Nightworld Academy: Term One(Nightworld Academy #1)(72)

He gives a curt nod. "Yes. Good night, Maeve."

"Good night." I back up to the door, and he watches with a bemused smile as I fumble behind me for the door handle.

"I have one other thing to say before you go," Tobias says. "Now is the time for you to accept your situation. Immerse yourself in the Nightworld Academy and everything the place has to teach you. You’ve barely scratched the surface."

"I intend to."

He replies with a curt nod, before he turns back to his bottle. Relieved to escape, I close the door behind me and rush through his empty classroom until I stumble out into the hallway.





Chapter Forty-Two





MAEVE



The main school building would normally teem with students attending lessons, or teachers in their offices, but at half term the place is ghostly quiet. I haven’t dismissed the idea the place might be haunted yet, and I hurry through the dimly lit corridors, unable to get out of the place fast enough. Almost tripping on the stairs, I make a beeline for the front doors.

Someone sits on a bench below the coats of arms, and following my thoughts about ghosts, I almost run screaming. A girl watches me, back straight and hands folded over a small handbag on her knees.

Katherine.

I pause. Do I bolt out of the building or face her? I knew she’d corner me alone one day soon, but she picked a bad time.

Katherine stands. "What were you doing with Tobias? I saw you crossing the school grounds with him."

There’s curiosity in her voice, but she’s thin-lipped with narrowed eyes.

"Did you follow us?"

She ignores me and gestures at my ripped dress. "Interesting look, Maeve. Did he tear your clothes? You're a bit young for Tobias, aren't you? Like a hundred and thirty years too young."

I guess you never saw Twilight. I slap away the thought. Tobias is no Edward Cullen.

"That’s not what’s happening," I retort. "Why did you follow us?"

"Oh, I’m nosey, that’s all," she says sweetly.

‘Nosey’ isn’t the word I’d use to describe Katherine. With a shake of my head, I walk towards the front doors.

Katherine shoots over and steps in front of me. She’s immaculately dressed in skinny jeans and a pink shirt half unbuttoned over a darker pink tank top, where a pale stone pendant hangs above the low-cut material.

"I’m here to tell you to stay away from Ash," she says, voice dripping acid. "I don't care what you do with the witch nerd, or the dumb emo vamp, but hands off Ash."

"You followed me and waited here, in the dark, to tell me to stay away from a guy who doesn't like you?" I scoff. "You're stupider than you look."

Her eyes widen at my insult. "You’ll find I’m much cleverer than you think, sweetie. I can make your life at the academy unpleasant."

"Is that so?" I retort. I hold my ground but my scalp prickles. I don't doubt her words. What if the unpleasantness starts now?

"Yes, that’s so, Maeve." She half-spits my name. "I’ve spent over a year working on Ash, and I don't appreciate you batting your eyelashes and believing you can have him."

Working on? I stare. Lamia. "But what about Clive?"

"He’s a way to get into the Gilgamesh house." She waves a dismissive hand. "Ash will be twice as powerful as any shifter our age, and that’s the guy I want."

"Good luck with your nefarious plans, Katherine," I mock and side step her. She matches me and engulfs my personal space. "Excuse me, I’m tired."

Katherine places her lips close to my ear and her heavy perfume winds around my head. "I have friends in every academy house who’ll do what I ask, and when. If you don't back off from Ash, watch yourself."

"Don’t threaten me," I say through clenched teeth.

"Magic accidents can be nasty, Maeve. Just ask Amelia’s sister."

My pulse races in anger. "I’m not scared of bullies. Move."

She slowly backs away and pulls an innocent face. "I’m only giving you a friendly warning. Catch you tomorrow, Maeve."

I glare after her as she stalks away, humming to herself.

Bitch.

But her comment about Amelia’s sister hit me hard. I’m unaware what happened to her, but the injuries are serious enough that she’s housebound. Is Katherine a harmless, cliché mean girl, or are her ambitions more sinister?

My heart thumps hard and I’m gripped with nausea. Why did I let Katherine get under my skin?

The day I arrived here, I was pissed off somebody had taken away my choices for the next two years.

I never realised they’d taken away my choices for the foreseeable future.

Pleading with the fates not to throw anything else my way tonight, I walk across the chequered tiles towards the open doors.

Katherine has vanished, and I hurry across the cloisters back to Walcott house before she reappears. The open door welcomes me home as warm light shines out.

"Maeve!" Jamie’s voice calls out from where he waits for me in the doorway. "I’ve been looking for you."

My mind blackens, and the images hit like a sledgehammer to my skull, tearing through my mind with a greater ferocity than ever before. I stumble and hold my hands either side of my head, but the future has a tight grip on me.