Darke Academy 4: Lost Spirits (4 page)

And yet, Cassie couldn’t help but feel oddly fond of her …

Still, these last few days with Isabella had only strengthened her determination to cast Estelle out. Perhaps she’d been in two minds about her decision at one point – quite literally in two minds, she thought with a rueful smile – but not any more. Isabella’s misery was a sharp reminder of what Few membership could do to other human beings. Sure, there were good things about belonging to the Few – strength, beauty, contacts and influence were hardly to be sniffed at – and she liked some of her fellow Few enormously. But when she thought of what the Few had done to Jake – to his whole family – she knew it wasn’t worth it. None of it was.

Above all, there was Ranjit. Ranjit and she could never be together while Estelle’s spirit was in her; Sir Alric Darke had made that abundantly clear, and events had proved him right. Their spirits were incompatible, he said; it would be disastrous to bring them together.

But they
would
be together, of that she was absolutely certain. And if she was to be with Ranjit Singh, the spirit she still called Estelle Azzedine had to go …

Cassie shut her eyes, still remorseful, just as Herr Stolz’s knuckles rapped the desk beside her, and she jolted. Someone at the back sniggered: someone Few, of course.

No one else would dare.

‘Cassie Bell, what is wrong with you today? I’ve asked you three times to address this equation. You need not tell me you can’t do it.’

‘I’m sorry, Herr Stolz.’ She gave him a guilty sidelong glance. His expression was more hurt than cross; how could his favourite student let him down like this? There was hope in his eyes too: she could solve the maths problem, and he knew she could …

Desperately reorganising her brain, she focused on the equation on the whiteboard.

Estelle, and Cassie’s issues, would just have to wait.

As the evening settled and the tide was going out, Cassie stood on the exposed coral of the reef, staring up at the school. Against the indigo sky the beautiful building reared, an impressive silhouette, its open windows glowing with golden light. She could see the shadows of her fellow students moving around inside; even at this distance she could hear their laughter, their voices raised in happy conversation with friends they hadn’t seen for the whole long summer.

She was supposed to be meeting up with Richard at dinner, but she knew he’d be late as usual. Isabella had refused to come down to the dining room, probably unable to face the cheerful ribbing and gossip that were always so rife on the first night – or more likely she was anticipating the glances of pity and the not-quite-inaudible whispers.

To be honest, Cassie thought, she didn’t much fancy being sociable herself, but it would be nice to chat to Richard without Isabella present. At least he’d take her concerns seriously; he might even have some suggestions for cheering the girl up. For such a joker, scoundrel and flirt, Richard was surprisingly good in a crisis.

Cassie glanced at her watch. He might have primped himself enough by now and be on his way to the dining room, she thought with an affectionate roll of her eyes. He’d want to look even more staggeringly attractive than usual for the new first years as well as for his returning friends and enemies, but surely even Richard couldn’t take all night to get ready.

Attractive he certainly was, as well as a loyal and funny friend. Cassie was already looking forward to seeing him. Again she thought how different it could have been, if it weren’t for the gigantic, undeniable complication of the fact that she was in love with Ranjit. Oh, if only life was simpler …

Time to go in, then. But as she glanced up again at the Academy’s magnificent facade, she saw something that made her pause.

That balcony again. It was above what she’d worked out must be Sir Alric’s office. She thought she had seen the filmy curtains move, but that alone was strange, since there was no breeze tonight, only the soft rush and whisper of a calm sea. If those curtains were stirring, it was because something had disturbed them. And Isabella had seen that shadow too.

Cassie narrowed her eyes. Was it the silhouette of a man, or just the night playing tricks?

It moved again. It was a person, she was almost certain of it. Someone who didn’t want to be seen …

Absolutely motionless, Cassie stared up. Her heart leaped, and if her throat hadn’t choked with crazy hope, she’d have shouted the name out loud.

RANJIT?

Don’t be stupid, Cassie! Could she have imagined it? At this distance? No, she was Few. Not only was her eyesight better than a cat’s, she knew what a stare
felt
like. And this one was intense. Clenching her fists tightly, she blinked, peering desperately, trying to catch a clear sight of … of what? This was crazy. Wishful thinking: Isabella was seeing Jake in the shadows, and now she was seeing Ranjit. The only difference was, for her – as least as far as she knew – there
was
even the remotest possibility it really could be her missing boyfriend. There was no chance of it being Jake, of course.

‘Where
are
you, Ranjit?’ she whispered out loud, tears threatening her sight. She swallowed hard and shook her head against the sound of her own voice, eerie against the murmur of the ocean, and the movement seemed to bring her to her senses. When she looked again, the curtains were still. It could have been anyone, she reasoned. Couldn’t someone at the Darke Academy enjoy the view of the ocean without her gaping back at them like a love-struck fantasist? Bloody hell, Cassie. Get it together.

Cassie was quite sure now that she’d be late meeting Richard. He’d be mock-offended, but she knew she’d be forgiven. She hurried towards the building, knowing he’d be the one to help with forgetting her troubles. How could it have been Ranjit, anyway? The boy she loved was on the run, a murderer, hunted by the Few. He was hardly going to be hanging around the Darke Academy with a gin and tonic and a bowl of peanuts, just waiting for her to notice.

And besides … She
knew
what Ranjit’s eyes felt like. She knew their burning, piercing power, and the way they cut straight into her soul; she knew the simultaneous chill and heat they sent through her bloodstream.

She knew what it felt like to have his eyes on her. That wasn’t it.

T
he elegant colonnaded dining room was open on two sides to the night air. Inside, chandeliers glittered, but where the room extended into the garden, it was flames from torches that sparkled off the silver and crystal on the tables. Cassie paused in the darkness beyond the torches, scanning the room in search of Richard; she spotted him quickly, leaning over a table of newly initiated Few girls and making them laugh flirtatiously. Clearly, with one of the weaker spirits amongst the Few, he was still playing his old game of making himself indispensable to everyone.

Cassie felt a surge of deep affection for her complex, unfathomable friend. She’d long since forgiven Richard for her unwilling initiation into the Few; and even if she couldn’t ever feel for him what she felt for Ranjit – that violent, fierce, undeniable longing in her soul – what she did feel for Richard was pretty close to love.

Spotting Cassie, he raised a hand. Grinning, she sidled between tables and dodged students till she was at his side, exchanging a lingering kiss on the cheek rather than the air-kisses he bestowed on most of his acquaintances.

‘Cassandra Bell, where have you been?’ He raised a rakish eyebrow. ‘I don’t care if you’re peckish. Hunting the wildlife for food is strictly forbidden.’

She laughed. ‘Well, rhinos are a lot like chicken, you know.’

‘I’m sure they would be, if there were any on the beach. I can see I’ll have to take your education in hand
again
. Let’s go on a game drive at the weekend. Tsavo. No, Shimba Hills. Let’s go over here, there’s a free table, minus any
objectionable
people.’ This was said in a loud enough voice to earn him glowers from the tables he’d passed and rejected. People were still gossiping about what had happened last term. ‘Sit down, Cassie. What do you want to eat, really?’ He leaned closer. ‘And let’s choose quickly – I’ve got to tell you what I heard today about Marcia Gilbert. I’ll give you three guesses, and you still haven’t got a hope in hell. And anyway, you need to tell me about what you’ve been up to, and how Isabella’s been. Come on, no clamming up, Ms Bell …’

‘Clamming up?’ she laughed. ‘I haven’t had a chance to get a word in edgeways.’

She was more than happy to be swept along by Richard’s enthusiasm, though. It saved her from having to acknowledge the hostile glances of Sara, Saski and the rest.

‘So what are we going to do about Isabella?’ Richard murmured eventually, in a quieter voice.

Cassie stroked the white linen tablecloth obsessively. ‘I don’t know. I’m not sure there’s anything we can do. She’s grieving.’

‘Well, of course she is, even for yobbish old Jake.’ He smiled sadly, taking the sting out of his words. ‘Heck, Cassie, even I miss him. But I’m still worried. It’s an important year and I … I just really don’t want her to leave.’ He sat back and spread his hands helplessly.

Cassie started. ‘You don’t seriously think she would?’

‘No, but … Oh, listen, we’ll make her better. You and me. That’s what friends are for, right?’

‘Right. But no flirting, Halton-Jones. She isn’t ready.’

‘Would I? You wound me,’ he said sulkily. He paused for a moment and his mouth twitched at the corners. ‘And you haven’t even
asked
me about Marcia Gilbert and her father’s intern.’

Cassie burst out laughing, drawing glares from Sara’s table once more. Nobody could stay too gloomy around Richard for long. There was definitely hope for Isabella with him on their side.

‘Go on, then, you incorrigible rogue. Before you explode.’

Cassie declined Richard’s offer to see her back to her room. He was her closest friend next to Isabella, and she loved hanging out with him, and she was certain he understood her feelings perfectly; but still, there was no point leading him on, or risking another impulsive kiss. He was irritatingly attractive, after all.

But Richard didn’t deserve to be second-best to anyone.

Dinner had been delicious, as it always was, but she was uneasily aware of the
other
hunger sharp inside her, unsated by Mombasa oysters and fresh marlin and mango sorbet. Cassie had finally arrived at the moment she’d dreaded since she stepped on to the plane for Nairobi.

Patrick Malone, her friend and guardian at the care home, had helped her while she was back at Cranlake Crescent for the summer, by allowing her to feed from him in strictly controlled amounts. He knew all too well about the needs of the Few, having been a scholarship student at the Academy years ago himself. It had worked well, a perfect stopgap, but Patrick wasn’t here now, of course. She was going to have to approach Isabella about it again – and there was nothing she was going to hate more.

Dawdling through the hall, reluctant to hurry back to their room no matter how the hunger grew and gnawed, she stopped to touch the Cassandra statue for luck. Stroking the white marble arm, extended in desperate, useless supplication, Cassie found herself sorrier than ever for the poor frozen prophetess, forever on the point of death by Clytemnestra’s blade. When she gazed into the blank but terrified eyes of the marble figure, a shiver of pity went through her.

Oh for Zeus’s sake, Cassie, it’s only a statue! she scolded herself. Stop overreacting!

She was stepping reluctantly away from her namesake when she saw a shadow move out of the corner of her eye. Cassie went still, focusing on the darkness in the passageway that led to the library, then relaxed just a little.

Ah. It was no surprise to see who was lurking: the unmistakable, squat figure of Marat.

All the same, Cassie shivered. The porter still gave her the creeps, and not just because of his surliness. His hostility was palpable, and she knew he’d never forgiven her for the expulsion of Katerina after events in Paris. The little man was oddly fond of that evil Svensson clan. He gave Cassie a glance, but didn’t smile or speak.

His very presence made her quicken her steps and hurry upstairs and along the corridor to her room. As she went inside, she found Isabella sitting almost where she had left her, on her bed, staring out at the night. A book was open on her lap, but she clearly hadn’t been reading it. When she heard Cassie close the door, she attempted a smile.

‘Cassie. How was dinner?’

‘Good,’ ventured Cassie lamely. She was uncomfortably aware that she was hovering.

Isabella eyed her. ‘But not quite enough?’

Silence fell between them. Cassie looked down and began to pick at a fingernail, but that seemed cowardly and disrespectful. She raised her eyes to meet Isabella’s.

‘No.’

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Isabella slowly unfastened her cuffs and slipped her sleeves up her bare tanned arms. She flexed her fingers together and then rested them on her knees, nodding slowly at Cassie.

‘You’d better feed, then.’

Cassie’s throat tightened, and an ache throbbed in her temple. She wanted to say
No, I won’t. I wouldn’t do that to you. Not after all you’ve been through. I’ll think of something else. Anything
.

Instead she said, ‘I’m really sorry. Yes, please, if I could. Isabella, I—’

‘Don’t. Don’t say any more. It’s got to be done. It’s OK.’

Isabella avoided Cassie’s sorrowful gaze and got to her feet. Swallowing hard, Cassie took hold of her wrists. They felt so fragile in her grip, the skin so delicate. She wished very much that Isabella would look at her and smile a little, but she couldn’t ask that on top of everything else. Instead, Cassie simply tightened her hold, and focused on the life-force.

Nothing happened, and Cassie thought for a horrible moment that she wouldn’t be able to feed after all, that she’d somehow lost the connection with her roommate. Then the life-force of Isabella began to flow, with a jolt that made Cassie’s eyes snap open.