The Spirit Academy

Chapter 24 - Runaways

Dahlia

Dahlia had a plan. 

Mishal, Lynn and Guthrie would come back the next day. 

After that top rankers who they could trust. It was all finally working.

But not for Dahlia. Dahlia still had to go home, and she realised that this Leilani was probably not going to come and whisk her back home. So, she had decided that she would find her Grandma here.

During the night, she had waited for everyone to go to sleep, when she had slipped on her bag. She had packed it when she came here, it contained some food she'd stole from the kitchen, a bottle of water, a change of clothes, her belt with her daggers and rope on it and the mirror Jade had given her. She'd left Milo at the academy when she left. She hoped Bryony would take care of him.

She sucked in a deep breath and slipped the bag on over one shoulder.

She walked out of the castle and straight into a dark figure.

"And where do you think you're going?" It was Roxy.

"Where are you going?" Dahlia shot back.

"I asked first."

Dahlia closed her eyes. She had three options.

She could either run and risk being caught and put on high security. Which meant she wouldn't get this chance again.

Or she could walk back with Roxy and come up with a plausible lie.

Or she could tell Roxy where she was going. Nah. She only had two options.

But before she could go through with one Roxy spoke up.

"Are you going to find her?" Roxy asked.

Dahlia nodded. No point in denying it now.

"Let me come with you."

Dahlia was taken aback. "You want to help me?"

"I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I want to make it up to you."

Dahlia almost snorted. "Why do you really want to help me?"

Roxy sighed. "Your grandma knew you would come somehow. She asked me to take care of you."

"I got you something," I had opened it and inside was a necklace, it had a gold chain, and a small gold circle pendant at the end with a ruby centre. I had looked into her eyes and noticed that she looked sad, so I had asked her why. She only shook her head and then said, "Stay true to yourself my little girl. I will always be watching over you." She had then kissed my forehead and then left. She had never come back again.

Instinctively, Dahlia reached up to touch the golden necklace around her neck. She swallowed the bile in her mouth.

"Okay. Let's go."

Guthrie

Guthrie had lost all sense of time in the dungeons. It was dark and damp here. There were brick walls all around her and a small door on one side. She had spent the time thinking about Mishal. Lynn. Dahlia. Lana.

But eventually she had stopped. The thoughts no longer wondered across her mind. She had not had any human interaction in a long time. After Nawra had sedated her she had woke up in this dungeon. No-one had come to see her ever since.

It was Kenna. Her pale skin was paler than usual, and her red lips looked blood red, her eyes black. There were three scratches on her left cheek, they were red and swollen.

She opened the door and shut it behind her, approaching Guthrie carefully as if she was some wild animal. Guthrie didn't move from her place on the floor.

"Get up," Kenna spat at Guthrie. "Mishal isn't eating."

Guthrie felt her heart jump into her throat. Mishal was alive. Mishal was alive. But why wasn't she eating?

"Why?" Guthrie yelled, jumping to her feet, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. She refuses to eat. Talk some sense into her. She'll probably listen to you. Doesn't even want to see me anymore. Don't know why."

Guthrie laughed. She didn't know why; she just couldn't help it. And then she couldn't stop it. Through breaks in her laughter she choked out.

"You don't know why?... Ah! Is anyone... hearing this? She doesn't ... know why! She doesn't... know why! You sold her... you witch! Hell... I don't know how she stands breathing the same air as... as you."

Guthrie heard the slam of the dungeon door through her peals of laughter.

Lana

Gemma had tried to talk to Lana when she arrived.

Lana had ignored her. It was easier that way.

Lana knocked on Amber's door. Amber smiled when she opened the door, like they were old friends. Which they were, Lana guessed. 

"Hey," Amber greeted her. "How are you?"

She sat down on Chantal's bed. "Where's Chan?"

"Out." Amber smiled again and Lana resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Where's Jade?"

Lana noticed Amber stiffen. Amber waited a beat too long to answer.

Amber said, "I haven't seen her since the party. I don't know what you were doing at the party."

Lana waited a beat too long to answer.

"I was forced. The kidnappers were watching my every move. They took me straight after. You already know that."

Amber didn't miss a beat. "I asked what you were doing at the party. Not what you told Azalea. Please, Lana." She looked up at Lana with pleading eyes. Lana looked away. "Help me understand."

She took a deep breath. Could she trust Amber? Could she put everything on the line for her? Or should she stick to the plan and leave Amber?

It came to her suddenly. She stood up quickly. Her heart was beating. Her mind was racing. Her hands were shaking. Had it already happened?

"Who put you up to this?"

Amber paled.

"Jade?" She spat. "Auretta? Kenna?"

She paced around the room, pulling aside the curtains, searching the bathroom, looking under the door.

"Where is she? Where is she Amber!"

Amber shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Lana shook Amber by the shoulders. Then stepped back quickly. She could be one of the five. She fell through the ground. That wasn't normal. The last thing she wanted was to create an earthquake.

Lana remembered the first time she had seen Amber. She had been taller than the rest of them, with skinny limbs, and a tendency to be very clumsy. They had called her Bambi.

She looked at the girl who now looked at her with hard brown eyes nothing like the gangly ten-year-old she remembered.

"What have you gotten yourself into?"