“That is enough!” Toland’s furious boom made Sonja jerk. In a blink, she snapped back into human shape, glancing at him guiltily.
“It’s true though,” she said with a sniff. “None of them were at their finals. Oh, except the blonde chick.” She jerked her chin toward Hannah, and I bristled at the fact that she didn’t even address her by name. “She was at the finals, but none of the others were. Case closed. There are your culprits.”
Toland’s gaze cut between Sonja and me quickly, his expression hard to read.
“Everyone sit down.” He made a commanding gesture and waited until all of us had resumed our seats before giving a satisfied nod. “Excuse me for a moment.”
Turning away from the podium, he took two of the professors aside, and the three of them spoke in hushed voices for several minutes. While they were talking, a buzz of whispers started up around the room.
“Here we go again, guys,” I groaned, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Ready to be social pariahs again?”
“When were we not?” Kai asked gloomily. He’d joined the others in holding me back from beating Sonja to a pulp, and when we had all taken our seats again, he’d settled himself in the row behind us.
I shrugged. He was right. Even before we’d become monsters, none of us had been particularly good at climbing social ladders. Well, except for Kingston.
When Toland took the podium again, he looked as though he’d aged five years. His gray hair looked a little grayer, and I swore his bushy mustache sagged a little.
“I have heard your accusations and have considered them,” he told Sonja heavily. “But before I address them, I have a few more things to say. First, the school is still enchanted as it was on earth. That means all our internal systems are still functioning as usual. The water still runs, and the electricity still works.”
A collective sigh of relief answered him.
“Second. The staff and I will be making every effort to return the school to its rightful place on Mönkh Saridag before the school year begins in four weeks. In the meantime, no one is to leave the school grounds for any reason.”
“Who would want to?”
The crowd seemed to adamantly agree with the anonymous mutterer, but I didn’t. As terrifying as the alien world outside was, I was fascinated by it too. I would have loved an excuse to go explore it. With my guys, of course. And definitely some weapons.
“Third. Our protective wards are holding for now, but we don’t know how long they will keep. This is why we need the advanced students to help us maintain them. You will be put on a rotation with a team. Ms. Aires will assign your teams and schedules to you.”
“Define ‘advanced’,” one of the third-year students, Marshall, called from the back of the auditorium.
I craned my head to look back at the guy as mutters erupted from the gathered audience again. Shit. All the third-years who’d been taking their exams when Owen attacked should’ve graduated FU and moved on to the task of helping the Custodians guard earth.
Except none of them could go anywhere now. Just like the rest of us.
“You,” Toland replied flatly, and Marshall pursed his lips, settling back in his seat. The headmaster swept his gaze over the rest of the crowd again. “Lastly, and most importantly: the kitchen is fully functional and breakfast is served. Sausage rolls and pancakes await you. Dismissed!”
He locked gazes with me as the students stampeded for the door. My guys moved to leave, and I put out a hand to stop them.
“Hold on a second. I think the headmaster wants a word with us.”
“I’m hungry.” Kai pushed past me.
“Kai,” Toland said with a hint of his sonic boom. “A word.”
The vampire froze, then turned around reluctantly, grinding his teeth. Jayce and Kingston stood on either side of me while Xero towered over my head from his position behind me. Hannah lingered on one side. Toland looked at her and smiled gently.
“Go on to breakfast, Hannah. I need a word with your friends in private.”
“Oh—um, okay. Uh—good luck, guys.” She gave me a worried smile and left quickly, if reluctantly.
As soon as the auditorium had cleared out, Toland turned to us. His stiff, imposing bearing cracked a little, his shoulders collapsing forward for a second before he straightened his spine again, and for a moment, I saw behind the mask. He hid it well, but it wasn’t hard to guess just how much stress and pressure he was under.
“I spoke to the professors,” he said quietly. “Sonja was telling the truth. She didn’t mention Owen, however, who still seems to be missing. Is there anything you want to tell me?”
There was the barest hint of a threat in his tone, and I exchanged a look with my guys. They each nodded, apart from Kai, who pressed his lips together and looked away.
“Ah—it might be easier to show you,” I said. “And you should probably bring Cassandra.”