I was glad I’d shed my tears last night. It made it easier to get through the rest of the assembly with the weeping girls who’d had crushes on Will, the solemn faces of the teachers, the song raising goose bumps on our arms, the sunlight hitting Will’s framed photo.

“Ninth graders will go to orientation on the south lawn,” Headmistress Bellwood announced when the memorial was over. “The rest of you will pick up your schedules and get to your classes. On a final note, you’ve heard of the particularly virulent flu making the rounds. Two more students were hospitalized today, so I urge you to wash your hands and take extra care.”

Students filed out, whispering respectfully at first, then chattering loudly and shouting to each other as they poured through the double doors onto the pebbled lane.

“Flu, my ass,” Jenna murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

“Well, it’s not like the school is ever big on full disclosure,” Jason pointed out. “We’re supposed to shut up and follow the rules.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Anyone else starting to find that really irritating?”

“I’m not loving it,” Jenna confirmed. “Look, I gotta get to archery practice. I’m assisting in a demo for the Niners.”

“See you at dinner,” Jason called out after her. He frowned at me for a long moment. “When was the last time you actually slept?”

I shrugged. “I got a few hours last night.”

“You look like hell.”

I had to smile. “You know, if you ever decide to date girls, I have to tell you that’s no way to compliment us.”

“I’m serious, Hunter.”

“So am I.” I nudged him. “I’m fine, honest.” I didn’t tell him that making out with Quinn after sobbing through his shirt had done me a world of good. Quinn was hot enough that Jason would want details, and I wasn’t the detail-sharing type. “I promise I’ll grab a nap before dinner, okay?”

“Okay,” he grudgingly agreed. “I’ll see you later.”

Classes went the way they always did on the first day. It was mostly roll call and a brief description of what we’d be expected to learn over the year. Ms. Dailey sent us away early; York made us run laps. I slept a little, mostly because I’d promised Jason, and then we had dinner and went to our respective rooms to start on assigned reading. Chloe wasn’t around but there were clothes on her bed. I couldn’t concentrate, so I went outside to sit on one of the stone walls around the decorative gardens by the front of the main buildings to watch the sun set.

The sky went sapphire, then indigo, and flared orange along the tree line. The stars came out one by one, clustered overhead in patterns I could never remember. I’d made up my own when I was ten: Dracula, a stake, a heart, a crossbow, a sun. I found them now as the crickets began their evening choir in the long grass at the edge of the woods. The harvest moon rose like a fat pumpkin growing in the fertile field of the sky.

Lights went on in the gym and the dormitory. I could hear the muffled sound of music from behind thick windows, the wind in the oak tree behind me, and the spit of gravel as a van roared up the path, lights out, hidden in the long weeds at the edge of the woods.

“Hunter,” Kieran called grimly. “We found something.”

Chapter 23

Hunter

Monday evening

I crossed over to the driver’s side, trampling wild chicory flowers under my boots. Kieran’s face was solemn and tense, fingers tight around the steering wheel.

“What’s going on?” I frowned up at him.

“We’ve got trouble,” he answered, tone clipped. “And we can’t talk about it here.”

“Is it about the vit—”

“Not here,” he cut me off, eyes widening in warning. He was right. There were cameras and microphones all over the place. We were probably being overly cautious since we were in the middle of a field, but something about his expression had me double-checking my pockets for stakes. “Get Chloe.”

My stomach dropped. Clearly this was bad news. “Chloe and I aren’t exactly talking right now.”

I could read the desperation in Kieran’s face. “Do whatever you have to do,” he said tightly. “Knock her over the head and hog-tie her if you have to.”

Gee, I can’t imagine why one of my oldest friends wasn’t talking to me.

“Does campus security know you’re here?”

He nodded. “I told them it was covert ops and to ignore anything I do.”

My eyebrows rose. “Seriously? Hart’s in on this?” He was the only one with the kind of power to order that kind of covert op.

“No.”

I paused, turned back. “No?”

“So we have to get out of here before I get busted.”

“Shit, Kieran.”

“I know. So hurry up.”

I was so going to get expelled on the first day of classes. And then Grandpa would kill me.

I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Chloe’s number. She answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Chloe, I have to talk to you.”

“I’m busy.”

“It’s important.” There was a long pause. I could hear her breathing, labored and short. She must be working out again. I started walking toward the gym, pointing at it so Kieran would know where to meet us. “Chloe?” I tried to think about what would get her outside with minimal yelling and fighting. I didn’t think we could afford to attract that kind of attention, covert ops pass or not. “Look, Dailey wanted me to talk to you about her guild. We can’t be overheard.”