‘It was an accident.’

‘So how it happen then?’ He put his arm across the door, denying me entry. ‘How you run into his elbow?’

What could I say? We were targeted by an assassin? That would be like setting off a box of fireworks in whole school assembly.

‘We were mucking about in the woods and I kind of fel against him. Nelson, wil you let me go in? It’s bad enough looking stupid; I don’t also want to be late.’

Nelson dropped his arm. ‘But I got your back, remember? It may have been an accident but I don’t see him here checking you’re al right. I’m gonna have a word with Zed.’

‘Don’t.’

‘Nothing you can do to stop me, Sky baby.’

So now I had something else to dread: Nelson ripping up Zed in the mistaken belief he was somehow defending me.

Zed turned up two days later. Victor drove both him and Yves to school in a sleek Prius with blacked out windows, dropping them near the door. I only saw them hurry in because I happened to be running behind too, having to function on ‘Simon time’ due to his insistence on taking me to class. Simon never started out until the moment he was supposed to be somewhere—OK for artists perhaps but not for students.

Seeing them run from the car to the front door, I thought the Benedicts looked harassed but otherwise fine.

Zed.

He heard me cal out mind to mind, looked round, but Yves grabbed one arm and Victor the other, hurrying him under cover.

I’ll find you later, he replied.

But I wanted him now. I had to swal ow my disappointment and go to explain to Mr Joe why I had missed registration for the second day in a row.

I hid in the library at recess. Outside the snow was fal ing and al of us were inside, scattered over the school, seeking shelter. I’d chosen the reference section of the library, hoping to attract fewer stares there. My eye was stil a multicoloured humiliation.

Since my brief glimpse of Zed that morning, I had the horrible feeling that maybe my feelings for him were leaping way ahead of his for me. I was al cut up about the tiny matter of a threat to his life and he hadn’t even thought to cal to tel me he was OK. Any thought messages I’d sent him had been left unanswered. Talk about blowing hot then cold.

Perhaps that soulfinder rubbish had been just that—

utter nonsense to win a few kisses.

But Zed found me in my bolt hole. Probably saw me there before I even arrived. He sat down opposite and just looked at me.

Sky, I’m sorry.

Hey, another benefit of this mind-talking stuff—

not only do you have low phone bills but you don’tget chucked out of the library. I pul ed the P to Q

section of the encyclopaedia towards me, pretending sudden interest in an article on penguins.

You mad at me?

No.

So why the cold shoulder?

I glanced up. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Oh my, he looked good—I wanted to bury my face in his shoulder and just hold on tight.

Your eye hurt?

No, your brother fixed that; he just left me looking like a dork.

I couldn’t come in until the area had been searched.

I guessed something like that was going on.

I couldn’t text you because there’s no networkreception at home. I’m sorry.

No, don’t apologize. I understand.

Do you really? Do you really understand how difficult it’s been for me? I wanted to be with you—

stay with you that day. You argued with your dad, didn’t you?

Yeah, but we’re OK now.

You’re upset that I wasn’t there to take the heat about your eye. People have been giving you a hard time.

Not hard, just awkward. Nelson’s after you.

I deserve it.

You were saving my life.

You should never have been in danger in the first place. I should never have put you at risk.

Look, can we go somewhere so we can talk properly?

I don’t know if that’s a good idea.

He pul ed the book from my fingers . Penguins, such fascinating creatures, but I didn’t know you were studying them. What class is that you’re taking?

The ‘we stupid looking creatures should stick together’ class.

He tucked the book back on the shelf. ‘Come with me.’

‘Where?’

‘Music practice rooms. I booked one out, just in case.’

Zed put his arm around my shoulder and led me out of the library, staring down Sheena and her gang who smirked at us. One look from him and they quickly found somewhere else to direct their gaze.

When we got to the room, he first checked it was empty, then pul ed me inside and shut the door.

‘That’s better.’ He backed me against it and leant against me. ‘Just let me hold you a moment. I’ve not had a chance just to touch you since those kil ers went for us.’

I let him hold me, feeling completely overwhelmed by his tenderness. There was a desperate edge to his embrace, perhaps we both knew that we were lucky to be breathing, let alone hugging each other.

‘Sky, I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you,’ he whispered, his hands playing in the hair that I had let hang loose about my face to hide the bruise.

‘Why? Is something going to happen? Have you seen something?’

‘I told you, I can’t tel people too much about the future. I might change it to be what none of us want if I do that.’

‘So I take it mine doesn’t look good?’

‘Sky, please, I don’t know. Don’t you think I’d act if I knew what would help? Al I know is I want you to be safe.’

It was so frustrating. These hints and half-spoken warnings were driving me crazy. Being a savant must real y stink.

‘Yeah, it does.’

‘You’re doing it again: reading my mind! Stop it.

It’s mine—private.’ I folded my arms across my chest and moved away from him.

‘I seem to be always apologizing to you, but I real y am sorry. I can read you more clearly than I can other people—it kind of leaks out of you into my head.’

‘And that’s supposed to make me feel better?’ My voice had a hysterical note.

‘No, it’s an explanation. You could learn to build shields, you know.’

‘What?’

‘Basic savant training. Living in a family of them, you soon learn to start shielding.’

‘But I’m not a savant.’

‘You are. And I think deep down you know it too.’

I fisted my hands in my hair. ‘Stop it. I don’t want to hear

this.’ You’re bad. Bad. Always making everyone unhappy. ‘No I’m not!’ I wasn’t talking to him any longer, but the whispers in my head.

‘Sky.’ Zed tugged at my fists, pul ing them away from my temples and drawing me towards him. His hands took up their slow caress again, running through the length of my hair, letting it fal back on my shoulders. ‘You’re beautiful. The furthest thing from bad that I’ve ever met.’

‘What do you see—what do you know about where I came from?’ I asked in a smal voice. ‘You’ve given hints. You know stuff about me that I don’t.’

I could hear a sigh rumble in his chest. ‘Nothing clear. Tel ing the past is more Uriel’s gift than mine.’

I gave a shuddering laugh. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way but I hope I don’t meet him.’

He swayed with me in his arms for the moment. It was like dancing without music, fal ing into the same rhythm.

‘You want to know why I didn’t cal you?’

I nodded.

‘I couldn’t. We were on lockdown. I’ve got some more bad news.’

‘What? Worse than some maniac being out to murder your family? I needed to know that you were al right. I needed to know you were al right.’