What Lies Beneath ▸ House of Anubis [1]

chapter nineteen. house of passages

☾ ☽

            Breakfast starts with a bang.

            Patricia comes right in and grabs the pitcher of water, pouring it on Amber. My mouth drops at it, feeling some of it get on me since I'm right next to her. "I asked you to keep a secret!" she exclaims. Nina and Fabian jump up from the couch as Amber gasps and the others at the table (Clarke, Alfie, Mick) stare in shock. "She's known me since we were eleven, and now she's siding with someone who's only been here two minutes!"

            "Patricia!" Mara states shocked, coming in and seeing the soaked blonde. "What's going on?"

            "Betrayal, that's what."

            "Yon't go through people's private things here," Amber says. "It's, like, an unwritten rule!"

            "I think it's actually a written rule," Nina says.

            Patricia splashes the remaining water on Amber. "Some friend you are."

—

            "I'm sure you're all hungry for the latest practice paper," Andrews states. Amber elbows me as I groan, glancing pointedly toward Andrews. The door open and in comes Patricia, late to school this morning. The now-dry Amber and I throw her matching glares. "Ah, the late Miss Williamson. So nice of you to grace us with your presence."

            "Sorry, Mrs. Andrews," Patricia apologizes, sitting beside Mara. I roll my eyes. I can't believe her. First she goes through my and Nina's things, tries to steal the locket, and takes revenge on Amber for telling us by pouring water on her. And all this after spending the entire first two weeks she was here accusing Nina of having something to do with Joy's dropping out of school.

            But the most wonderful thing happens. Patricia's phone rings!

            "Ah, yes, I am getting mightily fed up with this," says Andrews. "Yesterday it was Mr. Rutter with his music player, today Miss Williamson. You know the school rules. No mobile phones, no MP3s. Miss Williamson, hand it over."

            "It's okay," Patricia says. "I'll switch it off and put it in my bag—"

            "No, that's what you should have done. Now you can give it to me." Patricia hands over her phone. Amber and I share a smug look. "Okay, everyone, you all know what to do."

            Amber turns around, raising her eyebrows pointedly at Trixie. Payback.

—

            Amber pokes her head around the doors to the parlor, informing, "Nobody. Not one body."

            "Okay. Let's go," Fabian says quickly. I move the grate in front of the fireplace, stepping back so Nina and Fabian can look for something behind the fireplace while Amber and I keep watch for Victor or Trudy. I glance at them just as they accidentally bump into each other leaning back. "Oh, I'm sorry!"