As she crouched down again, she made a gesture of frustration.
They both turned to Allie.
Standing on her toes, clinging with her fingertips to the cold stone of the window ledge, she looked inside. What she saw took her breath away.
All the candles inside were ablaze. Dozens of them. Maybe a hundred. The room was filled with light. Even the heavy, wrought iron candelabras that normally stood near the altar had been moved – they now stood in a semi-circle near the wall to the left of the window. Allie couldn’t see what they were illuminating.
She dropped back down to face the others. Shaking her head she mouthed, ‘I can’t see anyone from here.’
For a moment they stood still, looking at Nicole, who appeared to be deciding what to do. Zoe pointed hard at the door. Nicole shook her head.
Narrowing her eyes, Zoe jutted her finger at the door again – more insistent this time. The look on her face said she wasn’t about to back down. After a second, Nicole held up her hands in surrender.
They all took a step towards the door but almost immediately Nicole whirled on Allie, pushing her back. She held her hand up in a ‘Stay here’ gesture.
Allie couldn’t believe it. Had she come this far only to be stopped at the end?
‘Come on…’ she mouthed, pleading.
Nicole was unmoved. She pointed fiercely at the earth under Allie’s feet.
Every muscle in Allie’s body was tensed, poised for the fight ahead. Ready to catch Jo’s killer if he was in there. Ready to hurt him.
But there was no way Nicole would let her in there first.
Fine then. They can go first. I will be right behind them.
She nodded her submission. Zoe, who would hate being told she couldn’t go in, gave her a sympathetic look before shooting to the edge of the door where she waited for Nicole, who was soon next to her.
Nicole gestured at something Allie couldn’t see, and then in an instant they were gone.
As soon as they were out of sight, Allie ran to the door and hid herself in the shadows beside it. If anyone tried to get out she would be on them before they knew what hit them.
She stood like a statue, staring at the doorway unblinking for so long her eyes filled with cold tears. She listened fiercely for anything – a scream, a cry. But the stream roaring in the distance and her heart thudding out a surprisingly steady rhythm were the only sounds.
Just when she thought she might go mad from not knowing, Zoe appeared in the doorway. The candlelight behind her was so bright for a moment it looked as if her hair was on fire.
Wordlessly, she motioned for Allie to follow her.
Inside, the air was hot and still, perfumed with the scent of smoke and melting wax. As the girls moved, the candle flames danced on the waves of air made by their bodies. In this light, the medieval paintings that covered the grey stone walls seemed to come alive.
They were meant to be seen this way, Allie realised.
On one wall, a gigantic red devil shoved suffering souls down into Hell, while others climbed a ladder to Heaven. But if they were meant to be saved, why did they look so afraid?
Elsewhere a dragon swooped upwards in pursuit of a dove just out of reach of its claws. The paint had always looked aged and dull before, but in the candlelight the dragon’s rust-red scales shimmered with life.
But Zoe and Nicole weren’t looking at those. They were staring at another painting: of a tree very much like the yew by the churchyard wall. The painted version was filled with colourful fruit and birds. Its tangled roots spelled out the words ‘Tree of Life’. It was Allie’s favourite painting in the heavily decorated church.
This was where the candelabra had been carefully arranged in an arc.
As Allie drew closer she could see that something was on the painting.
‘What is it?’ she whispered.
Nicole’s eyes were still locked on the painting. Raising her hand, she pointed at the tree trunk.
Only then did Allie see the folded piece of paper impaled into the wall by a hunting knife.
Who would do that? she thought wildly. Who would damage a painting that’s nearly a thousand years old?
The problem was, she knew exactly who would do that.
Moving slowly, as if in a dream, she stepped inside the encircling candles. She heard Zoe and Nicole whisper her name, cautioning her. Calling for her to stop.
But she didn’t. She couldn’t stop.
Because the paper held one word, written in confident, slanting handwriting: ‘Allie.’
TWELVE
T
he heavily carved hilt of the dagger was cold in Allie’s hand but she didn’t flinch. She wrapped her fingers around it and yanked it from the old stone wall with force, catching the paper as it fluttered loose.
Silky to the touch, the heavy paper unfolded like fabric.
Dear Allie
I must apologise for choosing such a dramatic means of communication, but you see I needed to get your attention. I trust I have it now.
You have chosen the wrong side in this war, Allie. However, it may surprise you to know I don’t blame you. I, more than anyone, know how convincingly Isabelle can pretend to love. How seductive Lucinda can be. How strong are the ties of family that bind us. But they are lying to you, Allie.
So far, you have disappointed me. For that there will have to be consequences. I’m sorry to say these consequences may be severe.
And yet the course upon which we find ourselves is not unchangeable. If you see the error of your ways and change your mind now, you will be welcomed into my organisation as Christopher has been. Everything will stop. You can take your rightful place in a seat of honour. You deserve that seat, Allie. You also deserve the truth. I alone am willing to give you that.
All you have to do is come to me. I am always watching. If you look for me, I will find you.
With me, you will finally be safe.
Nathaniel
‘What does it say? Allie? Are you all right?’ Nicole stepped inside the circle of burning candles.
As she turned to her, Allie realised her face was wet with tears of futile rage, although she had no memory of weeping.
Calmly, the French girl reached for the note. ‘May I see it?’
Numb, Allie watched as she quickly scanned the words, her lips tightening. When she finished, she swore a stream of French curse words Allie suspected were stronger than anything she’d ever heard Sylvain say.
‘This man is insane. Are you OK?’ Without waiting for the answer, Nicole put a supportive arm around her. ‘Zoe’s gone to get help.’
‘I just wanted to catch him.’ Allie gripped the hilt of the dagger until her knuckles turned white. ‘Why can’t I ever catch him?’
Minutes later the churchyard was a hive of activity. Security guards, teachers and Night School students bustled between the graves setting up battery-powered lights, shouting orders, and running in and out of the chapel.
Standing in the shadows near the churchyard wall, the three girls were alone. No one had spoken to them after Raj had prised the knife and the note from Allie’s fingers and hustled them out of the building.
‘Don’t move,’ was all he’d said before disappearing into the darkness.
Allie wasn’t sorry to see the note go. She’d read it enough times already to memorise the threatening message written in a neat, angular hand.
With simmering rage, she thought again about those last words.
Come to me…
‘As if, you utter tosser,’ she muttered aloud. Standing nearby, Zoe looked over at her questioningly.
‘Sorry. Not you,’ Allie said. ‘Nathaniel.’ She glanced at her watch with barely contained irritation – it was after midnight. All around them guards and Night School students were doing things. She longed to do something. ‘How long do you suppose they’ll keep us here?’
‘I don’t know but I wish they’d let us help.’ Zoe’s nose was red from the cold and she h
opped up and down impatiently. ‘I don’t know why they’re keeping us here.’
‘To talk to us.’ Nicole’s eyes stayed locked on the guards. ‘They are securing the grounds and then they will want to ask us questions. It’s standard.’
Raj’s guards all seemed to be talking to themselves – Allie couldn’t see microphones but she guessed it was some sort of communications equipment. That was a surprise – the school resisted almost all modern technology.
At that moment, someone switched on the lights and the churchyard was suffused with eerie blue-white light – after the heavy darkness that preceded it the effect was blinding.
Two figures approached them. Shielding her eyes with her hands, Allie squinted into the glare. In the fog and the light they looked like shadow-people until they were right in front of her.
It was Raj Patel and Zelazny.
‘We need to get you girls someplace safe,’ Zelazny announced without preamble. ‘We want you inside the school building until the search is completed.’
Allie fixed him with a bitter stare. ‘No place is safe.’
Before he could reply to that, three shadows detached themselves from the darkness and moved close enough for Allie to make out their features. Two were Patel’s guards, Peter and Karen. The third was Carter.
‘They’re going to take you to the school and stay with you until the rest of us get back.’ When he met Allie’s gaze again, Patel’s dark eyes were steely. ‘I’m not taking any chances.’
They took off almost immediately and, within seconds, the churchyard with its bright lights and crowds of protective guards faded into the distance.
Allie’s hackles rose. The woods were too dark. Too quiet.
But the guards moved quickly and, with Allie in the middle of a protective phalanx, they hustled down the footpath at a steady speed. Nobody spoke. They just ran in silent formation.
Allie felt drained. Each step seemed to require all the energy she had left. Then she had to do it again. Her knee throbbed and every other footfall sent a knife-jab of pain through her leg. But she endured it with grim acceptance – the pain helped her focus on what mattered. And honed her rage.
Nicole and Zoe ran at her side. Carter was right beside Nicole. Once, Allie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye but he was staring straight ahead, his expression alert and intense.
They broke out of the woods in half the normal time. As they ran across the lawn the school building towered over them like a fortress. Upstairs, the dorm windows were dark but light poured from the open front door, backlighting Isabelle who stood waiting for them at the top of the steps. Her golden-brown hair flowed down her back in shining waves. With an oversized white coat hanging from her shoulders, she looked like a goddess.
She rested a steadying hand on each of Allie’s shoulders, her expression grave. ‘Are you OK?’
Allie nodded. ‘I’m good.’
‘Thank God.’ Isabelle turned to include the other girls in her gaze. ‘Please go on to the common room and wait for me there. I’ve had some tea and sandwiches put out for you – you must be frozen solid.’ She turned to Carter. ‘A word, please?’
As the two walked back down the stairs, talking confidentially, Allie wondered what they were saying.
‘Come on, Allie. You should be inside.’ Grabbing her hand, Zoe dragged her into the grand entrance hall where Nicole waited for them.
Usually dimmed at this hour, the chandeliers were all aglow. It gave the empty hallway an oddly festive feel, like a party to which no one had shown up.
The two guards were still with them – Karen walked well ahead; Peter had dropped behind. When they reached the common room they flanked the doorway – letting the girls in first then closing ranks outside the door.
After hours out in the cold, the deep leather sofas and Oriental rugs looked inviting. A fire crackled merrily in the large fireplace; nearby, a tea tray had been set out piled with sandwiches and biscuits.
Needing no more invitation, Nicole and Zoe dropped into chairs by the fire.
‘This is much better,’ Nicole said, stretching her legs out towards the flames.
But Allie stood just inside the door, staring around her blankly. It was all too civilised and ordinary – as if they’d just come back from a jolly afternoon of ice skating or shopping. She couldn’t make sense of it. There were guards outside the door.
And yet she was starting to believe if Nathaniel wanted to, he could walk right past them.
She was so lost in thought she never heard Carter approach.
‘You OK?’
At the sound of his low voice, Allie’s breath came out in a sigh. When she turned towards him, his dark eyes surveyed her with concern.
The memory of how she’d felt in the training room when he hadn’t come over to say hello came back to her, unbidden and bitter.
I guess it’s OK to be my friend now, she thought dully. Jules isn’t here to see.
‘I’m OK,’ she lied.
‘Raj told me about the note…’ He shook his head, at a loss for words. ‘Are you really fine?’
‘No, I’m not.’ Her voice was thick with emotion. ‘I’m freaking out and I don’t understand any of this. I hate myself for not catching Nathaniel and I hate Raj because he can’t catch him and… I’m just scared. About what’s going to happen next.’ She covered her mouth with one hand as if to shut herself up. ‘I’m sorry. I think it’s all making me crazy.’
Carter shook his head. ‘You’re not crazy. The world is crazy. It’s not our fault. We didn’t make it this way; we just inherited it.’
As she looked into those familiar depthless eyes, her heart ached. She hadn’t realised until this moment how much she’d missed his calm rationality. The way he got her. The way he could calm her down when she lost it.
It still worked. Her lips quirked into a shaky smile. ‘I think the world’s in trouble if we’re the sane ones.’
‘Doomed,’ he agreed, grinning back to her.
Footsteps in the hallway interrupted her thoughts and the moment dissipated as suddenly as it began.
Zelazny, Raj and Isabelle walked into the room together. Their grim expressions made Allie’s stomach tighten.
Motioning for the other students to stay where they were, Isabelle turned to face her. ‘Allie,’ she said. ‘Please come with us.’
THIRTEEN
‘T
here’s nothing new in the note,’ Zelazny said dismissively.
‘I disagree.’ Raj’s voice was low but firm. ‘You have to look beyond the superficiality of words on paper to what he’s really saying. And I think his message has changed.’
They were all crowded into the headmistress’ small office – Isabelle sitting at her desk with Raj and Allie in the chairs facing her. Zelazny stood with his back against the door, arms crossed.
With so many people in it, the room felt hot and stuffy. It smelled faintly of sweat.
‘I’m not sure I see that – what’s the new message?’ Isabelle asked, frowning. With her dark blonde hair loose, she looked younger – more like a student than a headmistress. But her demeanour was authoritative. And angry.
‘The note is addressed to Allie but it was meant for us. He’s telling us he’s about to make his move,’ Raj said. ‘He’s not asking Allie to come to him. He’s asking us to send her to him.’
The room fell silent.
Icy prickles of fear ran down Allie’s spine. Now that Raj had said it, Nathaniel’s underlying message seemed so obvious. He was giving Isabelle a way out. Inviting her to betray Allie and Lucinda.
Giving her one last chance.
Isabelle made an impatient sound. ‘If so, then this was a waste of his time.’
The headmistress turned to Raj. ‘We can discuss Nathaniel’s wishes later. My immediate concern is how this happened. How was the chapel not secured and why didn’t your guards discover the intrusion before my Night School students encountered it? This was a serious lapse.’
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Her tone was ominous, and Raj shot her a sharp look.
‘Actually, we don’t believe there was an intrusion.’
‘What does that mean?’ Zelazny barked. ‘Clearly someone was in the chapel.’
Raj kept his eyes focused on Isabelle – Allie saw her pale as she realised what he was about to say.
‘There’s no indication that anyone entered the grounds last night. The note may have come from outside the school – it could have even come through the post. But the scene at the chapel was arranged by one of us. It was an inside job.’