After Dark by Nancy A. Collins

Author:Nancy A. Collins [Collins, Nancy A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Horror & Ghost Stories
ISBN: 9780061349195
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: 2010-06-08T16:55:07.873000+00:00

“And that concludes our class for tonight,” Madame Mulciber said to her Basic Alchemy class. “You are all free to leave—oh, except for you, Miss Todd. I would like to see you after class.”

Frowning, Lilith returned to her seat. Earlier that evening the class had been given a pop quiz. She was worried that she had failed the quiz. If so, it meant academic suspension for sure.

After the last of the students left, Madame Mulciber motioned for Lilith to approach her desk. The teacher was tall and willowy with a tangled mane of flyaway hair as red as the flames that constantly burned under the huge copper alembic in the corner of the classroom.

“Given your precarious situation, Miss Todd, I took the liberty of grading your paper first,” the alchemy teacher said. “Congratulations: you passed.”

“You’re joking, right?” Lilith gasped in disbelief. “I got an A?”

“I didn’t say that—I said you passed,” Madame Mulciber replied. “I knew you could do better if you simply applied yourself. So, in light of you showing such dramatic improvement in such a short time, I will recommend to the headmistress that you be removed from academic probation.”

“So I’m not going to flunk out of school?”

“That’s correct.” Madame Mulciber smiled. “I feel it’s the least I can do. Your mother, Irina, and I were schoolgirls together in St. Petersburg, back when Tsar Alexander II was in power. Tell me, does your father plan to hold your mother’s totentanz in America or the Old Country?”

As Madame Mulciber gazed at her, politely awaiting an answer, it suddenly occurred to Lilith that she didn’t have the slightest clue what her father was planning.

“He was still working out the logistics when I left for school,” Lilith lied as she quickly jotted down some numbers on a piece of parchment, which she handed to her instructor. “Here’s my father’s private cell phone number. Why don’t you call him and explain who you are and see if the location for the totentanz has been finalized yet? Oh, and while you’re at it, could you tell him I’ve been taken off academic probation? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear the news.”

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