Darke Academy 4: Lost Spirits (9 page)

‘OK, what …’ Cassie stopped, tried again. ‘What happened? How did you … ?’ She faltered again, unsure of where to start.

‘Why don’t we all sit down?’ Jake said, clearing his throat. ‘I think we all need to.’

‘God, it all makes sense now. We both saw something. Isabella and I, we both saw a figure on that balcony.’ Her hands still trembling around her glass of water, Cassie nodded towards the French windows. ‘It was you, wasn’t it? You must have seen us.’

Jake nodded slowly, his hands constantly stroking Isabella’s hair. She was sitting on his lap, her face stained with tears of shock and happiness, her arms around his shoulders. Sir Alric had not taken a seat; he stood with his back to the bookshelves, watching them all in silence.

‘I’m so sorry. I wanted to yell to you, of course I did.’ He glanced at Sir Alric. ‘But it wasn’t allowed. I’d made a promise and I had to keep it.’

‘That wouldn’t have stopped you before.’ Cassie gave Sir Alric a vicious look. ‘What did he threaten you with?’

‘It wasn’t like that, Cassie.’ Jake smiled soberly. ‘A lot … a lot has happened since Istanbul. A lot of it I wasn’t aware of, obviously, but some of it I was. We’ve had a lot of time to talk.’ His eyes met Sir Alric’s, but without a trace of their usual hostility.

‘Then
tell
us. What happened? Why all the secrecy?’

‘Yes, Jake,’ Isabella said, her voice low and trembling, hardly able to stop it breaking. ‘Please, tell us what happened. How … how are you alive?’

‘He wasn’t,’ murmured Sir Alric. ‘At least, he was close enough to death that it made no difference.’

Jake swallowed and nodded. ‘Sir Alric saved me. That night at the Hagia Sophia, he used … some kind of medicine. Something old. Something long past its sell-by date, if you ask me.’ He attempted a weak smile. ‘I didn’t know what he’d done, of course. He told me this later. Weeks later, when I recovered consciousness.’

‘Medicine?’ Cassie said the word slowly, then furrowed her brow at Sir Alric. ‘You didn’t … Did you use the—’

‘The Tears, Cassie, yes. Almost all that were left.’

She stared at him, stunned. She knew just how valuable and rare the Tears were to the Few. And how irreplaceable …

As if reading her thoughts, Sir Alric grunted dismissively. ‘I decided the Few owed as much to Jake and his family. Call it payback, if you like.’

Feeling sudden tears of surprise and grudging gratitude spring to her eyes, Cassie blinked hard. She wasn’t going to cry, no way – but it was all so overwhelming. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly, gazing at Sir Alric very directly. ‘I know how much that means. I know what you’ve … given up.’

He nodded in acknowledgement.

‘Thank you from me, too,’ blurted Isabella, detaching her arms from Jake long enough to extend a hand to her headmaster. A little surprised, he clasped it. ‘You don’t know how I— This means more than— Oh,
Jake
.’ And then she was in her boyfriend’s arms again, kissing and hugging him.

Sir Alric gave Cassie a wry look, and she moved away to stand next to him while the two others embraced. ‘I feel quite the gooseberry,’ he murmured.

‘No kidding.’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘But thank you. Really. I know what the Tears were worth.’

‘To the Few, yes.’ He shrugged.

Jake eventually disentangled himself from Isabella and took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry we couldn’t say anything before. I didn’t want to get you into any more trouble – and if you knew I was still alive, there
would
be more. That’s how it had to be. It was for your safety as well as mine.’

‘Oh, Jake.’ Isabella took his face in her hands and shook it gently. ‘Nothing could have been worse than thinking you were dead.
Nothing
.’

‘I know. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.’

‘Jake, your parents … do they know … ?’ Cassie asked hesitantly.

‘No.’ He shook his head quickly, looking tormented. ‘Even they don’t know I’m alive. They couldn’t. I want to tell them, of course I do, but—’ He licked his lips.

Sir Alric took over. ‘You have to understand that Jake’s survival, and the means employed to achieve it, are very controversial indeed. He’d be a major target – and a very easy one.’ He shot Jake an apologetic smile, but Jake only nodded. ‘Jake has done a lot to thwart some very evil Few – vengeful ones. I wouldn’t want the Svenssons or their allies taking revenge on Jake, or coming after him to get at you. They’re more than capable of doing that. Besides, Jake knows far too much about the Few – we’re all aware of that, just as we’re aware how hostile he’s been towards us. If even a small percentage of Few knew he was still breathing, things wouldn’t go on that way for long. And if they knew the
Tears
had been used to save him … ?’ Sir Alric tailed off, shaking his head grimly. He seemed a little incredulous at his own actions, Cassie thought.

Isabella took a scared breath and hugged Jake even tighter. ‘But surely, his parents—’

‘If Mom and Dad knew, that would make them a target too,’ said Jake flatly. ‘They’d never be able to fake it; I know them. They’d let it slip somehow, and the Few – some of them – would use them to get to me.’

‘Even before this, I had already heard mutters that Jake’s parents ought to be in the Confine because of all that they know,’ added Sir Alric. ‘And that was from perfectly respectable Council Elders.’

Cassie nodded, silent, twisting her hands together as she thought it over. What Jake and Sir Alric said was true, and she couldn’t in all honesty be angry with either of them, however bewildered she felt. The enormity of the risk being taken here was finally catching up with her.

‘Wow. I … I really can’t believe you did this,’ Cassie murmured to Sir Alric. Jake and Isabella had returned to silent embrace.

‘Well, those two seem sufficiently grateful, wouldn’t you say?’ He gave a small smile. ‘Speaking of romance and deathless love, Miss Bell, I’m a little surprised you haven’t asked me yet.’

She blinked. ‘What?’

He studied her face keenly. ‘You haven’t asked me how my hunt for Ranjit is progressing.’

‘Oh.’ Cassie said. ‘No, but … ah, have you heard? Anything?’

Tilting his head a little, he continued to watch her. ‘Well, I daresay this business with Jake could have driven even Ranjit Singh from your head.’

She could hear the suspicion in his tone, and was indignant despite the fact that he was right in his insinuation that she’d been looking on her own. ‘Well. I assumed you’d let me know if you’d heard. Wouldn’t you?’

Sir Alric eyed her for a moment. ‘The fact is, I
haven’t
found anything. But I am continuing to search, Cassie, in every way I know how. I want you to know that. And I especially want you to continue to leave this to me.’

‘Of course,’ she said innocently.

He frowned, and then turned his attention back to Isabella and Jake. ‘I appreciate how happy you all are to be reunited, but we need to talk seriously,’ he said.

Jake was instantly attentive; Cassie was almost amused by the American boy’s change of attitude. He’d obviously found a new respect for his former headmaster, but that, she thought, was as it should be, after what Sir Alric had done for him.

It didn’t mean
she
had to be an obedient and respectful pupil, though …

‘Jake has to remain in hiding, Isabella,’ said Sir Alric. ‘As we’ve said, his appearance would raise too many awkward questions, might bring some very unpleasant creatures out of the woodwork. And for the same reasons, his family must continue to believe him dead. I know that’s difficult, but it’s unavoidable, for the moment. Besides,’ he said, turning to Jake, ‘you’re still weak. You will need to stay here, in this room and under my supervision, until you’re completely recovered.’

‘Absolutely
not
!’

They all stared. For the first time, Isabella had jumped up, fired with anger. It did Cassie’s heart good to see her friend back to her normal, sparky, positively terrifying self. ‘I’m not letting Jake out of my sight again! Not even to stay in this room. I’ll look after him! Do you hear me?’

‘I expect the whole school can hear you,’ muttered Sir Alric, taken aback.

‘And I will
not
go calmly back to my classes while he’s stuck here. I
will not
!’

Sir Alric sighed deeply, and allowed himself a small smile. ‘But you speak of going back to your classes, Isabella? That at least is very good news. I’d hoped you would stay at the Academy.’ He looked from her to Cassie and back again. ‘To be brutally honest, it’s the only reason I was forced to tell you both about Jake.’

Yes, thought Cassie cynically, that makes sense. And a good way of ensuring she’ll stay under your supervision, what with everything she knows.

‘Of
course
I go back to my classes!’ Isabella was spluttering in fury, tossing her hair. ‘Of course I will stay at the Academy
now
. My Jake is here! How could I leave?
How?
’

‘Still, Isabella, you have to accept that he mustn’t—’

‘No! I said not out of my sight!
Ever!
You cannot expect to separate us now?’

‘I’ve got to say, I agree,’ said Cassie, grinning.

Silenced, Sir Alric looked helplessly around all three of them.

‘Very well.’ He took another deep breath and nodded. ‘I can understand that you do deserve some time alone, you two. It’s not as if Isabella’s, ah … emotional state has escaped my notice. It’s hardly fair that you have grieved for so long under false pretences.’

‘Indeed,’ agreed Isabella sharply, with a dagger-glare.

‘And I am delighted to see you back to your old self, Miss Caruso,’ he added drily. ‘I have a proposition to put to you and Jake. I own a safari lodge in the Mount Kenya National Park; it’s extremely comfortable.’

‘I bet it is,’ muttered Cassie.

He ignored her. ‘I’d like to send you both there to recuperate, Isabella. I’m sure your roommate Miss Bell will be more than willing to take extra notes in class for you.’ Cassie cleared her throat pointedly. ‘Meanwhile, you and Jake can spend some time together, relax. I’ll even allow you to take the remaining Tears, in case Jake has need of them, but that should not be necessary. With those, you’ll be fully equipped to take care of him, Isabella; you’ll need nothing else.’

Cassie couldn’t help lifting her eyebrows in surprise.

‘And Cassie: your class is scheduled for a field trip and game drive there in a week’s time, so you’ll see your friends again soon.’ He shot her a meaningful glance, and she flushed, realising he was thinking of her feeding opportunities. ‘Just don’t say a word to your classmates – especially not the Few – and keep your visits to Isabella and Jake extremely quiet. Do you all understand?’

‘It’s perfect.’ A grin spread across Isabella’s face, all the light and life back in it. ‘And Cassie – I think I’ll have a little more
energy
from now on.’

Nervously, Cassie glanced at Jake, expecting him to explode with anger – but he was nodding. Clearly his recent experiences had changed much about his attitudes to the Few. Jake might not be thrilled about the feeding relationship between Cassie and his girlfriend, she thought, but he understood. He even gave her a rueful smile.

‘I agree about the safari lodge, Sir Alric,’ Jake said. ‘It’s exactly what Isabella needs.’

‘And you!’ Isabella tapped his chin with a scolding finger.

‘Both of you,’ grinned Cassie. ‘And I’d say I was going to miss you – but given the situation half an hour ago, I think I can afford to tell you to bugger off for a few weeks!’

T
he twin-engined plane was a little bigger than Richard’s, and full of her classmates, but Cassie might as well have been alone. She huddled in her seat, staring out of the window at the savannah below, using the landscape and the wildlife, scattered like so many toys across it, as an excuse to be unsociable.

She couldn’t help thinking about Ranjit, especially now that Isabella and Jake were so loved-up again. She’d tried many times over the last few days to draw out Tiger_eye again, but whoever it was, they’d been resolutely silent. Nothing else she’d seen or heard discussed in that chatroom or any other had proved such a strong lead. She was certain now that if it wasn’t Ranjit, it was certainly a friend of his – someone who could help.

But she was desperate to believe it
was
Ranjit himself. It was just the sort of thing he would do – he must be very familiar with the Few networks, and he was bound to use them to keep track of anyone who might be hunting for him. And if he suspected she was looking for him – as he surely must – then wouldn’t he be tempted to make a tentative contact, even if he later regretted it and went back into hiding? It all made sense.

Now she had to convince him there was no need for him to hide, that he could stop running. She loved him; that was all he needed to know. The whole hideous situation was fixable. All she had to do was tempt him back out of his hidey-hole once more …

A friendly elbow nudged her side, and she turned to Richard with a practised smile.

He grinned back. ‘Hey, Cassie Bell, you’re missing my magnificent flying skills, aren’t you?’

She laughed. ‘What, the ones that add such excitement to a trip?’

‘She’s just missing excitement, full stop,’ called Cormac from the seat in front. ‘Richard, why aren’t you showing our friend one of your famous good times?’

For an instant Cassie’s eyes locked with Richard’s, and he gave her a slightly regretful smile, and her heart turned over. Then, solemnly, he winked.

‘Ah, if only,’ sighed Richard. ‘There’s more than that I’d like to show her … But I fear I’m a poor substitute for our bella Isabella.’

Relieved, Cassie returned his elbow-nudge with added force. ‘You’ve got that right!’ Richard clutched his side with a grin. ‘Gosh, for a moment, it was as if Isabella was right here with me.’

Cassie couldn’t help giggling, all the more so when Cormac leaned over the back of his seat to share his latest filthy jokes. She barely listened to the punchlines, but only because she was enjoying the sheer laughter and companionship of the moment.