Chapter Twenty-One
Loretta wasn’t in her bed when I woke up in the morning. My stomach churned. I’d slept so fitfully, waking up every hour to hear the rats scratching and scrabbling, I definitely would have heard if she came in. I thumbed through the books on the desk and her neatly folded clothes. Nothing was missing. She hadn’t been back to our room all night.
What if the monarchs did something to her? They were so horrible to her, and—
I remembered the expression on Loretta’s face as they taunted her. She didn’t cry. She wasn’t angry or upset. She was beyond that. She accepted what they said, what they taught her. That she was nothing. That she didn’t deserve to live.
What if Loretta hurt herself because of what the monarchs did, and it’s all my fault?
I tugged on my uniform, stopping only long enough to tie my shoes and tuck in my shirt as I flew out the door and up the stairs.
I knew what I was supposed to be doing – laying low and keeping out of the way. Because even the teachers were in the monarchs’ pocket, or the other way around. But that look on Loretta’s face terrified me, and if she hadn’t come back to her bed last night, where else could she be?
Students laughed and joked in the halls as they made their way to early morning extracurriculars. Luckily, I didn’t cross any monarchs, because I don’t know what I would have done if I had. I peered in all the cubbies and corners of the library, checked the music rooms in case Loretta was on some kind of all-night clarinet binge, even poked my head into the common room to see if she’d suddenly decided to bond with Courtney over binge-watching old DVDs ofAmerica’s Next Top Model. But she was nowhere to be found.
That meant I had to do the thing I really didn’t want to do.
In the faculty wing, I made an appointment with the secretary to see the headmistress. She phoned through to Headmistress West’s office while I swung my legs and coiled and uncoiled my fists.
“Headmistress West will see you now.”
My whole body trembled as I stood, partly from rage, partly from fear of the woman I was about to confront. But Loretta could be in trouble, and I had to help her if I could.
“Ms. Waite, it’s interesting to see you in this office of your own volition.”
After seeing the headmistress bent over that classroom desk with Ayaz’s cock buried deep inside it, I found it hard to take her severe act so seriously. “I’m worried about Loretta.”
“Your roommate? Can you explain the nature of your concern? Has she been found with contraband?”
“No!” I didn’t want anyone to accuse me of reporting other students. “I can’t find her. She didn’t come back to bed last night. She’s not in any of her usual places around the school.”
“Is that all?”
“Um… yes. Sorry, I would have thought the disappearance of a student might rate a modicum of concern.” I waved a hand. “My mistake.”
“Your concern is exemplary, although in this case misguided,” the headmistress said in a clipped tone. ‘Loretta’s grandparents have taken her home.”
“Home?” I didn’t understand. “But there’s still a week of class before the end of the quarter. She wouldn’t leave and risk falling behind—”
“She didn’t have a choice. There’s been a tragedy in Loretta’s family. I can’t tell you any more than that. I’m sure when the family has had suitable time to mourn, Loretta will return to school.”
“But she left all her things behind!”Why would Loretta leave school and not take her books or clothes with her?
Headmistress West stood up, her skirts sweeping around her ankles as she pointed toward the door. “That is all, Ms. Waite.”
“But—”
“I’ve been kind enough to award you five points for showing concern for a fellow student, but I’ll deducting ten points for insubordination,” her cheeks flared with scarlet. “If you do not leave my office in the next four seconds, I shall deduct ten more.”
I shot the headmistress a filthy look as I stormed out of the office, slamming the door so hard it rattled on its hinges. Who the fuck cared about her stupid point system when Loretta was missing? It was bullshit. Rewarding students for ratting each other out and giving points based on whose family donated the most money rigged the game from the start.
One thing I was damn sure of – Headmistress West had been lying to me. Which meant that she knew where Lorettareallywas. Was it something to do with all this weird stuff that had been going on… the teachers with their black robes and candles heading down to the gymnasium… the students who had unheard-of privileges and who seemed to have license to make their own rules… the fact that Quinn was seriously injured and they refused to call an ambulance.
It was obvious I wouldn’t get any information out of Headmistress West. Maybe if I hunted through Loretta’s stuff, I’ll be able to find some clue as to what was going on. I clattered down the stairs and swung open the door to our room.
My heart flew into my mouth.
All of Loretta’s things were gone. Her books, her clothing, the small lamp she’d brought from home. Her bed had been taken away, and mine moved to the center of the room. All that remained of hers was that annoying alarm clock.
