A flash at the corner of her eye almost made her cry out. In the darkness of those deeper recesses by the door, something had moved.
Cassie froze. As her eyes adjusted, she could make it out. A figure, a human figure.
Jake Johnson. Of course.
The light had glanced off his watch and, as she made herself creep towards him, she saw his fingers clasped over his wrist to hide it. He’d realised.
Raising her eyes, she met his. He was expressionless, but the tiny jerk of his head was clear enough. Bugger off and go back to bed …
Then something distracted him, and he retreated into the alcove.
Footsteps. She heard them too. And there was no way out of here.
The footfalls were on the landing now. She couldn’t slip out of the corridor without being seen. She could run to Jake, slip in and hide with him. But then Cassie thought about his eerily purposeful nocturnal prowling. Did she want to be with him in the silent dark, afraid of discovery, completely at his mercy?
No, she decided. Digging her fingernails into the palms of her hands, taking a deep scared breath, Cassie spun on her heel.
At the entrance to the corridor, a man came to an abrupt halt. She’d only ever seen his portrait – and that didn’t do him justice, she decided. His steel-grey eyes were fixed on her, the only light in a face of stone. He couldn’t really have been seven feet tall, but that was the impression he gave. Hairs prickled on her neck as if responding to an electric field of power.
Sir Alric Darke smiled. ‘Cassie Bell.’
She smiled back, the brightest and dumbest smile she could manage. ‘That’s right. Hi.’ She flapped the fingers of one hand in a feeble greeting.
‘You seem to be lost, and it’s very late. May I help you?’
Nerve-janglingly aware of Jake behind her, Cassie stepped closer to Sir Alric. His eyes flickered past her.
She stepped in front of him, determined to keep his attention. ‘Could you, please? No sense of direction, me.’
He gave a gentle laugh. ‘It’s rather a big place, isn’t it? I’ll find someone to escort you back. I’m Alric Darke, by the way.’
‘I know. Yes. I mean,’ Cassie cleared her throat, keeping her smile in place, ‘I’ve seen your picture.’
His hand clasped her elbow and he guided her to the door of the common room. He seemed kind, but there was that force field around him, of command and potential threat. As they passed the hidden Jake, Cassie kept her gaze fixed on the door, scared of giving him away.
Sir Alric swung open the door, and drew Cassie into the room.
The light was muted, but the common room seemed as elegant as the rest of the Academy. She had an impression of dark-red leather armchairs, baroque lamps, elaborate panelling and paintings rich with colour. She glimpsed people she knew, too: Katerina, Keiko, a Russian sixth former from her fencing class. Richard seemed surprised to see her. There were others, too, from the beautiful Few, but no Ranjit.
And there was Alice on an upright gilded chair, a silver cup in her hands, rigid and stupefied.
‘Keiko.’ Sir Alric’s voice was calm, but icy with menace.
The Japanese girl swung round, face paler than usual.
‘What is Alice doing here?’
‘She … that is, I—’
‘Roommates’, he hissed, ‘should be respected.’
‘I was only—’
‘And I should be informed of all late-night meetings. Should I not?’
Meekly she said, ‘Of course, Sir Alric. I’m sorry.’
Much as Cassie disliked Keiko, Sir Alric seemed to be overreacting big time to a midnight feast. His fingers on her arm were like steel.
‘Katerina.’ He spoke silkily. ‘Clear up in here. When I return in ten minutes, I want everyone gone. You, at least, should know better. Keiko: come with us, please. Cassie is lost. You will show her the way back.’
Keiko stood up from her place beside Alice, giving Cassie a glance of the utmost loathing which melted into a sweet smile for Sir Alric. ‘Of course.’
Cassie expected Sir Alric to leave her to Keiko’s tender mercies, but he followed them out, stopping to close the door. Cassie snatched a glance into Jake’s alcove. It was empty. He’d obviously made good his escape while they’d been inside the common room.
‘Cassie, please wait for us at the end of the corridor. Keiko, you can stay here for a moment.’
With one vicious glance at Cassie, Keiko hung back. Embarrassed, and even a little sorry for her, Cassie walked away.
Maybe Sir Alric didn’t realise how good her hearing was, honed sharp from spying on Jilly Beaton. Cassie was sure he didn’t mean her to overhear the bollocking he was giving Keiko, ten metres away. His voice was soft, but homicidal.
‘Sharing is forbidden!’
‘I know, Sir Alric, but—’
‘Consider this your last warning, Keiko. There are good reasons you are assigned a roommate. Understand?’
‘Yes, Sir Alric. I understand.’
Without another word he turned on his heel and strode to Cassie’s side, Keiko trailing sulkily behind him.
‘I’m sorry I haven’t made a point of meeting you before now, Cassie.’ Sir Alric’s voice was no longer ferocious and chilly: it was lovely, she thought. Resonant like music. ‘I find myself constantly tied up in administrative matters.’
‘Oh yeah, don’t worry.You’re a big improvement on Jilly Beaton.’ She blushed. ‘In Cranlake Crescent, I mean. Where I was before.’