Gabriella Poole - Blood Ties (Darke Academy)

‘Yeah? You don’t know anything about Jake.’ Blinking furiously to get rid of the reddish tinge in her vision, Cassie turned and walked

swiftly away.

Once she was out of Ranjit’s immediate vicinity, the heat in her eyes subsided and she could think straight again. For a moment she

thought he wasn’t going to follow, and guilt and remorse hit her. Then she heard his footsteps hurrying after her.

‘Cassie, please, I’m sorry. I’m trying to help.’

She halted, afraid to look at him. She sighed. ‘I know. Ranjit, I’m sorry too. I don’t know why I snapped. I’m just so stressed out, with this

Council meeting coming up, and now Jake …’

‘It’s OK.’ He put a hand on her shoulder, then touched her face gently. She took his hand and led him into a quieter corner.

‘Well,’ she said, looking up uncertainly at Ranjit’s handsome face, ‘there’s something else about Jake. He knows Katerina is in New York.

He’s been trying to find her. He wants justice for Jess. I think he might have hacked the FBI computer system to get some files about her

death. He has some sort of crazy notion of putting Katerina on trial.’

Ranjit froze. ‘He did what? Cassie, this is serious. You have to tell Sir Alric. We need to deal with this before Jake does something we’ll

regret.’

‘Something we’ll regret? It’s him I’m worried about. Look, I know you don’t have a lot of friends, so maybe you don’t get it—’ Cassie

stopped short as she saw his expression change, hurt briefly flickering across his face. She took a deep breath. God, what was she saying?

The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Ranjit. She mustn’t get angry, not now. She just needed to make sure he understood. Lowering

her voice, she started again. ‘I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. But, Ranjit, please, this is important. You cannot tell anyone about Jake. Please. I

just need to talk to him. Explain things.’

‘Cassie, this goes beyond friendship. If Jake gets caught hacking the FBI system and ends up talking about the Few and the Academy – it

could have severe implications for all of us.’ He stared at her meaningfully.

‘I don’t care about that. What happens to the Academy is nothing to do with this.’

Ranjit shook his head. He seemed to be making some effort to stay calm too. ‘Cassie, the fate of the Academy involves you as well. You

need to remember that.’

Cassie took both of his hands. ‘Just a little time. If I can’t persuade him to drop it then, OK, we’ll tell Sir Alric.’ She held his gaze, and his

eyes were a tumult of emotion.

‘OK, Cassie. I won’t say anything. I swear.’

She met his reassuring gaze, and exhaled deeply.

Are you sure that’s the best course of action, Cassandra, my dear? We must do what we can keep him on our side. We mustn’t let him

get away …

Cassie pretended not to hear Estelle’s words. She’d had about enough of her interjections. ‘Thank you, Ranjit. Thanks a lot. Look, I’ll see

you tomorrow, OK?’

‘Yes. I’ll meet you at your room an hour before the Council meeting.’

‘Yes. Great, yes of course.’ This time it was tears that pricked her eyes. How could she even entertain the thought of doubting him?

Cassie leaned forward quickly and kissed him.

He caught her as she drew away, and pulled her back, pressing his lips more firmly against hers. As her heart looped the loop, she shut

her eyes and indulged herself in his touch – but not too much. When he pulled away and smiled his goodbye, she paused for a moment,

stunned, but pleasantly so. They could do this. Whatever was off balance, whatever had been causing their extremes of emotion, they

were working it out. They could do this.

That was when she caught sight of Sir Alric.

He’d been watching them, she thought, as a chill went down her spine. Her sense of wellbeing quickly dispersed, the look on his face

cloudy, but calculating.

‘Cassandra. Can I speak with you a moment?’ Sir Alric started towards her.

Oh, no. She had enough to handle right now, and she’d had enough of disapproval. Her relationship with Ranjit was absolutely none of

his business. With a defiant glare and a shake of her head, Cassie turned very deliberately and walked away.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie watched Isabella thumbing her phone under her desk. She was at it again. Madame Lefevre was going

to spot her soon, and then she’d be for it. You could push Madame so far, and then no further.

Still Cassie could understand Isabella taking the risk. They had heard nothing from Jake since the weekend: no phone call, no message.

Her friend’s expression was growing increasingly desperate with every failed call.

‘… and so we see that Simone de Beauvoir has much to say about humanity and relationships, even to the world of the twenty-first