Page 44 of Shattered Stars

The call connects straight to answer phone after two rings and I receive a message telling me she’ll call me in five minutes. I drop down onto the ground and let Pip climb into my lap, stroking his ears while I wait for Ellie to call. After nearly fifteen she does.

“I’m so sorry, Rhi,” she says, sounding breathless down the phone. “I had to find somewhere private to talk. Is everything all right? Is Azlan okay?”

“Oh no, I’m fine and so is Azlan,” I say, feeling suddenly guilty that I’d alarmed her and doubting whether this idea was a good one. “I actually called to ask … my cloaker – did you get anywhere working out how it works?”

“You need it for something?”

I debate whether to go with honesty or not here, but somehow I don’t like the idea of lying to Ellie.

“Everyone in the school is heading down to the Warehouse tonight to watch–”

“Spencer Moreau duel. Yes, I heard. Tristan told me. Actually, he invited me down.”

My mouth drops open on a shocked, “Oh. Your dad will let you go?”

Ellie laughs. “Not a chance in hell. But if it’s Tristan taking me out, I’m never asked any questions and neither is he.”

“Is it safe?” I ask, feeling way more concerned about her than me.

“Well,” she hesitates, “if he finds out, I’ll be in trouble, but I’ve risked it before. Are you going? Tristan says most of the school will be there.”

“I’m thinking about it, only …”

“Only what?”

“It may not be safe for me either.” I don’t know if the man in black has told his sister about the price on my head. But I decide I’m going to tell her.

“Hmmm,” she ponders. “I can imagine Az wouldn’t be very happy about you going.”

“Yeah,” I say, “but I have the cloaker. If I can get it to work, then no one will know I’m there. So I was wondering–”

“If I’d figured out how to use it?”

“Yes.”

“Well you’re in luck, because I have.”

I smile into my cell phone. “Really?”

“Yep. I’m going to forward you what I found out, okay? And then I’ll see you there. Or I won’t, depending on whether you want me to see you or not.” She laughs.

“And you’re okay doing this knowing Azlan probably won’t be happy?”

“You’re not going to tell him?”

“I think it might be better to beg for forgiveness, rather than seek permission.”

“I get it. He worries and that can be a little suffocating.”

“He’s not but–”

“Rhi,” Ellie says, “you should totally come. Going to the Warehouse is a rite of passage at the academy. Everybody goes at some point. And this way, we get to go together.”

“We can’t be seen together, Ellie,” I remind her.

“But you’ll be wearing the cloaker. No one will see you. Not unless you want them to.”

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