Page 62 of The Luminaries
“A what?” This is from Theresa Monday, who clacks down the steps.
“AWhisperer,” Winnie repeats. Her voice is getting a little frantic now. A few students have paused their exit to watch her. “It’s this nightmare that… that’s all squiggly and makes a sound like a tornado in a deep fryer. And Isawit on Sunday night. It killed an entire horde of vampira in seconds.”
“No, Miss Wednesday, that was the werewolf.” Dryden looks peevishly at Darian—as if it’s Darian’s fault Winnie has pounced on him. He resumes his walk; Theresa does too. Mario, however, hangs back.
“Itwasn’t,though.” Winnie falls into step beside Dryden. “It wasn’t a werewolf at all. It was a Whisperer.”
“There is no such thing in the Compendium,” Dryden declares.
“Because it’s new—”
“Please,” Dryden moans at Darian, “take your sister away.”
“No.” Winnie fears she might be shouting now. But this is even worse than Monday morning when no one at the trial would believe her. If she can’t convince the Council, then she’s out of options. All of Hemlock Falls will keep searching for the wrong daywalker. “You have to believe me, Councilor Saturday. I saw it with my own eyes. And Mario!” Winnie flings a hand toward him. “He’s seen it too! So has Lizzy Friday. They know what I’m talking about. Right, Mario? Right? Tell them.”
She rounds on Mario, but instead of nodding his agreement, he firmly avoids her eyes. A bubble rises from his lips. Then pops.
“Miss Wednesday,” Theresa offers, more gently than Dryden had, “multiple hunters have seen the werewolf, and multiple Mondays haveconfirmed werewolf kills—including Mario here. So we thank you for your concerns, but do leave it to the experts.”
No,Winnie wants to shout again. She feels like she’s fallen into the Big Lake and now a kelpie is dragging her down. No one is listening to her. Mario is straight up ignoring her, and even Darian looks pained.
Winnie stops walking. Everyone else marches on. Marches away.
“Sorry,” Darian whispers as he passes. But that’s it. That’s the end. The one person she was certain would back her up—who had proof of his own, even if the footage wasn’t great… Mario has left Winnie here to drown.
His next bubble pops like a gunshot as he leaves the auditorium.
Winnie flinches as if she’s been hit.
CHAPTER32
After Coach Rosa’s class and three—three—laps around the obstacle course, Winnie is surprised to find her cold mostly gone. Her rage, however, is not. HowdareMario. How dare Lizzy. How dareDarian!
She’s going to confront all of them as soon as she can. She deserves an explanation for what happened after the assembly—especially from Mario. Howdarehe.
Once again, she takes way longer than everyone else to run the track, so she doesn’t change back into her regular clothes after class. But when she gets to the front to look for Mom and her Volvo (she’s going to insist Mom let her drive this time—really! Second gear won’t know what hit it), she finds Jay and Mathilda instead.
He hops out of the Wagoneer at the sight of Winnie and lopes over, hands sliding into his pockets. Although he doesn’t look high and he doesn’t smell of weed, his eyes are puffy, his hair damp.
Clearly, he skipped schoolagainand only just woke up.
“Class is already over,” Winnie snaps when he meets her at the curb.
“Oh?” He glances at the sky. “I thought that particular angle of the sun meant morning. Silly me.”
Winnie thins her eyes at him. “What do you want, Jay?”
“I thought we could train.”
“Are you sober?”
“Yes, Winnie.” A soft rasp of laughter. “I’m sober.”
Her glare deepens into skeptical. “I thought you had band practice on Tuesday afternoon.”
“I’m surprised you know that.”
“Is my information wrong?”
