Black Academy

Chapter 14 - Part 1

There had to be someone she could talk to. Elsa missed Jake Portman and his cheerful good sense more than she had for weeks. He'd have known what to do. He'd have known what was right. But he wasn't here. She was on her own. Unhappily, Elsa stole a sidelong peek at Rapunzel. She raised her head from her book and winked. Madame Yzma was enthusing about Proust, and there was a miasma of boredom in the overheated classroom. Outside the windows, an early-morning frost edged the bare trees. Herr Bunnymund? No, she didn't know him well enough. Madame Yzma? Hardly. The other teachers? Some of them were downright intimidating; the science master Romanov was terrifying. The one person she'd have run to with any other problem was Rapunzel. And confiding in her, of course, was out of the question.

Sir Pitch Black? No way. How about someone who was old enough to have seen and done it all, who knew all there was to know about the Academy? How about Madame Bennett? The old woman seemed to like her. Somehow Elsa liked her too, and trusted her. She could talk to Madame Bennett. After all, there was a lot she wanted to ask. Meredith's desk was still empty. Elsa hardly knew the girl, but in the last couple of weeks she'd found herself longing to see Meredith return to classes. The longer she was absent, the more uneasy Elsa felt. At least Tyler had stopped pretending it was a hangover.

"Poor old thing." Yesterday in the cafe he'd only shrugged, and ordered Elsa another croissant. "She's reacted very badly to that virus." "But has anyone called a doctor?" "Of course. But she was as mystified as everyone else. A post-viral syndrome, she thought. Meredith will get over it. She needs rest, that's all." He'd jiggled his eyebrows. "Come on, old girl, don't let it spoil your appetite." At least, thought Elsa, Mikael Bobinsky was looking better. A lot better, actually. By the morning after Elsa's interview Mikael had been in bouncing health again, cheeks glowing with colour, eyes bright and mischievous. There wasn't even a remnant of his weird raging thirst. 

His poor old roommate Eve was the one who'd looked drained. Up all night looking after Mikael, probably. That was one mystery she cold have discussed with Rapunzel, except that Rapunzel cold talk about nothing but her own interview. The embossed card had appeared under their door the day after Elsa's return from the common room. Same message, same time, different date. "See? Isn't this wonderful?" Her roommate's face had fallen just a little. "Only one vacancy, I know." Her mercurial mood changed again, and Rapunzel had laughed with delight. "But next time there is a vacancy, we shall both be members of the Few!"

Hell's teeth, thought Elsa, I hope not. "Time, ladies and gentlemen!" Madame Yzma's severe voice interrupted her reverie. "You have all seemed very distracted today. Please try to arrive tomorrow in a more enquiring frame of mind." Oh God, thought Elsa, if only you knew . . . As they filtered out of the classroom, Elsa had to put a hand on Rapunzel's arm to slow her down. "Hey, wait for me!"