Blood Ties by Gabriella Poole Read Free Book Online Page B

say? With Ranjit at her side, the common room suddenly wasn’t such a daunting prospect.
    ‘Ugh. Socialising with the chosen ones. I can’t wait.’
    ‘Cassie!What did I tell you about looking on the bright side? Embrace the good things! If I had the chance to skip boring old English lit, I would have jumped in it!’ Isabella dug her elbow into Cassie’s ribs.
    ‘Ouch! Jeez, Isabella!’
    ‘So … you and Singh are making a go of it, huh?’ Jake said, his voice tight. Cassie could tell he was about as keen to ask that question as she was to answer it. She shuffled along beside them, keeping her eyes on her battered trainers.
    ‘Uh, yeah. I know it’s a bit awkward, but he’s one of the good guys, Jake. I’m certain of it.’
    ‘Well, I’m glad you are.’
    Isabella glared at Jake. ‘I mean, I guess you’re probably right,’ he hastily qualified.
    But he didn’t look at Cassie as he spoke. She knew that he had long suspected Ranjit of having killed his sister. Even Katerina’s confession that she and Keiko had committed the crime hadn’t been enough to convince Jake that Ranjit wasn’t in some way responsible. And Cassie had to admit there were still unanswered questions. Ranjit had been due to meet Jess the night she was killed, but Katerina had sent someone to delay him. Who had that been, and how much did they know about the plot? Cassie wasn’t sure she wanted to find out – and even if she did, she had a feeling Ranjit wouldn’t say.
    Jessica Johnson. The dead girl felt like the elephant in the room in so many of her relationships, sometimes it was almost as though she was still alive and there at the Academy …
    ‘Jake—’ Cassie began.
    He shook his head and nudged her good-naturedly. ‘Hey, ignore me. I’m sorry. I’ve not quite forgiven or forgotten yet, I guess. But I’m here, and that’s something. Anyway, we’re under instructions from this beautiful girl here to lighten up. Sorry, baby,’ he said, putting his arm around Isabella’s shoulders as they made their way down the hall.
    ‘No problem,’ Isabella said, glowing at his compliment.
    Jake cleared his throat, and moved swiftly on to another topic Cassie wasn’t keen to discuss.
    ‘So anyway, when am I going to find out what happened in Darke’s office, huh? I want to know what he said. What did you do, Cassie? What did he do?’
    ‘Um …’
    ‘You look a hell of a lot better now, that’s for sure. Was it something to do with, uh, feeding?’ Jake’s voice was casual, but it couldn’t quite hide the urgency behind his question, and Cassie began to worry he’d jumped to the right conclusion. ‘Come on, what happened? Fess up.’ He attempted a smile.
    Cassie glanced at Isabella and noticed the very slight shake of her head. Taking a deep breath, she once again couldn’t quite meet Jake’s eye. ‘Sir Alric gave me a shot of something. Kind of a drug. But not a drug.’
    Jake stayed silent for an agonising moment. At last he said, ‘A drug?’
    ‘Yeah. Not dangerous or anything. It’s something the Few can take. To ward off the hunger.’ That wasn’t a lie, after all.
    ‘Oh.’ He looked dumbfounded. ‘So, the feeding thing?’
    ‘I just got the injection, and … now it’s all fine.’ Behind her back, Cassie crossed the fingers of both hands.
    ‘Really?’ Jake frowned, and then made a face. ‘Well, that’s great. Why the hell didn’t you tell me? It seems pretty straightforward. God, you had me worried there, you know, with what Keiko did and all.’
    ‘Yeah. No. I mean, I’m fine now.’ Cassie could barely raise a smile. Guilt twisted her gut.
    He smiled ruefully back. ‘Well, I’m glad you’re OK, anyhow.’
    ‘Uh, cheers.’
    ‘Right,’ harrumphed Isabella, a nervous note in her voice. ‘Are you happy now, Jake?’
    Her boyfriend grinned and gave her a faux-meek nod.
    ‘Then I need to talk to Cassie.’ She wagged a finger at Jake and linked arms with her roommate.