Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(53)

"And? Others are leaving for half-term. I'll just go for an evening and be back again. Simple." She picks up her phone. "Tessa sent me a picture of her costume today. It's exactly what I saw."

She shows a picture of a tall girl in a revealing dress—a sexy vampiress, complete with sultry make-up and blood around her mouth.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" I ask cautiously. "You were attacked once."

"And you guys helped me. We'll be fine if we go together and it's last minute, so nobody will know I'm going to be there."

I take a deep breath. "I don't know, Maeve."

"I'll come," says Jamie.

"You need to stay here," protests Maeve. "You can't leave the academy."

"I don't care."

I exchange glances with Amelia. Talk about intense. "Why can’t he leave?" I ask.

Neither answers and they look away from each other.

"If you don't let me come with you, I'll tell Theodora you're going," says Jamie.

Maeve's eyes darken. "You wouldn't. She'd probably stop me."

"Exactly. I'm coming with you," he repeats. "End of story."

Whoa. Jamie and Maeve's relationship is tenser than I thought. Outbursts like this are totally out of character for Jamie. I rarely see him argue, even with the Petrescu dickheads. Maeve glares a moment longer. "You can't. Jamie, please."

"Why?" I repeat. "What's happening?"

Both clam up and Maeve stands. "I wish I'd never said anything. I should've just gone on my own."

"And that's the problem. You can't. You need my help to deal with this," says Jamie.

"But you're not helping. Things don't work between us, even when you touch me. Every time we try, nothing happens. We're useless together."

I almost choke on my mouthful of bacon. Are they talking about what I think? No way.

Nearby, other students watch the exchange, and I frown as Katherine whispers to Clive. "Keep your voices down, guys."

Maeve throws a look in their direction and then stalks off.

"Whoa, dude," I say to Jamie. "What exactly is happening here?"

"Nothing."

Amelia pokes him. "Liar."

Jamie stands too. "I'm not talking to you about personal business between myself and Maeve."

Shocked when he snaps the words at us and walks away, I turn back to Amelia, who chews on her sandwich as she watches them go.

"Do you know what's happening?"

She shrugs. "I've asked."

"Do you think something happened between them at the cottage that afternoon and it ended badly?"

"Possibly. But I'd love to know who made the first move and what went wrong."

Did I miss my opportunity? "Do you think that's what Maeve meant about things not working?" Amelia bites on her lip. "Amelia?"

"Jamie’s attending Sofia and Maeve's private lessons. I've asked her why and she said he helps focus her visions."

Weird. "Has Maeve mentioned any recently, apart from her friend at home?"

Amelia shakes her head. "Whatever's happening frustrates them both. I overheard them once, late at night outside the door. She was upset."

My muscles tense. "What the hell is going on?"

"I couldn't hear the whole conversation, but she accused Jamie of holding back from her."

"That explains why they're odd around each other." I tap my fork on my plate. "Maybe Sofia is trying to get them to work together and they don't want to because they fell out?"

"I don't know. They're hiding something." Amelia places her empty plate on the tray and stands, holding it. "I'll go after Maeve. I'm sure she'll talk to me eventually.

"Do you think we should go with Maeve at Halloween, or stop her?"

Amelia chuckles. "I'd like to see you stop her. See you in class."

Within seconds of Amelia vacating her chair, Katherine appears and sits, angling her body to me. She shuffles closer and whispers, "Do tell."

"Tell what?"

Katherine smiles and waves a hand towards the cafeteria door. "The witches. What's the gossip? Did she cheat on Jamie? That was one hell of a lovers' tiff."

I grunt in derision. "Keep out of this."

She examines her nails. "I don't see the appeal myself. She's whiny."

"She's struggling, Katherine."

"Sure. She's playing you all." Katherine bats her lashes and twists a strand of hair around a finger. "'Oh, Ash, you're so hot, I need your attention because Jamie's not here to give me any, but don't touch me. Oh, Jamie, you're so smart and sexy but I'm just sooo confused, but I might let you hold my hand. No, I need to find Andrei and pretend I don't like him—he’s mysterious and dangerous, but I'm scared because I've never kissed a boy.'"

She giggles at her mocking impression of Maeve and my hackles rise. "Don't be such a bitch, Katherine."

She touches her chest with her manicured fingertips and gives a mock gasp. "That's an awful thing to say, Ash. But don't you think it's better to be an upfront bitch than a whiny human who lies and sneaks around?"