This wasn’t a fight; it was barely even practice. It was just that same mewling girl from the rooftop in Tokyo, and he didn’t need to prove anything.
“Ingrid,” he began, taking one last step in front of her. “Lottie’s right. Stop.”
There was no way to halt the trajectory of her knife, the blade slicing into his arm. Jamie took the impact without flinching, barely even a scowl on his face.
“Ingrid,” he repeated slowly. “Stop. Go back.”
The calm that followed felt otherworldly. She looked up at him, trembling hands crumpling away from the blade that fell to the ground. Black hair electrified around her like the fur of a scared cat; she was shaking, staring at her hands like they’d betrayed her. A noise escaped her lips, a hissing, screeching sound, and all he could think of was Vampy, and how much this feral girl had in common with him.
Jamie could see Lottie to the side, eyes wide at the scene before her.
“Ingrid, you won’t win,” he said calmly, grabbing her shoulders. “You need to leave now, before people arrive. Ingrid.” Her eyes fluttered between him and Lottie. “You’re going to leave now, and you’re going to tell your master that we’re waiting for him, that when he wants to stop hiding behind masks and children we’ll be here—waiting for the truth.”
She continued to stare up at him. It felt like he was holding a small animal in his hand, the wound in his arm a fearful bite, and he had to prove to this creature that it could flee, that it didn’t need to hurt anyone or itself.
“Oh yes,” he added, letting go of her. “Take this with you. I believe it’s yours.” He reached into his vest, where her other blade was holstered, ignoring the blood that was starting to drip down his arm, and pulled out the knife, the black spider winking at him in the light.
A million possibilities flashed before them, every single outcome laid out in front of him. Ingrid could take the blade and stab him again. She could make a lunge for Lottie. She could make to leave and change her mind, or maybe she’d do what he asked, and go back to the Goat Man with his message.
Noise began to sound from within the school grounds, the students arriving. All it would take was someone to stray too close to the Rose Wood and send for help.
“You,” Ingrid said at last, sagging. She turned to stare at Lottie once more. “Don’t tell anyone I tried to destroy that letter.”
“I won’t.” Lottie nodded, her voice quiet but firm, and for the first time since he’d met her Ingrid looked calm. Really calm, not the fake catlike calm of a predator, but a girl seeing herself clearly for once. She turned the look back on Jamie. “I’m only doing this because it’s you, but we will have our revenge.” Her eyes fell one last time over Lottie with enough intensity to shatter glass.
The voices were getting closer, students laughing. Rosewood Hall was coming back to life, and Ingrid did not belong here.
She stared down at her hands in disgust, before grabbing her knives and running off into the woods again with the jerky speed of a frightened animal.
And just like that she was gone, with no need to fight at all.
This is what they could do—what he and Lottie could achieve so easily when they worked together.
Ingrid’s words slowly seeped into his head. “Because it’s you.” What did that mean?
He felt a fresh wave of anger, but he knew it wasn’t Ingrid’s fault. He knew now it was the Master of Leviathan and whatever dreadful reason he had for coming after them.
“Jamie, we have to find Ellie.” Lottie’s voice dragged him out of his thoughts. “It’s all true, everything we feared . . .”
Then her legs buckled, her body exhausted, and he ran to catch her. Lottie knew something, something that could help him find who he really needed to fight.
“Help me back to the school; we need to call everyone for a meeting.”
“Lottie, no, I’m taking you to the nurse. Tell me on the way.”
“No, you listen to me,” she demanded, pushing herself up again, before the last of her strength blinked out.
But, just before she disappeared completely, she got her last words out, and they made his mouth water.
“I know who the Master of Leviathan is.”
38
LOTTIE WOKE UP IN THE nurse’s office later that day, springing up from the pristine white bed.
Everything in the infirmary was white: lines of white-frame single beds with pretty lace bedding, painted windowsills.
The one thing that was different from what she remembered was the many faces leaning over her when she opened her eyes.
“Am I dreaming?” she asked.
Everyone was there. Saskia, Anastacia, the twins, Percy, Raphael, Binah, and standing on either side of her like two guard dogs, her Partizan and princess, Jamie and Ellie.
Seeing them was an instant reminder of what she needed to do, what she had to tell everyone, and she could see on their faces that they’d been waiting.
Lola was the first to make a move, hugging her. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”
Lottie winced where Lola’s face brushed her cheek. The pain in her hand and cheek was more noticeable now, a wasp sting of an injury, annoying but not unbearable.
“Lola,” Anastacia chastised, pulling her back. “Give her some room for goodness’ sake!”
Lottie had to wonder what on earth they’d told the school nurse. And where was the sword?
“We gathered everyone while you were sleeping,” Jamie said. “Ellie and I told them what happened. We told the nurse you’d had a nasty fall in the Rose Wood while running. They’ll be adding extra security measures to stop people from going in the Rose Wood, and hopefully it’ll keep people from coming the other way too.” Jamie read her mind in a way she didn’t even find creepy anymore. What she hadn’t expected was the way
