‘Cassie. You make a fine member of the Few, and I admit I was wrong in my original opinions regarding your suitability for this life. If I can change my opinions, can you not adjust yours? You know there are many fine individuals in the Few, along with the rogues.’
‘If I’m Few, I can never be with Ranjit. You said it yourself!’
‘It’s most unlikely you’ll ever be with him anyway,’ he said dismissively. ‘And we’ve all made sacrifices. Accept your destiny, Cassie! Why wouldn’t you? It is a fine one, it is an honour!’
Cassie guffawed. ‘It may be a fine one,’ she retorted, ‘but it isn’t what I want. I won’t do it.’
He sighed. ‘I will convince you, Cassie. I will, because there’s no alternative. I will not condemn Estelle to death or the void.’
Something stirred inside her that wasn’t anger. Something that was half her, but half not: it was, of course, Estelle. Cassie could sense the spirit’s hope and happiness at hearing Sir Alric defend her.
Yes! Yes, my dear Cassandra, he’s right!
Damn them both!
‘You are wasting your time! Your time – my time – Estelle’s time! I will not join with her! If you’re so worried about it, find her another host. I want rid of her!’ The rage was a coruscating thing in her chest, his blank refusal like fuel on a fire. Around her, the room had begun to turn red as the mist of Few-rage descended. Her eyes burned with it.
‘You know better by now!’ Sir Alric’s shout of cold anger brought her momentarily back to her senses. ‘No, Cassie, you will control yourself as I’ve taught you.’
Breathing hard, she blinked the fire from her eyes. Her trembling limbs began to still as her beating heart calmed.
‘No,’ she growled at last. ‘I won’t lose control. I won’t use this power that was forced on me, which you think I should be happy about. But I will not do what you want. Not ever.’ She stood up, tall and defiant. ‘So you’d better think of something else, Sir Alric. And fast. I don’t want this sprit inside me any more.’
The headmaster did not speak for a long time. He walked behind his desk and slid open a drawer, removing a file and flicking through it. Cassie wasn’t sure if he was doing something constructive or simply playing for time.
‘Sit down, Cassie.’ He sat down and gestured at the chair opposite his own.
‘No thanks.’
He took a breath, but clearly decided not to argue further. His fingers trembled slightly as he flicked through documents, finally pulling one out and laying it on top of the pile.
‘The Urn.’ He pressed his fingertips on the desk and looked up at her, his eyes granite-hard. ‘It was created by the Eldest as an evil kind of feeding-trough. He would preserve other spirits in it, and feed on them.’
‘Yes,’ she said impatiently. ‘I told you, I know that part.’
‘Its original purpose means it has a separate, unintended function. The Urn can contain spirits indefinitely, and not just for feeding. It preserves them in their out-of-body state. Do you see?’
‘Yes …’
‘It could preserve Estelle’s, until another host is found.’
Cassie was silenced as thoughts raced round her skull. Of course, of course. How could she have forgotten that function of the Urn? It had been what Ranjit intended when he stole the evil thing. The solution was so simple, so elegant. ‘But that’s … that’s ideal! It’s perfect!’
‘Not exactly.’ Darke’s lips thinned. ‘We aren’t actually in possession of the Urn. If you recall.’
Cassie nodded, silent for once. Another in the mounting list of reasons she needed to find Ranjit. ‘I … I can find him,’ she said, her voice quieter now.
‘Is that so, Cassie?’ He closed the file with a snap. ‘Do you know something I do not? Have you heard from Ranjit?’
She shook her head, and Sir Alric raised an eyebrow.
‘Honestly, I wish I had,’ she said. ‘But I will, I know I can get to him if only he’d … I can do this. I’ll track Ranjit down, and the Urn, and then we’ll do exactly what you say. Everyone’s happy.’
‘No.’
She stiffened. ‘No?’
‘Do you think it will be so easy to find him? In the state in which he left, after all that he has done? What makes you so sure he would want to be found by you? Perhaps, at last, he may have heeded my warnings about the two of you being together.’
Bastard, she thought. She had to restrain herself from saying it out loud.
‘I’m sure,’ she said quietly. ‘Perhaps you don’t because maybe you’ve never been in love. I’m sure.’
Sir Alric studied her for a moment before he spoke again. ‘I have been trying to locate Ranjit myself. I’ve used every resource available to me. Last month I tracked him as far as Belgium; that’s where the trail went cold. But I assure you, I will find him. You, on the other hand, should not even try. It’s too dangerous – and frankly, so are you. I have influential Few contacts, and this has to be done with subtlety and guile, not a fist in anyone’s face.’ His gaze softened. ‘Put it out of your head, Cassie. Let me deal with it. After that, we can see what happens. And that is my condition for considering this solution.’
She watched his face, thinking furiously, her fingernails tapping rapidly on the desk. At last she pushed herself up and away from it.