parents were French billionaires. Sylvain had known people like Lucinda all his life.

‘Still,’ she said, ‘it was worrying, too.’

‘Why was it worrying?’

She pulled his coat tighter around her. ‘Because I think she’s scared.’

Behind them she could hear Zoe and Carter talking quietly and she remembered her conversation with Jules. She had to tell Carter before they went inside – he needed to know.

‘I’ve got to talk to Carter for a second,’ she told Sylvain, noticing as she did so that in the light of the stars his eyes were the precise colour of his dark blue sweater. ‘I’ll see you inside?’

He inclined his head with cool politeness, his face betraying no emotion.

Allie slowed her pace until she was walking beside Zoe and Carter. She turned to the younger girl. ‘I need to talk to Carter alone for a second. Is that OK?’

Unbothered, Zoe shrugged and ran to catch up with Rachel. Allie heard her say ‘Did you finish your chemistry assignment?’ as if today were a perfectly ordinary school day.

When everyone was out of earshot, she turned to Carter, slowing her pace. ‘Have you seen Jules since this afternoon?’

He gave her an odd look. ‘No. Why?’

‘I ran into her after class…’ Allie started then she corrected herself. ‘Actually, she came to find me. She was really upset.’

Carter stopped and turned to face her. She saw that the cold had made his cheeks red.

‘About what?’

Allie’s stomach tightened as she tried to decide how to tell him.

‘She knows… she said…’ She exhaled a cloud of warm air. ‘She knows you don’t have detention. She wanted to know why you were working in the garden with… me.’

His jaw tight, Carter looked out into the darkness ahead of them. His cheeks were redder now.

‘I didn’t know what to tell her.’ Allie shoved her hands in the pockets of her skirt and looked down at her shoes. ‘She thought you were cheating on her with me.’

He didn’t look at her. ‘What did you say?’

‘I told her we weren’t, of course. That you’re my friend and you look out for me and that she needs to accept that.’

He exhaled. ‘Thank you.’

‘And, look.’ She tried to catch his gaze but he was looking past her. ‘I just wanted to say… thanks. I mean… it was hard work and… I didn’t know you… I mean, I thought you had to…’

She hated her own stumbling words. He’d got out of bed, three days a week, at five thirty in the morning to spend two hours in the freezing cold doing hard work, just so she wouldn’t be alone. Why couldn’t she think of the right thing to say?

Finally he met her eyes.

‘It’s OK. You don’t have to thank me.’ Unexpectedly, he flashed a rakish grin. ‘I just didn’t have anything better to do.’

As Allie gaped at him, trying to think of a response, he turned and loped towards the school.

In the dining hall, most of the other students had already gathered by the time Allie arrived. She paused in the doorway to take in the scene. Carter stopped with her and followed her gaze.

White linens covered tables topped with glittering candles, crystal glasses and white china plates, all bearing the Cimmeria crest. Above their heads in the cavernous room, the chandeliers glowed. A warm fire crackled in the gigantic fireplace. The room smelled of roasted meat and wood smoke.

This was Cimmeria at its very best. It seemed too beautiful – too perfect – to be destroyed.

What will it be like if Nathaniel wins? Allie wondered as her eyes swept the room. Who will be here tomorrow?

‘I’m going to sit with Jules tonight.’ Carter said.

‘Oh.’ Thrown, Allie fumbled for a reply. They’d all been sitting together every day since the group had formed but of course after everything that happened he’d need to sit with Jules. ‘I mean, great. That’s a good idea…’

She watched as he walked to the table where Jules sat with Katie and other friends. She saw Jules’ face light up when she spotted him and realised he was coming to her. Watched her leap up to wrap him in a hug. Saw his lips brush hers as he bent to whisper something in her ear…

‘Take your seats, please!’ Zelazny’s roar startled Allie so much she jumped.

She walked to where the others sat at their usual table. Sylvain’s cashmere coat was lined in expensive silk; it slipped easily from her shoulders. When she held it out to him he accepted it with a guarded look, as if he was afraid of what she might say.

But all she said was, ‘Thanks for the loan. I hope you didn’t get chilblains… or whatever you get from the cold.’

‘You’re welcome,’ he said. ‘I don’t know what chilblains are but I don’t think I have them.’

‘What are chilblains, anyway?’ Nicole asked, looking around the table. ‘People only seemed to get them in Dickens.’

‘I don’t know.’ Allie dropped into a seat next to Zoe. ‘And I don’t want to.’

Zoe, who had opened her mouth to explain chilblains, snapped it shut. ‘I know what they are,’ she said. ‘But if you don’t want to know I won’t tell you.’

‘Where’s Rachel?’ Allie said, suddenly noticing her absence.

‘Sitting with Lucas.’ Nicole gestured to a nearby table. Lucas had his arm across Rachel’s shoulders and their heads were close together.

‘And Carter is with Jules tonight.’ Looking thoughtful, Sylvain glanced over to where the two seemed to be sharing a private joke then back at Allie again. She avoided his eyes.

‘It must be date night.’ As she spoke, Nicole’s doll-like eyes studied Sylvain and Allie, missing nothing.

‘At least there’s still us.’ Oblivious to the unspoken drama happening around her, Zoe was so peppy and normal Allie wanted to squash her under something heavy.

She thought about telling them the things she’d learned from Lucinda, what Orion really was, and why Nathaniel was doing this. But it seemed weird to tell only a few of them and leave out Rachel and Carter.

Besides, nobody seemed very interested in that stuff right now. The idea that the school could be emptied tomorrow – that Nathaniel’s plan could work – had drained the energy from them all. Everything felt futile. It was as if, instead of readying for battle, they’d begun preparing themselves for defeat.

Holding up her water glass, Allie watched the liquid swirl. Remembering her history lesson that morning, she thought about Napoleon’s plan – the way he defeated a larger army through cunning and deception.

But who is Napoleon? she wondered. Is it us? Or Nathaniel?

THIRTY

But Nathaniel did not make his move the next day. Or the day after that.

Or the next day.

As time passed, the school fell into an uneasy sort of normality. Students went to class, studied, played games… and waited.

When a week had passed without any sign of Nathaniel, Allie began to allow herself to hope that maybe they were safe after all. Perhaps Lucinda had got to the board in time. Maybe they’d stood up to him and he’d