I opened the door. The room was empty. The top bunk bed was stripped of its pillow and blanket, like it was no longer in use.
My dread evolved into fear.
"Pascal?" I called louder.
"He's not here."
Headmaster's voice turned my blood to ice—then a second later, it became blazing hot anger.
"Where is he?" I demanded.
"Gone."
She flashed a calculated smile as she said it. My anger deepened.
"Tell me where Pascal is," I said.
Her gaze flickered down to my legs. "What difference would it make if I told you? You wouldn't be able to catch up anyway, with that fragile body of yours."
She was baiting me into an argument but it wasn't going to work.
"I'll find him. Just tell me."
Disappointed that I didn't fall for it, Headmaster crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll tell you exactly where Pascal is." I felt a flash of hope just before her face split into a cold grin. "I did the same thing to him that I did to Noel."
A cold shudder ran through me. "But what happened to Noel was an accident."
When Headmaster smirked, my stomach churned like I was going to be sick.
"It was no accident," she said. "I sent Noel far, far away. And now I've done the same thing to Pascal."
Her words were daggers to my heart. It took me a second to fully digest what she was saying. Not only was Pascal gone, but he was in the same situation as our long-lost friend Noel. Electric terror gripped me. Noel never returned. We didn't even know if he was alive. If I didn't find Pascal soon, he'd face the same fate.
"Tell me where they are!" I ordered.
Headmaster barked out a cold laugh. "Why? So you can hobble after them?"
I ground my teeth.
"You know, Florian, this is all your fault," she said, her venomous mirth fading. "If you had been a good boy and listened to everything I said, this wouldn't have happened."
Now she was just being cruel. I was so angry I was shaking.
"I've never done anything to you!" I cried. "Give me back my friends!"
"You are a lazy whore," she snapped. "Always complaining about your body, and then spreading your legs for strange men! Pascal is lucky I removed him from your dirty presence."
That was the last straw. I lost my patience with Headmaster. She didn't want a conversation, she wanted an opportunity to tear me down. Talking to her was completely useless.
"Tell me where they are. Now."
Headmaster curled her lip, upset that I wasn't arguing back. If I didn't play along then she had no interest in talking to me, either. "Get out," she snapped. "Get off my property right now and never come back."
I turned and left. My mind raced with worries about my friends. If anyone could help us now, it would be Devereaux and Argon.
Just as I was about to descend the stairs, a tiny pair of hands gripped my leg. Kip was frowning up at me with wide, watery eyes. A couple other children were behind him.
"Where are you going, Florian?" Kip asked quietly. His voice wavered like he was about to cry, or had been crying.
