Page 23 of All Hallows Game

I sipped my tea and looked around the dining room, glad there were only a few people down at this time, most frantically typing away at their laptops. God, lectures and essays felt a thousand miles away. Honey and I both had a period of indefinite absence from classes. Presumably the friends of the other people who’d died received the same treatment. I’d go back. Eventually. Right now, I didn’t even have the energy for the easy online lessons Caroline set up for me.

Caroline, who was dead and sliced to ribbons. I choked back bile, glancing up when someone walked into the room. Nerves took hold of my stomach when I saw it was Justin, looking as careless and slouchy as ever in an oversized blue T-shirt and baggy jeans, a baseball cap backwards on his head. The bejewelled cross necklace he wore negated his whole I couldn’t care less vibe. No way was something that gaudy just thrown on.

“Justin,” I said, rushing out of my seat and glancing at the others as I made my way to my target. No one was paying attention. Perfect. “Hey, I need a favour. I can pay.”

“Not interested,” he muttered, sidestepping me.

I moved back into his path. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

His green gaze flattened, eyelids heavy. “I don’t want your money, Cactus.”

I tilted my head, pouncing on those words with predatory intent. “Then what do you want?”

“I want my medical records cleared from Ford’s system. Make that happen, and I’ll do your little favour.” His eyes narrowed as he headed for the espresso machine, me trailing him. “What is it anyway?”

“I want you to tell me where a photo was taken.”

He scoffed. “That’s it?”

“I want the exact location, and the time,” I added impulsively. I only had Nightmare’s word that Virgil was still—still alive. It was a bitter pill, but I had to accept the chance he might already be gone.

God, what would I tell Mum and Dad and Tannie? What would I do without my big brother? Just the thought of it made me want to throw up.

“Fine.” Merchant shrugged. “Give me your phone. I’ll keep it until you wipe my records and then we’ll talk.”

His thin smile said leave me the fuck alone. I left Nightmare’s phone in his hand and left him in the breakfast hall, checking no one had noticed our conversation. The few people in the room had their noses buried in books, laptops, or breakfast, eyes bloodshot or barely open. We were in the clear.

I hurried back to my room, rubbing my arms to banish the goosebumps that covered them, feeling watched despite knowing no one had noticed our conversation. I told myself it didn’t break the tell no one rule Nightmare had imposed. It didn’t.

The feeling of being watched followed me all the way to my room and intensified when I found a single black feather sitting on my bed.

A chill rippled down my spine as I scanned the room for anything else out of place, any other sign that someone—or something—had been here. Was it the monster? Or was it the crows who sat and watched me try futilely to save Caroline Beaumont’s life?

Swallowing the knot of dread in my throat, I hurried to the window I was sure I hadn’t left open and slammed it shut. My heart quickened, thumping harder. This was Nightmare reminding me she was watching, playing her twisted games.

I picked up the black feather and hardened my resolve. Nightmare might be playing a game, but I had a way to track Virgil now. I’m playing too, bitch.

And this was one game I refused to lose.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CAT

Ihated going out at night, when the sky was black, the grounds were covered in shadows, and the absence of light could have hidden any number of creatures. I froze on the edge of Milton Hall, the darkness so complete I couldn’t even see the spire above me, not a single light on inside the building. I’d have to be careful that no one saw my torch.

“What the fuck am I doing?” I whispered to myself, creeping closer to the building, my ears strained for footsteps or the rustle of clothes. I heard neither, but I could have sworn someone was behind me, their breathing loud enough for my ears to catch. Yet when I stared into the shadows, there was only the faintest sliver of moonlight illuminating the trees of the par—no figures, no movement.

I was paranoid. And with good reason. I was about to commit a crime. Several, actually. Breaking and entering was number one. Theft was the second. Or was that tampering with official files? I wasn’t up to date on the technical terms of my crime.

For Virgil, I reminded myself as I followed the path that wound down the side of the building where most classes were held—and where the administrative rooms were housed on the ground floor. I knew there was a side entrance into Milton Hall; I walked past it every day to reach the graveyard. I also knew it was locked, hence I’d spent all morning tracking down someone who owned lock picks and willing to sell them to me.1 Then I spent all day on YouTube learning how to use them. I’d never locked and unlocked a jewellery box quite so many times.

Now, I cast a glance around myself, searching the smears of black between trees for glowing eyes or watchful crows. When I found nothing, I had to write it off as a plain old guilty conscience.

It was only when I’d crouched in front of the door and set both picks in the lock that I wondered why Justin couldn’t just hack his medical records. A bad feeling twisted through my stomach, but I’d committed; I wasn’t about to chicken out now.

The lock clicked after a few attempts, and I jumped to my feet, carefully opening the door, beyond relieved to be out of view. I left the door cracked open and paused just inside the corridor, listening, waiting for Nightmare to catch me in my defiance. Or for one of Ford’s security team to find me trespassing.

Not that I’d actually seen any security at Ford.

---