‘Yes, and they’ve agreed to it. I’m sorry, Cassie. There’s no point me staying. It’s not just that it’s so painful for me – the thing is, I’m not even managing to learn anything. I can’t think about anything but … well, all that’s happened here.’ She sighed. ‘I need a new start. A new place.’
Cassie knew how that felt, even more so now. She rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe her tears away. ‘I do understand, Isabella. Honestly. It’s just a bit of a shock, that’s all.’
‘I’m sorry …’
‘Stop saying that.’ Cassie returned her hug, fiercely. ‘Don’t you dare apologise. If this is right for you, you have to do it.’
‘Know what, Cassie Bell?’ There were tears in Isabella’s eyes again too. ‘I knew you’d understand. I knew you would. That’s why I love you.’
‘Shut up and stop making me cry, you awful Argentinean cow!’
Isabella laughed. It was a feeble and slightly hysterical sound, but God, thought Cassie, it was a good one.
She did understand. It made sense for Isabella to leave, however dreadful that would be for Cassie. Feeding was the least of it; after all, Sir Alric would organise an alternative, no doubt some poor first or second year who would drink the Few drink and then forget what had happened.
But Cassie wasn’t losing a feeding source. She was losing her best friend, her ally, the girl who had taken care of her from the moment she’d arrived at the Academy. She was losing one of the two most important people in her world.
And how ironic that, just as she thought she might be closer to finding Ranjit, she should have to lose Isabella.
‘I’m going to tell him.’ Isabella stood up, but she held on to Cassie’s hands. ‘I’m going up to Sir Alric’s office now.’
‘Do you want me to come with you?’ Cassie squeezed her hands, knowing how daunting a prospect it must be.
Isabella shook her head. ‘I’ll be OK. Wish me luck?’
‘I would never wish you anything else,’ she said, standing up to hug her friend again. ‘And you won’t need it. He’ll understand. But good luck anyway.’
Cassie stared at the door as it closed behind her friend, her heart sinking further in her chest with each passing moment.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘Cassie!’ Richard rose from the gym bench and laid down his fencing mask and épée. He clasped her hand and pulled her down beside him. ‘Is it true? About Isabella?’
It never failed to amaze her how fast news travelled in the Academy. She was glad Richard had grabbed her before anyone else could buttonhole her and demand information, especially since she could now focus on him and ignore the sneers of Saski and Sara.
‘It’s true,’ she said quietly. ‘She’s leaving.’
‘God, Cassie.’ Richard reached round and squeezed her shoulders. ‘That’s a real blow. I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s a blow for us, but it’s right for her.’ She tried to give him a smile. ‘She’s made the decision she needs to make. And it’s not like she’s vanishing off the face of the earth.’
‘Can you imagine?’ Sara’s brittle tones drifted across from the piste, where she was fiddling with the fastening of her neck guard. Deliberately slowly, Cassie guessed, so that her words would be loud and clear. ‘Have you ever heard of anyone leaving the Academy? For the sake of some dead trailer-trash boy?’
Cassie gasped, then frowned and tried to get up, but Richard reached up and grabbed her hand again, drawing her firmly back down.
‘It’s what she wants, C. You know it is.’
‘Then that little hussy should be careful what she wishes for,’ hissed Cassie with a glare at Sara, but she subsided on to the bench once more. ‘I know you’re right. But I still want to turn her oesophagus inside out.’
‘Of course you do, love,’ crooned Richard in his calm-down-Cassie voice. ‘And visually that would be a vast improvement, but we’ve got to be the bigger people here, right?’
Cassie spluttered a laugh, earning a furious glare from Sara that gave her almost as much satisfaction as a solid punch would have.
‘I still can’t quite believe it, though,’ murmured Richard bleakly. ‘This old place won’t be the same without Bella Isabella.’
‘To put it mildly,’ Cassie said then paused, looking up as someone came over to them. ‘Hey, Ayeesha.’
The Bajan girl sat down at Cassie’s other side, tugging off her fencing glove, then running a hand through her braids. ‘God, that Sara. What a bitch, huh? So it’s true? Isabella’s really leaving?’
Cassie sighed. She knew Ayeesha meant well, but she was already tired of talking about it, and way too miserable.
Ayeesha patted her thigh. ‘I’m sorry. I understand. It’s just that it’s so unexpected.’
‘Not really,’ put in Richard protectively, ‘when you think about it. It took guts for Isabella to come back at all this term.’
‘Cormac’s devastated. I think he’s half in love with her,’ added Ayeesha with mock-indignation.
Cassie managed a grin. ‘As if he’d dare, girl.’
‘True. Anyway, you and Isabella should come and sit with us at lunch. I’d love to see her, and otherwise you’ll get stuck with a bunch of nosy parkers pumping her for information. OK?’