Gabriella Poole: Divided Souls (Darke Academy)

himself.

Opening the briefcase, Sir Alric drew out a familiar, delicately beautiful box, and a bog-standard disposable syringe. The Tears of the Few,

realised Cassie, blinking in recognition.

Cassie crouched beside him as he ripped the syringe package with his teeth and pushed up Richard’s sleeve. ‘W-will they be OK?’

He didn’t bother to answer, simply found a vein inside Richard’s elbow and plunged in the syringe. He’d barely slipped it free when

Richard sucked in a high breath and his eyes snapped open. Reflexively he jolted up, wobbled, and Cassie put her arms around him to stop

him falling back hard to the floor.

‘Richard?’ she said urgently. ‘Are you all right? God, I’m sorry, I’m—’

‘Bloody hell.’ His voice came out on a shuddering breath. ‘Another one, James, and make it a double.’

She gasped with relief, still clutching him close as she turned to Sir Alric. But his stare was cold granite.

‘Where is he?’

Cassie knew who Darke meant. ‘Gone,’ she whispered.

‘Help me!’ screamed Isabella again.

Ignoring her, Sir Alric sucked in an angry breath. ‘Why didn’t you stop him?’

‘How could I? Ranjit was distraught, he was crazy, I— Look, please, go and help Jake!’

He silenced her with a dismissive gesture. ‘You know you could have kept him here, Cassie.’ He gave her a cold look as he snapped on a

pair of gloves. ‘And you know that you should have done.’

Why the gloves now? He hadn’t paused before he gave Richard the— Oh. Cassie watched dully as Sir Alric stooped down to the Pendant.

The thin gloves, now that she looked properly, didn’t seem like ordinary latex: they had a silken, watery sheen. Delicately Sir Alric lifted the

Pendant by its chain and dropped it into the leather briefcase.

Then, standing up at last, he sighed, walked over, and crouched down opposite Isabella beside Jake. ‘Please calm down,’ he said. ‘Don’t

be hysterical; that won’t help him.’ Sir Alric glanced up into the girl’s white face for a moment, then very gently he slid the Knife from Jake’s

fingers. That too he dropped into the case, then he snapped it shut. Isabella watched him with frightened eyes.

‘H-he’s going to be OK, yes?’ she said, her voice high with panic.

Sir Alric laid two fingers against Jake’s neck, but Cassie had the distinct sense he was only going through the motions. He paused for

what seemed like an age, as if he didn’t want to meet Isabella’s eyes. The only sound in the mausoleum was the Argentinian girl’s terrified,

echoing breathing.

Getting to his feet, Sir Alric left the briefcase sitting beside Jake and walked swiftly round his body to Isabella. Clasping her arm firmly he

drew her up. She turned to him, wild-eyed.

‘He’ll be OK?’

‘Cassie, come and help here,’ he said, not answering.

‘Let me go!’ Isabella cried. ‘Jake!’

‘Cassie, I said come here!’ snapped Sir Alric.

A switch tripped in Cassie’s brain. Squeezing Richard’s shoulders once more, she stood up and did as she was told, putting an arm round

Isabella’s waist. She felt frozen and distant. ‘Isabella. Come on.’

‘Cassie, what— No!’ Isabella struggled as Cassie steered her away from Jake and pulled her towards the door. ‘Let me go! Let me go!’

She swore and kicked, lunging for Jake.

Cassie locked her arms tight round her friend, gritting her teeth, and grimaced at Sir Alric. ‘What about Richard?’

‘He’s fine.’ Sir Alric was flexing and stretching his gloved fingers, as if he too wanted to just snatch up the briefcase and leave. ‘Now get

Isabella out of here.’

Cassie nodded, and pulled Isabella with her as she backed out of the tomb. She thought the girl might get free – she was so scared of

hurting her – but Isabella quite suddenly went limp in her arms. As Cassie pulled her out through the portico, she was weeping helplessly,

unable to speak.

‘Isabella? Oh, God, Isabella …’ Cassie said, hugging her friend hard, and knowing all too well that her grip was all that was holding the

girl up. Behind them, Cassie heard Richard staggering out through the archway, propping himself groggily against a pillar and catching his

breath. She frowned at him, concerned.

‘Can you manage?’

‘I’m fine. Just about.’ He sounded unusually empty, and

he was staring at nothing. ‘Better than—’ Catching Cassie’s eye, he swallowed. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘What did Sir Alric say?’

‘He told me to go with you to the boat. Help you with Isabella.’

‘What the hell’s he doing?’ exclaimed Cassie, eyes burning. She didn’t want to hear Isabella’s wrenching sobs any more but she couldn’t