Part 17 (1/2)
Connor hurried inside and Max shut the door, making double sure it was locked tight.
The minutes and hours ticked by at a crawl. Unable to concentrate, Max tossed his sketchbook aside as David and Connor played cards downstairs. Hearing m.u.f.fled sounds from the hallway, Max got up from his bed to investigate. Connor and David stood on the stairs to the lower level, wrapped in blankets and looking frightened, as Max listened at the door. Hearing footsteps and whispers outside, Max turned to them and put his finger to his lips. Holding his breath, he silently turned the k.n.o.b and peeked out into the hallway.
A small group of First and Second Years were pressed against the window at the end of the hall. Max beckoned to David and Connor, and the three of them joined the group. Rolf stepped aside to let Max peer out the window; he leaned forward to press his forehead against the cold gla.s.s.
Lanterns bobbed about the dark grounds in pairs as the faculty combed the orchard, lawns, and gardens. Away in the woods, Max saw more lanterns peeking from among the trees. He whispered to a Second Year standing next to him.
”Have you guys seen anything?”
The Second Year shook his head and motioned for quiet. Suddenly, someone at the end gasped, ”Something's happening!” ”Something's happening!”
Max was smooshed against the window as the crowd surged forward. Below, the lanterns bobbed wildly, rapidly converging at a point near the orchard's edge. A huge plume of flame erupted at the spot. Max and the other boys gave out a yell.
Something monstrous and wolf-shaped was illuminated by the sudden burst of light. It took several hunched, uneven steps on its hind legs before dropping to all fours and racing across the lawn toward the forest and the road.
”Get back in your rooms!”
Max whirled to see the two Sixth Years hurrying angrily down the hall. The boys scattered to their rooms in a sudden flurry of shuffling feet and slamming doors. Max and David ran down the steps to their bedroom's lower level. Connor flew in a moment later, locking the door behind him, his eyes wide.
”Did you guys see it? I saw it!”
”I'm not ever leaving this room,” whispered David.
The three sat in silence for several minutes. Max s.h.i.+vered, replaying the image of the terrifying shape lowering itself to the gra.s.s and galloping across the grounds. He looked up at the sky dome, watching Scorpio twinkle into view.
”What do you think that was?” he asked softly.
”I don't know,” said David, rubbing his temples. ”I don't want to know.”
”Maybe it was a werewolf,” volunteered Connor. ”Like in the movies.”
”That didn't look like any werewolf I ever saw in the movies,” quavered Max. ”It was a lot worse. And it looked bigger....”
A loud knock on the door woke Max from his sleep. Blinking, he looked around the room. Connor was asleep on one of the couches. David was huddled near the fireplace, a shapeless lump underneath his blanket. There were three more knocks, quick and decisive. Max lurched to his feet and climbed the stairs, halting at the door.
”Who is it?” he ventured, his voice slow and wary.
”It's Joseph Vincenti, Max. The danger has pa.s.sed. Ms. Richter would like everyone to come to the orchard. It's chilly, so bring a jacket or a robe.”
Mr. Vincenti moved down the hall, rapping on the next door. Within a few minutes, Max had woken Connor and David. The three boys shuffled sleepily with the other Apprentices out the back doors to the orchard, where the sky was a pale wash of blue in antic.i.p.ation of the sunrise.
Ms. Richter stood near the first row of trees, flanked by the faculty and a dozen other adults. The hushed conversations ceased immediately as Ms. Richter's voice filled the morning air.
”Students, we have had a loss. Another golden apple graces this orchard-all too prematurely, I'm afraid.”
Max watched as several older students began whispering and scanning over the faculty with worried expressions. The Director shook her head.
”No,” she said. ”Our loss did not occur on this campus. We lost a member of our Recruiting staff: Miss Isabelle May, whom many of you undoubtedly met during your tests for admittance here.”
There was stunned silence among the students. With a solemn face, Ms. Richter continued.
”We do not, as of yet, know what happened to Miss May. Our last communication with her was one week ago, despite our best efforts to contact her since. We have been monitoring her Cla.s.s Tree anxiously throughout. Mr. Morrow made the unfortunate discovery before dinner last night. Miss May's apple has turned to gold.”
Several older students hugged one another. Max saw Lucia wipe tears from her eyes; he guessed that it had been Miss May who had recruited her.
Ms. Richter raised her arms for quiet.
”Shortly after we lost Isabelle, something triggered the defenses of this campus. While I apologize for actions that might have confused or frightened you, they were necessary precautions. For the first time in Rowan's history, this campus has been penetrated by agents of the Enemy.”
The student body erupted in sideways looks and whispers.
”They are gone now,” Ms. Richter a.s.sured them, her voice silencing the students, ”and you may rest a.s.sured that all our resources will be mustered to determine exactly what has happened and what steps are necessary to ensure your safety. Until that time, no student is to leave this campus for any reason whatsoever. Failure to mind this rule will result in expulsion. Is this clear?”
Max found himself nodding and saying ”Yes, Director” along with everyone else. Rubbing his arms, he realized he had forgotten to bring a jacket, and the early-morning air was unseasonably cool.
An older girl raised her hand.
”How could they be here?” she asked, her voice trembling. ”Rowan is supposed to be hidden hidden from the Enemy! What does this mean?” from the Enemy! What does this mean?”
Ms. Richter's glance was stern, her voice sharp.
”It means we have entered a time of danger.”
10.
THE COURSE.
In the weeks that followed, all students had to travel in pairs, and Rowan Towns.h.i.+p was off-limits. Faculty and older students volunteered for evening patrols and as security escorts for the younger students. Most notable were the strange adults that had arrived on campus. They flitted through the woods, appeared suddenly in corridors, and stood watch throughout the campus. The students were a.s.sured that these individuals were present for their safety but that they were not to be approached or bothered. Among them was one particularly alarming man with a badly burned face. It soon became something of a dare to cross his path at night as he walked quietly across the grounds in his black knit cap and peacoat, swinging a shuttered lantern. His name was Cooper, and Max was afraid of him.
After two tense weeks, Max was working alongside his study group in a small room off the Bacon Library. Despite recent events, the faculty had decided to keep the midterm schedule, and Max needed to score well on several of the exams. He took a handful of popcorn from Cynthia, then grumbled at his math notebook; only half of his responses matched those in the answer key.
Max yawned. It was getting late and he still had to feed Nick. As he gathered his things and zipped up his fleece, David peeked up from reading a book on the couch.
”Are you going to the Sanctuary?” he asked.
”Yeah,” said Max, stretching. ”Want to come?”
”Nope. I'm going to bed. You should get an escort to go with you, though.”
David returned to his book. Sarah looked up suddenly.
”I'll go with you, if you want. Just let me get my coat,” she said, snapping her book shut.
Lucia grinned and tossed a popcorn kernel at Cynthia, who glanced sideways from her book. Max looked at Connor, who merely raised his eyebrows.
”Uh, sure,” said Max. ”Thanks, Sarah.”