Taken aback, Cassie paused for a sip of tea. It had a perfumed taste that she didn’t much like, but it gave her a moment to think. ‘I … suppose so. I dunno. I did have a few foster families. Not many, though.’ She grinned suddenly. ‘Bit disruptive, I suppose. Hard to handle. I always ended up back at Cranlake Crescent.’
Nobody wants you, you little waste of space. Nobody!
‘Hard to handle!’ Interrupting Jilly’s voice in her head, Madame Azzedine gave a throaty laugh. ‘That simply means you have spirit, my dear. And to do so well in your studies despite all the difficulties – well, how marvellous. We are lucky to have Cassandra here. Are we not, Sir Alric?’
‘Indeed.’ He shifted his position between Cassie and Madame Azzedine, slightly blocking the old woman’s intent gaze. Cassie blushed furiously, uncomfortable with the torrent of compliments. Still, she appreciated Madame Azzedine being so nice to her. Sir Alric didn’t have to look quite so disapproving.
She put down her cup quickly. ‘I’d better go.’
Sir Alric checked his wristwatch. ‘Yes. Perhaps you had better.’
They were both watching her, only one of them smiling, as the door swung softly closed once more.
‘Cassie! Cassie, look at this!’
Isabella’s miserable mood of the last forty-eight hours had evaporated. Damn, thought Cassie as she hesitated in the doorway of their room.
‘See what he has given me!’
Flaming Nora. She had no idea that orchids grew so big. Was it genetically modified or what? Pure white and very beautiful, it must have cost Jake a lot more than he could afford. This might have been one of Cassie’s less-smart ideas; after all, she didn’t want Isabella getting her hopes up. At least Jake had been true to his word, though.
‘You know, there’s something about orchids I don’t like.’ Cassie wrinkled her nose. ‘Those black ones in the courtyard by the statue? They’re sinister.’
‘Oh, those are Sir Alric’s favourites. The signature flower of the Academy, but no one else has ever seen or heard of them. I’ve asked. Even Mama does not know them, and she is something of an expert.’
‘Really?’ Cassie suddenly felt uneasy.
‘Ah, but this orchid!’ Isabella laughed, not in the least put out, and ran her finger across one pristine petal. ‘Pure, but sexy. And so romantic!’
Cassie had to smile. ‘OK. It’s gorgeous.’
‘Just like Jake, hm?’ Isabella planted a delicate kiss on the flower. ‘And there is something for you too, Cassie.’
‘From Jake?’ asked Cassie, surprised.
Isabella shrugged, still smiling idiotically at her orchid. ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so, it is not his handwriting. Here.’
She tossed an envelope at Cassie, who snatched it from the air. She recognised that rich, parchment-like paper. Academy paper. Oh, hell; had Sir Alric found her tea-time manners lacking? Was this her kiss-off letter?
With one trembling finger she slit the flap and pulled out an embossed card. Cassie had to read it over three times before she could bring herself to meet Isabella’s curious gaze.
‘Isabella.’ She bit her lip.
‘What? What is it?’
‘I so hope you really don’t care about this. I don’t want to spoil your evening.’ Swallowing, Cassie turned the card towards her friend, and watched Isabella’s smile die as she read:
The Darke Academy
From the Office of the Few
Your name has been submitted to the Congress as a potential candidate for membership of the Few.
Please attend at the Common Room of the Few
on November 12th, at 7.00 pm.
Punctuality is expected.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘Gentlemen. Ready?’
Both boys nodded, saluted Señor Alvarez and each other, and slipped their fencing masks over their faces.
‘En garde, then. Ready? Fence.’
As Richard lunged hard at Ranjit, and Ranjit took a step back, parried and riposted, Cassie fiddled uneasily with her body wire. She’d already made a pig’s ear of getting her kit on and she was never going to look as elegant as Ranjit or Richard. Or any of them, for that matter. Isabella, in fencing whites and with a glossy ponytail tumbling down her back, looked like a martial goddess. She rested her fingertips casually on her épée, mask tucked under one arm, as she chatted to Perry, whom she’d just comprehensively thrashed.
Guilt nagged at Cassie. Isabella was trying hard to act normal, but her couldn’t-care-less attitude to Cassie’s news didn’t ring quite true. When she sat down at last, pushing back damp strands of mahogany hair, Cassie smiled at her. Maybe she was doing too much smiling herself lately, and maybe that wasn’t very normal either.
Cassie took a breath. ‘Isabella.’ She paused. ‘Do you mind about me getting an interview?’
The interview was tomorrow. The thought of it had already been keeping her awake, and now a small thrill rippled down her vertebrae.
For once Isabella didn’t protest or shrug the question off with a laugh. Seriously she studied Cassie’s face.
‘Truly, I don’t mind. You deserve it, you—’ Isabella paused. ‘Perhaps I’m just disappointed. That again they have not asked me. But I’m happy for you. Yes?’ Her smile seemed taut.
‘It should have been you. I’m sorry. I’m new, and you’ve got more right to it, and—’