The Princess Trap (21 page)

J
onas was not surprised
when he was summoned to see the headmaster. The only surprising thing was that it had taken so long.

The previous evening, he had watched the news in the dorm’s lounge and learned for the first time about Liron’s arrest — no one had thought it necessary to tell him in person, although the school must certainly have received a telephone call. After the video footage of the arrest and, in particular, of the “plan for the coup” found in Liron’s car, there had been a deathly silence. No one had said a word to Jonas. It was as if he had suddenly turned invisible. He had just gone to his room and packed his bags.

He hadn’t folded his things neatly, just chucked in whatever he lay his hands on: clothes, books, the pictures from the wall above his bed. He’d had to throw his full weight onto the top of the case in order to get it closed.

So now where do I go?
he’d wondered.
Who’ll take me in?

He’d hoped the king might call him, or Princess Margareta. Surely they would know that Liron was innocent and offer him shelter. Wouldn’t they?

But by the morning, when his phone had still failed to ring, he’d known there would be no word from them.
Jenna’s disappeared
, he’d realized.
How could her mother possibly spare a thought for me? And Malena’s only allowed to call from her boarding school on the weekends, so what can I do till then?

He’d paced up and down his room, five steps each way. Since Perry had disappeared, too, he’d had the room all to himself. He didn’t want to go outside, or go to class, and have everyone stare at him. And nobody came to find out where he was.

His father’s voice echoed in his mind. “If something happens to me, just think about these three questions,” Liron had said. He’d probably been expecting a moment just like this. Except Jonas didn’t even know where to begin. “What came three years after the kingdom of Scandia conquered North Island? What was for a long time the tallest building in Scandia, and why? What do dwarfs and wonders have in common?”

Every so often during the last several months he’d thought about the questions. He’d tried looking things up in the encyclopedia in the school library. The Internet was too risky, because PCs could be bugged and searches could be traced. The questions, no matter how weird they seemed to him, were secret, and no one else must know.

But the longer he thought about them, the more stupid he felt. North Island had been conquered in 1732 — every Scandian child learned that in grade school. So three years later was 1735, but that year wasn’t mentioned in any history book or encyclopedia.

The other two questions weren’t any easier. The tower of the city hall, built in 1621 by a German architect, was 300 feet high. But what was the point of asking
why
it was the tallest building? It was the tallest because it was the tallest building! In the encyclopedia, he’d read that at that time South Island was a member of the Hanseatic League, and people from Sweden, Germany, and Russia had lived in Holmburg then. Could the puzzle be connected with that?

The craziest question was number three, about dwarfs and wonders. What the heck could they have in common?

Up and down, five paces up, five paces down. The first two questions were connected with Scandia and its history, but the third was a complete curveball. Maybe he was supposed to put the three answers together somehow. Maybe the combination of all three contained some vital information.

“Only if something should happen to me,” Liron had said. No matter where he went, Jonas had to find out what these questions meant, and what the answers were, in order to see where they were leading.

But first things first — he’d been summoned to see the headmaster. On the way, he continued to puzzle over the questions. Then he knocked on the door and was told to enter.

“You know why I’ve sent for you,” the headmaster announced, without even saying hello. “To start, you’ll hand in your school uniform. I see you’re not wearing it, anyway. Our uniform is a mark of honor.”

Jonas nodded, and tried to read the expression on the man’s face. “I don’t think any of it’s true,” he began. “And no one who knows my father—”

“It doesn’t matter a jot what you think,” said the headmaster. Was he enjoying this conversation? Or did he find it awkward? He’d been head for many years — back in the old days, then under Norlin, and now under the new government. He was headmaster of Morgard, and any personal beliefs were of no concern to anyone. His task was to take the school in whatever direction was necessary at the time. “You will understand that I cannot allow your fellow students to share a classroom with the son of someone guilty of high treason.” He opened a file and leafed through it. “Furthermore, I don’t know who will now be responsible for paying your tuition.”

Jonas looked him straight in the eye. There had been no hope, anyway. He’d had all night to prepare for this conversation, and so nothing could shock him.

“No worries, dude. I’m good with being an outcast. Got lots of practice,” he said, and waited. The headmaster was too shrewd to react.

“A car will take you to the railway station,” he said. “From there I presume you’ll know where to go. I hereby abrogate all responsibility for you.” He closed the file.

Jonas pointed to it. “Are you going to throw that away?” he asked. “Because you’re sure it’s final? Because you’re sure I won’t be back?” He fixed his gaze firmly on the headmaster’s eyes. He wasn’t going to let him off the hook. The headmaster would have to be the first to look away. “Or maybe you’d better hold on to it? To be on the safe side. In case the wind changes. In case you have to welcome me back with open arms.” His voice deepened with contempt. “What sort of man are you? You’re always saying you want to set an example for the students. And yet you always go whichever way the wind blows. So what are we supposed to be learning from you?” He laughed. “Liron will be proved innocent. If there’s one thing
I’m
sure of, it’s that. He’s been framed, and one day you’ll all learn the truth. But don’t bother to apologize then, Headmaster. Unlike the Terminator, I
won’t
be back.”

He turned and went toward the leather-padded door without bothering to listen to what the headmaster shouted at him.

As he pulled the door shut behind him, Jonas felt remarkably clearheaded. He hadn’t allowed himself to be intimidated or even to complain. He had stood up for himself, and he had stood up for Liron.

He grabbed his bags, which someone had brought from his room to the steps under the portico. The car that was to take him to the train station was already waiting there, its engine running.

Liron taught me that
, he thought, tossing a bag in the trunk.
Never let anyone look down on you. And most important of all, no one can make you feel small if you refuse to let them. I taught that to Jenna, too.

It was a lesson Liron had taught him during the time they’d been on the run, living in a squalid little apartment in the projects, two northerners among all the other northerners in Holmburg.
“Every man can keep his dignity. Even if they take everything else away from you, that’s yours to keep forever.”

At the time, Jonas had thought the words too grand for the conditions — the run-down kitchen with its worn-out linoleum floor, and the dismal concrete buildings outside their window. Almost absurd. High-sounding words for people down so low.

But all through the night they’d echoed in his head.
Who I am is up to me and me alone, and it doesn’t matter what other people think. I won’t ever let anyone make me feel small.

Suddenly, from behind one of the portico’s columns, a girl came toward him. Jonas was startled.

“Ylva!” he said. He hadn’t seen her since Sunday evening in the summerhouse, and for the last few hours Liron’s arrest had driven everything else out of his thoughts. Still, he didn’t know just what his feelings were yet.

Ylva took a step toward him. A suitcase stood between them. Her face now wore the expression that everyone at school was so familiar with: self-confidence and pride. There was none of the uncertainty and vulnerability that had bewildered him two days before.

“Jonas,” she said. She knocked up against the suitcase, and stopped. “It was obvious you’d have to go.” She looked toward the car and the driver, who was leaning against the open door, listening to headphones. “Jonas, I had to speak to you before you left!”

Jonas waited. “What do you want to say?” he asked. “Actually, don’t bother. I can guess. Strangely enough, your feelings for me have cooled, is that it? Now that my father’s a traitor. Now that I’m not such a good catch anymore — the Minister of the Interior’s son.” To his fury, he noticed that his voice was trembling. The talk with the headmaster had been easy. This was far more difficult.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” said Ylva. She pushed the suitcase to one side. “What kind of girl do you think I am?” She glanced over her shoulder toward the driver. “I just wanted … Jonas, I just wanted to apologize. It wasn’t very nice of me. But during the last few weeks, I noticed that it was actually Jenna … Anybody could see it! The way you looked at her. And I wanted to … I’m not in love with you, Jonas. But I wanted to spoil it for her. I just think Jenna’s so … She’s no princess, that’s all.” She took a deep breath. “Jonas, I’m not in love with you, and I wasn’t in love with you on Sunday, either.”

Jonas stared at her. “How dare you?” he yelled. “How dare you say you were just using me in order to get at Jenna?” He should have realized just how stupid he’d been. But what did he know about girls? The only one he really knew was Malena.

Ylva shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t seem ashamed. “I wasn’t going to tell you at all,” she said. “I’d have gone on playing the game. I’m sorry, Jonas. That’s what I was going to do. It wasn’t very nice of me, I know, but I mean …” She shrugged. “People do these things, don’t they? And after the news broke yesterday …”

“You wanted to make sure I didn’t go around telling people that Ylva von Thunberg was in love with me!” said Jonas. “Is that what you were worried about? Unbelievable. Well, no stress, Ylva, your sterling reputation’s safe with me.”

He picked up his suitcase and went toward the car, but she stopped him with a gesture.

“That’s not what I came for,” she said. “It was a game, and it was just for fun, all right? But there are much more important things to talk about now. I don’t believe it, Jonas.” Suddenly she looked very determined and even a little excited. “This business with your father. And that was why I wanted to be honest with you, before you left. Something isn’t right, Jonas. It should be obvious to everyone!”

Jonas stared at her again. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“The plan!” said Ylva. “The one they held up to the camera. Where it says in big block letters
PLAN FOR THE COUP
. It’s like out of a cartoon or something! You don’t seriously think anyone would be stupid enough to take a plan like that along to a secret meeting, let alone give it a title! These days, nobody even needs to write anything down on paper. That’s obvious to me, and what do I know about this kind of stuff? You see what I’m saying?”

Jonas nodded. Why hadn’t it occurred to him, too? Even if Liron really was the traitor everyone took him for, he’d never have been so careless as to carry the evidence around with him.

“Your father’s been framed,” said Ylva. “Last night I couldn’t sleep, I just kept thinking about it. I’m sure there’s something behind all this, only I don’t know what it is.” Very gently she put her hand on Jonas’s arm. “And I’m sorry for what I did at the party, Jonas,” she said. “I just wanted you to know.”

“OK,” murmured Jonas. “I’d better go.”

Ylva stepped back. When the car drove off, she gave him a small, stiff wave.
She’s got more guts than the headmaster
, thought Jonas with surprise.
She doesn’t care if other people see her saying good-bye to me. What she did on Sunday was totally vile, but she’s got guts all right. And she dares to think for herself.

None of the other students was anywhere to be seen.