Page 24

“But, I—”

“Is there something wrong with you?” The girl marked her page, turning to Alex with narrowed eyes. “Let me make myself clear: I. Don’t. Care. Who. You. Are.”

Alex stared at the other girl in shock and then turned her attention to the front of the class when Professor Luranda stepped back into view carrying a box of glass containers.

“Now, class,” the professor said, continuing on with the lecture that Alex had missed, “while the toxicity of Faenda venom can cause damage to internal organs over extended periods of time, in a life or death situation its paralytic effects can provide an adequate—if unorthodox—stabilisation treatment.”

Professor Luranda proceeded to walk around the room, placing a container on every table. Each jar held a black flying insect with glowing green wings and a painful-looking stinger.

“In your pairs, I want one of you to reach into the jar and provoke the creature to sting you,” the professor instructed. “The paralysis will only last for a few minutes and in that time the non-paralysed student will ensure their partner does not fall and hurt themselves while under the effects of the venom. You will then switch roles. Begin as soon as you are ready.”

Alex looked up to find her partner smirking at her.

“After you,” the other girl challenged.

Alex grit her teeth and reached out to grab the jar. Once her hand was inside, it didn’t take long for the little black and green Faenda to feel threatened and sink its stinger into her flesh. And, wow, it hurt a lot more than she’d expected. Or maybe her added pain was a result of her head thumping onto the lab bench as the paralysis took effect. So much for her partner keeping her from harm.

It took maybe three minutes for Alex’s limbs to start tingling, indicating that she was coming out of her immobility. In that time it was impossible for her not to wonder about the ethics of her new school. From the crazy PE teacher with his Taser-stick, to being purposefully stung by a venomous insect, Alex couldn’t figure out how any of it was acceptable. Once again she had to remind herself that she was in a completely new world and that she just had to go with it.

When she was finally able to lift herself up from the bench, Alex shook her tingling hands and looked over at her partner. “Your turn.”

The other girl buffed her fingernails on her shirt and said, “Can’t. I’m allergic.”

Yeah, right,Alex scoffed internally. She opened her mouth to object, but someone else cut in first.

“What’s going on over here?” the professor asked, seeing that neither Alex nor her partner were currently under the effects of the venom.

“Jennings was just about to have her turn,” the other girl said, shaking her hands out as if she was the one recovering from the paralysis.

“What?” Alex blurted. “But, I—”

“You’ve already disrupted my class once, Miss Jennings,” Professor Luranda said, turning away. “Hurry up and complete your task, or else you’ll find yourself with a detention.”

Alex gaped at the professor’s back before slicing her enraged eyes to her partner.

“Maybe you should start with your head already on the bench this time,” the other girl suggested, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. “That must have hurt.”

“What’s your problem?” Alex demanded.

Seeing the professor’s eyes on her from the front of the classroom, Alex angrily shoved her hand into the jar once again. As she felt the sting and the accompanying paralysis overcome her for the second time, all she heard was her partner’s whispered, “You are, Roomie,” before she thumped onto the desk again.

Did she say ‘Roomie’?Alex wondered with a sickening feeling, while she waited for her newest bout of paralysis to wear off.That’s just my luck.

She didn’t get the chance to talk to the girl further because Luranda jumped straight back into her lecture, demanding the attention of the entire class.

When the gong finally rang, the other girl—who Alex now presumed was D.C.—took off without a word, and Jordan and Bear bounded over to Alex.

“How’re you feeling?” Bear asked.

Alex grimaced. “Do you mean after the dillyberry disaster, or because of the two paralysis-induced face-plants into my desk care of my oh-so-loving roommate?”

Bear bit his lip to keep from smiling but Jordan didn’t bother trying to hide his amusement. “Um, both?”

“Well, it’s so nice of you to ask,” Alex said, leading the way out of the room, “but I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough,” Jordan agreed for them both, still grinning as he stepped up beside her. “You ready for Combat?”

“Nope,” Alex answered. “But I don’t think I have a choice, so lead the way.”