than he thought to convince them of the truth. “But I wasn’t the only one to witness it.”
A silence fell upon them. Steffen looked to the teachers seated along the benches. They were huddled together, whispering to each other.
Meanwhile, Jack had a hand on his chin. He was studying Steffen with a fierce gaze.
“Terren will confirm the toughness of their skin,” Steffen said. “Or just touch Zoke next time you see him.”
Actually, that’s a terrible idea, Steffen realized right away. He couldn’t imagine Zoke taking kindly to strangers touching him. But it was too late to correct his unfortunate suggestion. Everyone seemed to be talking at once.
“Quiet!” Jack raised his arms to get their attention.
The teachers along the benches were last to quiet down.
“We’re stopping for now,” Jack continued. “Meet in your usual classrooms after lunch. You’re dismissed.”
Sneaking glances, students around Steffen seemed as if they had questions they weren’t sure they wanted to ask him. But Jack called him over before any did.
He put his arm around Steffen’s shoulders to turn him away from everyone passing by them. “I would like to speak with you later, Steffen. Come by after lunch. I’ll tell Leandra that you won’t be there for her lessons.”
He nodded, and then Jack joined the group of those leaving.
Steffen hoped Marratrice hadn’t left yet. Luckily, she’d been slow to descend the benches of Redfield. He caught up before she made it out of the stadium.
She showed him a smile, but her pain was evident along the bend of her red lips. Steffen noticed her limp next.
“Can I help?” He offered his arm.
“I’ll be fine,” Marratrice said.
“Will you tell me what happened?”
She looked over her shoulder at the students to her side. Turning back, she lowered her voice. “I’ve done something terrible.”
Steffen didn’t believe that she was capable. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
She made a fist. “It’s not nothing!”
Her burst of anger surprised him enough to take a step away from her as they walked abreast. I’ve been back less than a day and my insensitivity already has offended someone.
“What happened?” Steffen asked, trying to sound apologetic.
Her gaze was locked to the dirt below their feet. “Your rat Leonard…he’s dead. I killed him.”
“You killed him?” Steffen blurted, realizing only afterward how loud he’d been. His voice had caught the attention of a few others walking by.
“I’m so sorry, Steffen.” Marratrice looked as if she was about to cry. Or more accurately, it seemed as if she’d already shed many tears from this and was only now able to hold them back.
She stumbled, falling to her knees. With both palms flat on the ground, she looked content to stay there for a while.
Steffen was trying to figure out how he felt. This news about Leonard had done little to upset him, making him realize that he was more concerned about Marratrice than anything else.
“What happened?” Steffen noticed then that she had started to cry. He tried to help her up, but she wouldn’t stand.
“I never weep like this. I’m so embarrassed.” She made no effort to hide her face, but she did wipe away the tears quickly before they ran down her cheek.
“Was it your fault?” Steffen asked.
When she became silent, he realized the question was too blunt.
“I mean,” he corrected himself, “it seems like you’re blaming yourself, but was it really your fault? Why’d you kill him?”
His new question seemed to upset her even more, for Marratrice took in a shaky breath and then let out a loud wail. Still, she seemed reluctant to stand.
“I don’t know what happened,” she managed between tears. “Bastial hell, I never cry like this.”
Steffen wondered what he should do. She seemed to be in need of consoling, but he wasn’t sure if it was words or an embrace that would help. So far, his questions had only made her react worse. So he decided
A silence fell upon them. Steffen looked to the teachers seated along the benches. They were huddled together, whispering to each other.
Meanwhile, Jack had a hand on his chin. He was studying Steffen with a fierce gaze.
“Terren will confirm the toughness of their skin,” Steffen said. “Or just touch Zoke next time you see him.”
Actually, that’s a terrible idea, Steffen realized right away. He couldn’t imagine Zoke taking kindly to strangers touching him. But it was too late to correct his unfortunate suggestion. Everyone seemed to be talking at once.
“Quiet!” Jack raised his arms to get their attention.
The teachers along the benches were last to quiet down.
“We’re stopping for now,” Jack continued. “Meet in your usual classrooms after lunch. You’re dismissed.”
Sneaking glances, students around Steffen seemed as if they had questions they weren’t sure they wanted to ask him. But Jack called him over before any did.
He put his arm around Steffen’s shoulders to turn him away from everyone passing by them. “I would like to speak with you later, Steffen. Come by after lunch. I’ll tell Leandra that you won’t be there for her lessons.”
He nodded, and then Jack joined the group of those leaving.
Steffen hoped Marratrice hadn’t left yet. Luckily, she’d been slow to descend the benches of Redfield. He caught up before she made it out of the stadium.
She showed him a smile, but her pain was evident along the bend of her red lips. Steffen noticed her limp next.
“Can I help?” He offered his arm.
“I’ll be fine,” Marratrice said.
“Will you tell me what happened?”
She looked over her shoulder at the students to her side. Turning back, she lowered her voice. “I’ve done something terrible.”
Steffen didn’t believe that she was capable. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
She made a fist. “It’s not nothing!”
Her burst of anger surprised him enough to take a step away from her as they walked abreast. I’ve been back less than a day and my insensitivity already has offended someone.
“What happened?” Steffen asked, trying to sound apologetic.
Her gaze was locked to the dirt below their feet. “Your rat Leonard…he’s dead. I killed him.”
“You killed him?” Steffen blurted, realizing only afterward how loud he’d been. His voice had caught the attention of a few others walking by.
“I’m so sorry, Steffen.” Marratrice looked as if she was about to cry. Or more accurately, it seemed as if she’d already shed many tears from this and was only now able to hold them back.
She stumbled, falling to her knees. With both palms flat on the ground, she looked content to stay there for a while.
Steffen was trying to figure out how he felt. This news about Leonard had done little to upset him, making him realize that he was more concerned about Marratrice than anything else.
“What happened?” Steffen noticed then that she had started to cry. He tried to help her up, but she wouldn’t stand.
“I never weep like this. I’m so embarrassed.” She made no effort to hide her face, but she did wipe away the tears quickly before they ran down her cheek.
“Was it your fault?” Steffen asked.
When she became silent, he realized the question was too blunt.
“I mean,” he corrected himself, “it seems like you’re blaming yourself, but was it really your fault? Why’d you kill him?”
His new question seemed to upset her even more, for Marratrice took in a shaky breath and then let out a loud wail. Still, she seemed reluctant to stand.
“I don’t know what happened,” she managed between tears. “Bastial hell, I never cry like this.”
Steffen wondered what he should do. She seemed to be in need of consoling, but he wasn’t sure if it was words or an embrace that would help. So far, his questions had only made her react worse. So he decided
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