Night School - Endgame by C.J. Daugherty

room, which had only two chairs aside from Isabelle’s own. Everyone stood, although some leaned against walls or perched on cabinets.
    With so many people, it was too warm. The air felt uncomfortably short of oxygen.
    Allie didn’t see her parents anywhere.
    She was just thinking of sneaking back out again, when Isabelle spotted her through the crowd.
    ‘Allie.’ Isabelle motioned for her to join her by her desk. ‘Over here, please.’
    The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at her. The crowd parted, forming a path.
    Allie shot Isabelle a questioning look as she made her way to her, but the headmistress wore her best professional blank expression.
    Isabelle stretched out her arm to take in the room. ‘These people are from the Orion Group.’
    Allie stifled a gasp. Orion was Nathaniel’s group now. He’d wrested control from Lucinda, taking over completely after her death. As far as she was concerned, Orion was part of her grandmother’s murder.
    ‘What’s going on here?’ Her voice was low and ominous and Isabelle didn’t miss the underlying message. She gave her a reassuring look.
    ‘Allie, these are the people who stood with Lucinda against Nathaniel. They’ve been through the wars, just as we have.’ She smiled at the group with obvious affection. ‘And they’ve come here today to talk to you.’
    ‘Oh.’ She looked out at the sea of faces, still suspicious but with increasing curiosity.
    A man about her father’s age stepped forward. He was very tall and lanky, with dark hair and eyes, his expensive-looking silk tie perfectly knotted.
    ‘My name is Julian Bell-Howard.’ His voice was plummy, rich. The kind of voice you’d expect to hear on the news. ‘I think I speak for everyone when I say we were all enormously fond of your grandmother. Lucinda Meldrum was the greatest leader Orion has ever seen – its first female president. We shall miss her terribly. And we are so sorry for your loss.’
    A low murmur of agreement swept the room.
    Allie was touched. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I miss her very much.’
    ‘I know Lucinda thought very highly of you,’ Julian continued, taking another step forward. ‘She spoke about you often, especially after you enrolled at Cimmeria. She believed you would one day step into her shoes.’ He glanced around at the people beside him. ‘That’s why we’re here. You see… we’d like to invite you to join us.’
    That, Allie hadn’t expected.
    ‘Join you?’ She stared at him. ‘I don’t understand. How can you even invite me? I thought Nathaniel ran it now.’
    Julian’s smile tightened. ‘We are the core group – the real Orion, if you will. It’s our goal to wrest control of the organisation back from Nathaniel. Seize back the leadership that is rightfully ours. Return Orion back to the high standing it has held for centuries. Expel the Neanderthals and close the gates.’
    ‘Hear hear,’ someone murmured. The group rustled with approval.
    Julian smiled. ‘We would very much like it if you were at our side, as Lucinda was for so many years.’
    Her frozen expression seemed to deflate some of his enthusiasm. His voice faltered very slightly at the end.
    Allie felt as if the handsomely dressed group in front of her had walked in with machine guns and deposited a time bomb in her lap.
    She wanted to shout at them about how their stupid battle had cost her grandmother her life. How other people she loved had been caught up in it and paid a horrible price.
    But she didn’t. She squared her shoulders and looked out at the group.
    ‘I’m sorry you wasted your time coming here today.’ Her voice was low but perfectly clear. ‘I’m afraid I cannot accept your invitation.’
    If the people in the room had known her better they would have heard the suppressed anger in her tone. But they didn’t know her at all.
    ‘Perhaps I wasn’t clear —’ Julian seemed befuddled.
    Allie didn’t let him finish. ‘You were perfectly clear. Now