Page 138 of Spark of Sorcery

“What did she do?! Oh Cupcake, did most of your brain cells get knocked out in that beating?”

“Quit the wisecracks and just tell me.”

“She was behind the attack. She masterminded the whole thing – recruited some of the other students and then led them to attack you. And each of those students has been punished too. They’ve each lost one hundred points off their score.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you’ve got to say about this?”

“Are you nearly ready in there?” Dray calls through the door.

“Nearly,” I yell back, going to fetch my uniform out of my closet.

“But Odessa’s done loads of shitty things like that before – remember my nose,” I point to my face, “remember how she pushed me off that cargo net?”

“Yes, but you never reported those things before. So she never got caught doing them.”

“I didn’t report this attack either,” I point out.

“I think you have Beaufort to thank for that,” Fly says, inclining his head towards the door. I motion for him to turn around, and start stripping out of the clothes the clinic lent me for the short walk back to my room. “And possibly Professor Tudor too – although I’m not entirely sure how he’s involved in all this.”

“He found me,” I explain, threading my arms through my shirt and quickly fastening the buttons. “How about the Hardies?”

“What about the Hardies?”

“Their thrall just got herself expelled, aren’t they going to be pissed about it? Won’t they come for Beaufort?”

“Their thrall tried to kill you!” Fly points out. “I don’t think they can exactly complain. Anyway,” he shrugs, “I guess they’ll just find another.”

“Because we’re that easily replaced,” I deadpan.

“Nope,” he says, waving his arms above his head. “You are irreplaceable, Cupcake.” He peeks over his shoulder to find me dressed. “Which is why I’m so damn pleased you’re okay and that psychopath is gone.”

“Yeah,” I say, letting out a long exhale. Funny, but I am relieved she’s no longer here. One less person to watch for over my shoulder.

The Princes aren’t happy about me breakfasting in the canteen with my friends, using a combination of threats, persuasion and offers of sexual favors to tempt me into coming with them to the shadow weaver dining hall. I resist, although I have serious second thoughts when it dawns on me that the events of the last forty-eight hours are like nothing the students have experienced so far. This gossip is so hot it’s burning literal holes and as a starring role in the events, the interest in me will be quadrupled.

We grab the table in the far corner and I hunker down as best I can but people crane their heads to get a look at me and several invent reasons to walk past our table simply to stare.

“I need some sunglasses,” I mutter, trying to shield my face with my arms, “and a wig. Jeez, why can’t people stop staring?”

“Because you got Odessa Gunvald expelled, and she was hated by most people in the academy. You’re a hero,” Clare explains.

“Hated?” I sniff. “Odessa was worshipped and adored.”

“Worshipped maybe, not adored,” Fly says. “Peoplewere scared of her and what she’d do – that’s why they sucked up to her.”

“Tell that to her best friend,” I groan.

The girl with no teeth who broke my nose is glaring right at me with a hatred that’s palatable.

“She’s down to forty-three points. Plus, Adrianna has been in love with Odessa for like forever,” Fly dismisses, “because Adrianna has even fewer brain cells than you now own.”

“Did something happen to your brain cells?” Clare asks with concern.

“Doctor says she lost about half in that beating,” Fly teases.

Clare gasps with horror.