Darke Academy 02. Blood Ties by Gabriella Poole

Author:Gabriella Poole [Poole, Gabriella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, YA)
ISBN: 9780340989258
Publisher: Hodder Children's Division
Published: 2010-03-25T08:46:35+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

‘That was fun!’ said Cassie.

She actually almost meant it – Isabella’s enthusiasm for shopping was infectious, and helped take Cassie’s mind off things, for a moment at least. ‘I take it you’re suitably consoled?’

‘Ooof!’ came Isabella’s reply. She halted in the Academy’s atrium, right next to Achilles, and set down her collection of shopping bags. Cassie sighed as well, all too aware of the stares and whispers of the Few that followed her. The Carnegie Hall story had obviously gone round the common room like wildfire. Mikhail in particular gave her a filthy glare as he passed. If some of the Few had been unwelcoming before, she dreaded to think how they’d feel towards her now.

Stretching her shoulders, Isabella bent and tweaked open one bag. Achilles’ blank eyes glowered straight into it.

‘He doesn’t approve,’ remarked Cassie, jerking her thumb at the young marble warrior.

‘That tells me all I need to know,’ sniffed Isabella. ‘He is a man with no heart. Look at the way he treats poor Hector.’ Affectionately she patted Hector’s cold marble arm, raised in futile protest at his imminent death. ‘Yes. I consider myself consoled. Bergdorf Goodman was a particular triumph.’

‘Girls, you have been very naughty.’

For a fleeting second Cassie imagined it was Achilles talking, till she saw Richard. He was propped lazily against the statue, one hand on Achilles’ toned butt. A group of Few girls stared at him, then over towards Cassie, clearly disbelieving and hostile. Richard seemed to ignore them.

‘Richard!’ Isabella kissed him on both cheeks, before shooting a guilty look at Cassie. ‘That’s the pot calling the skittle black, I think. Weren’t you at Gucci yesterday when you should have been in French literature?’

Richard grinned slyly. ‘Touché! Fabulous coat, bella Isabella. Cassie, you’re looking stunning, as ever.’

She gave him a tight smile through gritted teeth, but remained stonily silent. It was all she could do not to throttle him. Isabella’s presence was pretty much all that was stopping her. So what if he came over all penitent and guilty? She didn’t trust him as far as she could throw— She cut herself off mid-thought. After the events of last night, that wasn’t such a comfortable metaphor.

Richard unwound a cashmere scarf from his neck, and lowered his voice. ‘Cassie, darling, you have to forgive me eventually.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Cassie snapped.

‘Well.’ He raised a hand at a tall, shy-looking, new sixth-form girl, who blushed and smiled as she swept her overlong blonde fringe out of her eyes. ‘I fear I must take my leave.’

‘Oh, Richard,’ scolded Isabella, following his eye-line. ‘You’re impossible.’

‘On the contrary, I’m all too probable. And, oh dear, here comes Daniel again,’ sighed Richard as he caught sight of a well-built Israeli boy making a beeline towards them. ‘I have a stalker, ladies. One little dalliance and now he won’t leave me alone. Once you go fop, it appears you can’t stop … Farewell.’ With a last flirtatious wink at the blonde sixth former, Richard dodged swiftly out of sight towards the elevators, leaving Daniel to glare hatred.

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