Page 43 of Outcast

I glanced up into his pained face. The morning sun shone through his blond curls, making them glimmer like spun gold. Even the stubble on his cheeks shone like a smattering of gold dust. The muscles around his eyes tightened and I nearly choked at the sight of them so close and in the light. They weren’t the color of emeralds but far richer. Bursts of blues and yellows and greens mingled from the pupils, where the colors coalesced around the edges into the deepest shade of peridot. Thick, golden lashes framed the entire effect, reminding me of the gilded portraits around the academy.

I could have lost myself forever in those orbs had the wind not blown a strand of auburn hair into my face. I squeezed my eyes shut and exhaled. Whatever was in that drug was exaggerating my perceptions. “Do you have a migraine, too?” I pulled myself up, this time, keeping my head down. “Because my head feels like it’s been struck with a hammer.”

“No, but I’m twice your size,” he said. “I probably metabolized the drugs while I slept.”

“Right.” I stood and swayed on my feet. Transparent stars swam before my eyes, and I blinked several times to clear my vision. “Let’s call the police.”

Henry placed both hands on my shoulders and held me steady. “Don’t. They warned me that they have an inside man at Mercia Academy. If we tell anyone anything about what we saw, they’ll kill us.”

“Who’s going to pick us up if we don’t call the police?”

He gave me a crooked smile. “Don’t you know where we are?”

I glanced around at a field full of sheep. The land was flat and the air less crisp, so we couldn’t be back in the Peak District. “Where?”

“Outside Mercia village. We can call the academy and ask for a car. There’s a phone box at the end of the road. Let me carry you the distance.”

I refused, of course. No matter how close I’d become to Henry during our captivity, things would change when we returned to Mercia Academy, and now was the time for a bit of distance to cushion the impact of his return to the triumvirate. He had said things wouldn’t change, but he’d also expressed the importance of his friendships and the deep connection he had formed with Edward and Blake over the years. No matter how earnest he appeared, I wouldn’t hold onto any foolish hope.

We spent the next half hour walking down a country road, through foot-deep piles of fallen leaves and under a canopy of skeletal branches with amber-colored leaves. When we spotted the red phone box at the corner of the village, we picked up our pace.

“Can we call collect?” I asked.

“No need.” He jingled the change in his pocket. “I have enough for a quick phone call and a pot of tea for two at the village bakery.”

I jogged to keep up with his long, fast strides. “I’ll take that over another lukewarm bottle of plasticky water.”

Of all the people Henry could have called for help, he chose our housemaster, the ineffective Mr. Jenkins, explaining that the headmaster was always too busy with outside matters to bother with a case of missing students.

While we waited, Henry placed both hands on my waist. “When we return, I’ll acknowledge you as my friend.”

A thin coating of ice formed on my heart. I hadn’t given it much thought, but I’d hoped we’d be more than just friends after last night. I forced my lips into a smile. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

“And the others won’t give you any trouble.” He wrinkled his nose. “Although I can’t make any promises about Charlotte.”

“I can deal with her,” I muttered.

About five minutes later, a four-by-four arrived with Mr. Carbuncle at the wheel. Even the sight of his shifty, mustached face couldn’t dampen my relief. He rolled down the window on the passenger side and said, “You’re back, then?”

Henry opened the back door, ushered me inside, sat next to me and laced his fingers through mine. I swept my gaze from our intertwined hands, up his arms, and to his face.

An earnestness shone in his green eyes that made my stomach quiver. “Thank you for making pleasant what could have been harrowing. I’m not sure if I would have survived it without you.”

The ice around my heart melted, and warmth filled my chest. I’d been silly to have gotten upset at his declaration of friendship. We’d only been together for a few days, and I couldn’t expect a proclamation of love. The village of thatched roofs and stone-brick buildings rushed past the corner of my eye, followed by huge fields bordered by trees whose leaves had yellowed or fallen off. Instead of looking at the autumn scenery, I kept my gaze fixed on Henry’s as if searching into his soul. When my eyes traveled down to his lips, he leaned across the seat and gave me a chaste kiss.

“No canoodling at the back,” snapped Mr. Carbuncle.

We both ignored him and shared a few more kisses.

Instead of dropping us at the double doors of the main building, the janitor drove past it and down a side road that looped around the vast estate. Butterflies stirred in my stomach. The morning we left the academy seemed an eternity ago. Henry squeezed my hand as though assuring me that things would be different.

Mr. Jenkins stood outside the doors to Elder House, hands clasped, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. As soon as the car stopped, he rushed down the steps. “Mr. Bourneville, Miss Hobson! Are you alright? Do you need medical attention? An associate of your parents informed us of your situation, but we’ve kept it quiet, as requested.”

Edward and Blake emerged from the wooden doors and strode down the stairs like a pair of princes. Edward glanced from Henry to me, staring with an intensity I couldn’t decipher. Whatever was on his mind, it wasn’t the usual hatred.

Blake broke formation and grinned, wrapping his arms around Henry. “Welcome back, Henry.” Then he broke away and gave me the longest, bone-crushing hug. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Emilia. Are you hurt? Is there anything you need?”

He drew back, encasing the sides of my face in a lover’s caress, chocolate brown eyes radiating genuine concern. All my words evaporated into thin air, leaving me slack-jawed. Blake had always been flirtatious, but that had been his womanizing. Other than a few half-hearted attempts to sleep with me, he had participated in most of the bullying. My gaze flickered to Henry, who nodded and gave me an encouraging smile.