Queen of the Night by Leanne Hall

Author:Leanne Hall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: juvenile fiction, fantasy and magic, social issues, adolescence
ISBN: 9781921834875
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Published: 2012-02-27T05:00:00+00:00

17

I’m still arguing my case,

even as Wolfboy unlocks his door. I’m so busy talking I barely register how odd it is to be at his house again.

‘Why can’t you talk to Paul yourself?’

‘I’m no good at talking, you know that.’

The house is as quiet as it was the first time I was here. There’s a light on in the front room.

Wolfboy lowers his voice. ‘Paul likes you. I’ll say the wrong thing.’

‘Paul hardly knows me,’ I say, as I follow him into the lounge room. A girl is curled up on the couch, book in hand. She’s moon-pale even by Shyness standards. At first I think I don’t know her, but then I realise I do.

‘Blake, do you remember Nia?’

I wave. ‘Hi, Blake.’

‘Wildgirl, hi.’ She looks at me through an owlish pair of specs. ‘You came back.’

‘I couldn’t keep away.’ Blake has changed from the scared girl I met those months ago. Now she’s dressed in clothes that fit her and she talks directly to me. Her skin and eyes are clear.

‘You look so pretty,’ she says.

I look down at my jumpsuit. I’d forgotten I was all dolled up still from the Shopping Night. ‘Thanks. It’s a killer going to the toilet in this thing, though.’

‘Where is he?’ asks Wolfboy.

Blake folds her book and sits up. ‘In his room. I tried to talk to him when he came in, but…I moved in here so that I’d know if he left the house again. What are you going to do?’

‘Nia’s going to talk to him.’

‘No, I’m not.’

‘What was the point of you coming with me then?’

He’s right. I should be making my way home already instead of trailing him.

‘He won’t talk to me about his ex, but he might to you.’

‘Her name was Ingrid,’ says Blake.

‘And then try and casually slip something in about the Datura Institute and Doctor Gregory,’ Wolfboy adds.

‘Oh, that’s going to sound real natural.’

‘They did it,’ says Blake. ‘Paul had never done it with anyone before.’

Oh, good god. Way too much information. I throw my hands up. ‘All right, everyone chill. I’m going in.’

I walk up the dark hallway. Paul’s door is ajar. Words cannot describe how awkward and stupid I feel tapping on it. When he doesn’t answer I push it gently open. He’s sitting on his bed in darkness, looking at his phone, music playing quietly in the background. At first glance he doesn’t look capable of causing everyone so much worry.

‘Hey,’ I say, which I figure is an okay place to start.

Paul looks up. He locks his phone and tosses it on the bed. It’s too dark to see his face properly.

‘Remember me? Wildgirl? We danced up a storm at Little Death that one time?’

After a pause, Paul answers. ‘What are you doing here?’ His words are slow and thick, but the question is smart. I’m counting on him not being smart enough to figure out that this whole scenario is a little weird. It’s so obvious I’m Wolfboy’s messenger.

‘Just visiting,’ I say, keeping it simple.

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