her arms.
‘Part of the spirit you think of as Estelle was shut out of you. She’s divided, so perhaps your power is divided, too.’ He shook his head despairingly. ‘It’s the only explanation I have, Cassandra. When we join with our spirits, the power that they provide goes inside us, becomes part of us. But your spirit is not fully joined with your body, so perhaps you can project some of your power beyond yourself. I’m not sure.’
Resting a shoulder against the glass, Cassie too gazed out at the sparkling grid of the city streets. Then she straightened, brightening suddenly.
‘Then … hang on a minute. If part of the power is outside, maybe I can get it all out?’ She turned to face Sir Alric, excited. ‘Get rid of it and get rid of Estelle!’
Deep inside her she thought she heard a whimper of fear, a whine of protest, but she ignored it.
Ranjit stood up now, his jaw tense. ‘Is that what you want, Cassie? Truly?’
‘Of course! Wouldn’t you?’
He didn’t answer, only held her gaze. For a moment they regarded one another silently.
‘Cassandra,’ said Sir Alric finally breaking the silence. ‘You have to be extremely careful. We don’t know what you’re capable of. Whatever this power is, it appears to be very dangerous. What’s more, your spirit absolutely will not want to leave you. Without your body, it will be lost in the void for ever. Believe me, it will hold on to you at all costs. Who knows what Estelle might do if she believes she’s threatened? Until we know more about your power, you absolutely must not provoke her.’
‘And how exactly do I avoid provoking her?’ Cassie glared at them both. ‘She’s got a mind of her own, let me tell you.’
‘You can start by controlling your emotions,’ Sir Alric snapped sharply. ‘It was your fury that sparked the spirit’s power tonight. Do not let that happen again.’
‘Oh, sure, no worries,’ she growled sarcastically. ‘Piece of piss.’
Ranjit gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Cassie, he’s trying to help.’
She whirled to face him. ‘Don’t patronise me! “Control my emotions”? Well, guess what, that’s far bloody easier said than done. I didn’t ask for this, so just how the hell do you expect me to know how to control it?’
‘You must try, Cassandra,’ Sir Alric said wearily.
‘Come on, Cassie,’ Ranjit said gently. He reached over to take her hand, and she reluctantly allowed him. ‘There’s nothing more we can do tonight. Let’s leave it for now. See what Sir Alric can find out.’ He nodded towards the principal. ‘Goodnight.’
Cassie noticed a shadow cross Sir Alric’s expression as he watched Ranjit put an arm around her and lead her out.
‘Goodnight.’
The door closed silently behind them. Cassie was all too happy to leave the penthouse office. Ranjit, though, was silent and withdrawn. Hardly surprising, she decided. He’d taken her straight to Sir Alric, certain that he would provide both an explanation and assistance. And look how it had turned out. Sir Alric Darke was no more use to them than Sara’s feeble Few powers had been to her …
‘Are you sure Sara was all right?’ she ventured, reddening as she remembered the reason for her flight from Carnegie Hall.
Ranjit shrugged. ‘Well, she was alive.’
Cassie sighed deeply. ‘I wish none of this had ever happened.’
‘Too late, Cassie.’ He was quiet for a long moment, but then spoke again, a glint playing darkly in his eyes. ‘But you know what? Whatever the reason for it, the truth is you were magnificent tonight. So strong. I … I couldn’t take my eyes off you.’
Cassie stayed silent for a moment, unsure what such an admission might mean, or how to reply. She settled on the truth.
‘Whatever the reason … I enjoyed doing it.’ She paused. ‘Doesn’t that scare you? I know it scares me.’
‘Yes, it does. But I can’t deny my nature.’ He shook his head. ‘Let’s not talk about that right now. You’ve
‘Part of the spirit you think of as Estelle was shut out of you. She’s divided, so perhaps your power is divided, too.’ He shook his head despairingly. ‘It’s the only explanation I have, Cassandra. When we join with our spirits, the power that they provide goes inside us, becomes part of us. But your spirit is not fully joined with your body, so perhaps you can project some of your power beyond yourself. I’m not sure.’
Resting a shoulder against the glass, Cassie too gazed out at the sparkling grid of the city streets. Then she straightened, brightening suddenly.
‘Then … hang on a minute. If part of the power is outside, maybe I can get it all out?’ She turned to face Sir Alric, excited. ‘Get rid of it and get rid of Estelle!’
Deep inside her she thought she heard a whimper of fear, a whine of protest, but she ignored it.
Ranjit stood up now, his jaw tense. ‘Is that what you want, Cassie? Truly?’
‘Of course! Wouldn’t you?’
He didn’t answer, only held her gaze. For a moment they regarded one another silently.
‘Cassandra,’ said Sir Alric finally breaking the silence. ‘You have to be extremely careful. We don’t know what you’re capable of. Whatever this power is, it appears to be very dangerous. What’s more, your spirit absolutely will not want to leave you. Without your body, it will be lost in the void for ever. Believe me, it will hold on to you at all costs. Who knows what Estelle might do if she believes she’s threatened? Until we know more about your power, you absolutely must not provoke her.’
‘And how exactly do I avoid provoking her?’ Cassie glared at them both. ‘She’s got a mind of her own, let me tell you.’
‘You can start by controlling your emotions,’ Sir Alric snapped sharply. ‘It was your fury that sparked the spirit’s power tonight. Do not let that happen again.’
‘Oh, sure, no worries,’ she growled sarcastically. ‘Piece of piss.’
Ranjit gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Cassie, he’s trying to help.’
She whirled to face him. ‘Don’t patronise me! “Control my emotions”? Well, guess what, that’s far bloody easier said than done. I didn’t ask for this, so just how the hell do you expect me to know how to control it?’
‘You must try, Cassandra,’ Sir Alric said wearily.
‘Come on, Cassie,’ Ranjit said gently. He reached over to take her hand, and she reluctantly allowed him. ‘There’s nothing more we can do tonight. Let’s leave it for now. See what Sir Alric can find out.’ He nodded towards the principal. ‘Goodnight.’
Cassie noticed a shadow cross Sir Alric’s expression as he watched Ranjit put an arm around her and lead her out.
‘Goodnight.’
The door closed silently behind them. Cassie was all too happy to leave the penthouse office. Ranjit, though, was silent and withdrawn. Hardly surprising, she decided. He’d taken her straight to Sir Alric, certain that he would provide both an explanation and assistance. And look how it had turned out. Sir Alric Darke was no more use to them than Sara’s feeble Few powers had been to her …
‘Are you sure Sara was all right?’ she ventured, reddening as she remembered the reason for her flight from Carnegie Hall.
Ranjit shrugged. ‘Well, she was alive.’
Cassie sighed deeply. ‘I wish none of this had ever happened.’
‘Too late, Cassie.’ He was quiet for a long moment, but then spoke again, a glint playing darkly in his eyes. ‘But you know what? Whatever the reason for it, the truth is you were magnificent tonight. So strong. I … I couldn’t take my eyes off you.’
Cassie stayed silent for a moment, unsure what such an admission might mean, or how to reply. She settled on the truth.
‘Whatever the reason … I enjoyed doing it.’ She paused. ‘Doesn’t that scare you? I know it scares me.’
‘Yes, it does. But I can’t deny my nature.’ He shook his head. ‘Let’s not talk about that right now. You’ve
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