ELEMENTS: Acquiesce Kathryn Andrews (guided reading books .TXT) 📖

Cordelia and Lana shot daggers at him.

“We were practising our dives for the competition,” explained Lana.

“At this time of night?! And what’s your excuse for your lack of attire?” enquired Morwen, looking at Rafe.

Rafe cleared his throat in an attempt to gain a few extra seconds before responding.

“He was helping us,” said Lana. “It wasn’t just Cordelia and I outside, Masika and Nerissa were with us too. Masika slipped and gashed her leg on the rocks.” She looked to Cordelia for backup.

“That’s right,” said Cordelia in agreement. “I came inside to find help and Rafe was there. He tied his shirt around Masika’s leg to stop the bleeding.”

Morwen glared at Cordelia.

“It’s true,” said Rafe.

Morwen studied each of them in turn, their faces sincere, their eyes willing her to believe their story. All except for Max whose face suggested they were being creative with the truth.

Morwen placed her hands on the desk which stood between them and inhaled deeply. “Is there anything you’d like to add Mr Jordan?”

Max could feel his classmate’s eyes burning into his soul. “No,” he replied and his eyes settled on the floor.

“And where are Masika and Nerissa now?” asked Morwen.

“They’ve returned to their chamber,” said Lana. “Amatheia saw to it that Masika was alright.”

“Well,” began Morwen, “it seems you boys have been quite the heroes.”

Max grinned widely, stood up straight and puffed his chest out.

“Especially you Rafe,” she added.

Rafe smiled while Max’s grin diminished.

“However,” continued Morwen, “you were lurking about in the tunnels after hours and one has to question what you were up to. As punishment you can both muck the horses out daily for the foreseeable future.”

Rafe and Max grimaced but kept quiet. Neither wanted to be punished further for arguing Morwen’s decision. Cordelia waited on tenterhooks, wondering what was coming next. She knew it wouldn’t be good. She held the towel tighter around her shoulders, her fingers wrapped up so tightly beneath her chin that she almost cut the blood supply off.

“As for you girls, you’re barred from entering the diving competition. I’ll be speaking to your accomplices in the morning.”

For a fleeting second Cordelia stopped breathing. She felt as though she’d been punched in the stomach. She stared at Morwen; the hatred in her wrinkled face was despicable. Then she glanced at Lana whose pale, slender frame stood unwavering, her eyes piercing right through Morwen.

“No, no. You can’t do that,” said Cordelia. “Don’t blame Lana and the others, they were only there because of me.”

“I knew you were trouble,” said Morwen. “You’d all do well to stay away from this one.”

Cordelia hadn’t felt so alone since the day she lost Flynn. She felt as though she was in an alternate Jane Eyre novel and just like the book that had disappeared with Flynn, she had no idea what might happen next. She wanted to back out of the room and run. She fought back the tears. There was no way she was going to break down. Not here, not now.

“Don’t worry,” said Lana, “my father won’t stand for this.”

“He may not like it Miss Seymour but the decision is out of his hands. I think we’re finished here.”

Rafe and Max left the room while Lana and Cordelia remained where they were, staring at Morwen in disbelief.

“Well go on then. Be gone with you. I’ve seen enough of you for one day.”

Lana placed a hand on Cordelia’s arm. “Come on,” she said.

“How can she do that?” asked Cordelia as they walked along the tunnels to their chambers.

“Triton and Mazu won’t stand for it,” said Lana.

“Unfortunately they’re not here,” said Cordelia.

“There are some perks to having my father working here,” revealed Lana. “I’ll ask him about those ravens too.”

“Thanks,” said Cordelia. “I’m sorry I got you into trouble. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have been on that reef at all.”

“Don’t be daft,” replied Lana. “We wanted to come with you. It was fun.”

“For a while maybe.”

“Hey, what were you and Rafe talking about before?”

“Oh, nothing much,” replied Cordelia, stopping outside her chamber.

Lana looked curiously at her friend as she unlocked the door. “Listen, try not to worry about the dive competition, we’ll keep practising.”

Cordelia smiled. “Thanks Lana, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Early the next morning Cordelia walked barefoot along the cliff top to the peat bog to retrieve her clothes. The wet grass whipped at her ankles in the blustery wind while the morning sun stung her tired eyes. As far as she could tell, nobody else was about. She climbed over the stone wall, her feet sinking in a puddle of mud as she stepped onto the peat.

“Oh great,” she muttered to herself and squelched her way over to the small hut.

“Is it these you’re looking for?”

Startled, Cordelia lifted her eyes to see a young man wearing a flat cap, just like the one Flynn used to wear. He was handsome, there was no doubt about that.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to trespass. It was a prank really, we were swimming and the boys hid our clothes.”

The young man smiled at her. “It’s no bother, there’s no harm done.” He glanced at her feet, “Well, nothing that a bit of soap and water won’t fix.”

Cordelia smiled. “I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself,” she said, holding out a hand. “Cordelia.”

“Pleased to meet you Cordelia,” he replied, squeezing her hand gently.

“Ah!” Cordelia pulled her hand away quickly as a flash of pain shot through her fingers. “What was that?”

“A shock I’m guessing. It happens sometimes.”

Intrigued, Cordelia reached out to touch his hand again, her dainty fingers lingering just millimeters from his. She could hear the faint sound of static crackling and then it was gone.

“I’m Breck by the way.”

Cordelia held his gaze for a little longer than required for a simple introduction, but this had been an introduction like no other. She felt her cheeks flush. There was something about him that she was drawn to. She couldn’t put her finger on why or how but she