Page 49 of Storm of Shadows

I take a deep inhale of breath. “Right,” I say, turning towards her. “Do your worst.”

She takes me by the arm, leading me into one of the cubicles and making me sit on the toilet, then she peers at me through her glasses, pinching her tongue between her teeth.

“How did you do it anyway?” she asks, touching my nose with her fingertips. I wince even though she’s gentle.

“Someone’s fist met my nose,” I say.

“You’re a bit … weedy to be getting into fights, aren’t you? No offense. I mean I’m pretty weedy too.”

“I’m not weedy,” I say, definitely taking offense. “Okay, so I’m not all muscle like the shadow weavers and the kids from Iron Quarter. I’m lean, but I’m pretty strong when I want to be.”

“I’ve been trying my best to stay out of trouble.”

“I’ve been trying to do the same,” I sigh, “just not very successfully.”

The girl grips my nose with her fingers. “Ready? After three. One … two …”

She yanks my nose back into place and I howl, white light streaking across my vision. It hurts way more than the punch did.

“Stars!” I cry out.

“Sorry,” she says, “but that looks much better.”

Blinking away tears, I hobble back towards the mirrors and peer at my reflection. “I’ll take your word for it,” I say, splashing water on my face and washing away the blood.

“I’m Clare by the way,” she says, cleaning my blood off her hands.

“Briony,” I say.

“You’re from Slate Quarter?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “How’d you guess?”

“I think the Slate kids are being targeted the most by the bullies,” she says matter-of-factly. “Are you going to the canteen to get lunch? If you are, we could go together.”

“I thought you were trying to stay out of trouble? I warn you, all I seem to be able to do successfully since arriving at the academy is attract trouble.”

“I haven’t really made any friends since I got here,” she says, again matter-of-factly. “And it sucks being alone.”

I should be insulted but I have a feeling Clare is one of those people without a filter. It makes a change to all the two-faced people telling you one thing and meaning another.

“Didn’t you come here with any friends?”

She adjusts her glasses. “Yes, my best friend Pippa but she’s been at the clinic since the first night.”

“Shit,” I mutter, “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” her eyes drop to the floor, “I don’t think she’ll be out any time soon.”

“Stars, this place sucks,” I mutter. She nods in agreement. “But at least the food is decent.”

“You think the food is good?”

“Well, edible, which is a lot more than can be said for the food at home.”

My new friend (because I’m assuming that’s what she is) looks at me with a mixture of shock and sympathy.

“I need to go back to my room to clean up, but I’ll see you in there.” Disappointment flickers across her face and I figure she’s thinking I’m going to blow her off. I take her hands in mine. “Thank you. For my nose.” I attempt to wrinkle it and wince in pain. “It’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a long time.”