Gabriella Poole - Divided Souls (Darke Academy)

‘Tell me, though.’ Cassie stared at her hands, twisting them together. ‘Was Sara telling me the truth back there? About who was at my

initiation?’

‘Yes. Yes, that was true.’

‘So if Jake has somehow found that out too …’ Cassie put her hand over her mouth for a moment, feeling sick. ‘He could be trying to set

me up?’

‘Oh, come on. I can’t believe he’d be involved with the deaths.’

‘I don’t want to believe it myself, but then why’s he lying bloody low?’ She gave him a bleak look.

‘And you reckon Isabella’s helping him?’

‘I can’t imagine she wouldn’t,’ said Cassie miserably. ‘She loves him.’

‘And we’re all suckers for love.’ Richard was silent for a moment. ‘What a mess.’

Cassie took another look around her room – her now-single room – and felt hot tears slide down her face. ‘What am I going to do?’

‘She’ll come around. She’s all right, our bella Isabella. She wouldn’t know a grudge if it came up and slapped her arse.’

She couldn’t even laugh. ‘It’s not that. I mean, not just that.’

‘Oh.’ Alarmed, Richard took her chin gently in his fingers and turned her to face him. ‘When did you last feed?’

‘A while ago,’ she confessed miserably. ‘The night of the island party. And not much even then.’

‘OK.’ He patted her cheek gently, leaned in to kiss it, then got swiftly to his feet. ‘I can’t help with a lot of things, Cassie, but this is one

thing I can sort out. And you don’t have to be grateful for more than, oh, two or three centuries, really, doll. Yes, I can definitely give you

some concrete, tasty help with this one …’

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Nervously Cassie tapped once, lightly, on the door before her, withdrawing her fist swiftly to chew on her fingernails. She eyed the

polished plaque with trepidation.

RICHARD HALTON-JONES

PEREGRINE HUTTON

The door eased silently open, so that she saw first his fingers, then, as his face appeared, a solemn wink. Richard raised one finger to his

lips and pulled the door wider.

‘Shh. He’s in the Land of Nod. Well, more or less.’

Beyond Richard’s shoulder she had quite a good view of the room. It wasn’t dissimilar to hers and Isabella’s, but perhaps even more

opulent: plenty of gilding, lots of baroque, lashings of Ottoman chic. And if anything it was tidier than the room she’d just left, except for the

silk scarf hanging from the chandelier. She wondered if Richard had been swinging on it. Wouldn’t put it past him.

He reached for her hand, but she stepped back abruptly, resisting. ‘Richard, I don’t know if this is such a good idea …’

He tutted. ‘You haven’t really got a choice, Cassie. You’re looking rather pale already, you know.’

‘But—’

‘No ifs, no buts. He’s not that bad.’

Cassie wrinkled her nose. She hadn’t even been thinking about … flavour … as being part of her trepidation. ‘Uh, are you sure?’

‘Well, he wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste, but I have to say, I quite like him.’ Richard wiggled his eyebrows. ‘Come on.’

Reluctantly Cassie stepped all the way into the room, getting an instant whiff of male cologne.

‘His, not mine,’ whispered Richard, sniffing the air. ‘It has a bloody footballer on the box, for God’s sake. Give me Antaeus any day.

Anyway, beautiful, enough small talk. Bon appetit.’

He gestured towards Perry, who was lounging in an armchair, arms hanging over the sides, one leg crossed nonchalantly over the other.

Cassie wouldn’t have thought there was anything particularly wrong, were it not for the boy’s aimless smile and unfocused eyes.

‘Richard, has he been … drinking?’ She narrowed her eyes.

‘Course he has. You don’t think he’s in on this, do you? He’s not the type to be understanding, not like your Isa—’ Richard caught

himself, and gave her an apologetic grimace. ‘Damn. Sorry.’

‘I don’t know – I’m not used to feeding from people who don’t know what’s going on. That Few drink, I don’t know … and Sir Alric

would—’

‘To hell with him.’ Richard walked across to his roommate and patted his cheek gently. ‘Hey, Peregrine? Visitors.’

‘Mm?’ Perry tried to focus on Cassie, who smiled at him nervously. ‘What’s she doing here?’

Richard smiled. ‘None of your business.’

‘Oh … very well …’ Perry’s head lolled back and he grinned up at Richard, who took his hands and brought him to his feet.

‘Good God, Peregrine,’ Richard said, with a brief look at Cassie. ‘Were you at the Chablis again while my back was turned?’

‘ ’S delicious,’ said Perry. ‘Hello, Cassandra.’ He gave her a leering wink that didn’t quite come off.