I hurried over and pulled it open to reveal a grumpy, dour-faced guard.
Ivan.
He shoved a folded note into my hand and turned away without a word.
“Good morning to you too,” I muttered, shutting the door.
I looked down at the note.
Good morning, Persephone.
Please come see me in my office at 8am.
Regards,
MW
“Fantastic,” I grumbled, grimacing.
As I stood to go wash up, I couldn’t help but look back at the page on my desk.
“Echo?” I called softly.
I felt her phantom touch at my back. I closed my eyes. I smiled.
She was still here.
“I’ve got to go out. But I’ll come back.”
A gentle touch at my back answered me.
“Don’t get into trouble today.”
The room was silent—
but in my mind, I swore she was smiling.
**
Miranda Wild was back at her desk when I entered her office, prim as a dagger and twice as sharp. She looked up, and the disapproval in her eyes hit me before she even spoke.
“Good morning, Miss Quinn,” she said once the doors closed behind me.
“Warden.” I nodded.
“So.” She folded her hands. “How have you settled in this week?”
“Fine, I suppose. Monstrous creatures notwithstanding.”
Her lips thinned. “Yes, that was a horrible thing. A local homeless person on a nasty trip.Drugs.They’re killers, you know.”
Considering Darkmoor was surrounded by nothing but forest and rocks for miles, I wasn’t buying a word of it.
“Do we have many homeless people around the school?” I asked.
“More than you think!” She brightened, falsely. “Why, just the other day I was in town and saw at least two.” She smiled conspiratorially, like this was some sort of shared joke.
“Right,” I said flatly. “So… is this why you brought me here? To talk about my week?”
