“You want to say something?”

For once I stepped back, my instinct to provoke dead in my throat. Tamsin placed both hands flat on my chest and tensed to shove. I raised my hands and Hannah spoke over my shoulder.

“We don’t think it’s your fault, Tamsin.” Her soft voice soothed. “No one does. They’re just trying to make sense of what’s happened.”

“You’d have been the first to say it if it was someone else,” I snapped. So maybe the bitch was still kicking in there. Behind me Hannah groaned.

Tamsin snarled and raised a hand. I knew the slap was going to land and had barely a second to brace myself for head-spinning contact. But it never came. I blinked to see Pete standing with one hand around Tamsin’s wrist.

“Get off me.” Tamsin wheeled on him. “I’m going to kill her.”

Pete tilted his head meaningfully. Behind him James stood with his arms folded, Harley at his side.

“This isn’t the time.” James’ eyes raked me from head to foot and I shuddered, feeling as if I needed a shower. “Pull it together, Tamsin.”

Slowly she nodded and Pete released her. She stepped into James’ orbit. “You’ll get yours.” Her lips twitched and James curled a big hand around her shoulder, holding her still.

“Mr Barnes wants to talk to us.” He spoke to Tamsin, but remained looking at me. “Let’s go.”

The whole common room watched as the four headed towards Mr Barnes’ office. Breathless silence persisted for a moment, only the rustling of paper and nervous clearing of throats filled the air. Then heads closed together and the gossip started up more persistent than before. Where was Justin Hargreaves? Why would he have run away? Had something sinister happened?

Only I knew that he wouldn’t be coming back. And I very much needed to speak to the dead bastard.

“Your eczema’s bad again.” Hannah poked at my glove. “Is that why you ditched school yesterday?” Her tone held a gentle accusation.

“I’m sorry, Han. It came on really fast.”

“It always does.” She rubbed her fingers through her dandelion hair. “I just wish you’d let me know. I looked for you all morning. After that assembly, I was worried.”

“I didn't realise.” I shouldered my bag. “I really am sorry.”

“You could have answered your phone, or replied to my texts. I couldn’t even concentrate on Supernatural I was so worried.”

I nodded, thinking of my phone turned to silent in my pocket the whole time I was breaking into the mariticide's house. It was late when I'd picked up Hannah's worried messages, too late to get back to her. “I can't say it won't happen again, but I'll try harder.” My heart played a panicked staccato; Hannah couldn't be mad at me.

Hannah sighed. “It’s just been happening a lot lately. I wish you’d–”

“What?”

“I wish you’d tell me what’s going on. I could do something to help.”

I exhaled slowly. “Is this about Pete?”

“No.” We stopped outside the classroom. “Maybe. I shouldn’t let him get to me.”

“No, you shouldn’t.” I squeezed her arm inside mine and pulled her to one side as our classmates pushed to get through the door. Finally the black rings round her eyes registered with me. “A Supernatural marathon, or did your mum keep you up late again?”

Hannah sagged. “She made me clean the house before Carl finished his shift. The Winchesters kept me company.”

“What about your homework?”

Hannah shrugged. “I did it after.”

“Damn it, Han, what did your mum do while you were cleaning her mess?”

Hannah’s mouth curled bitterly. “She went down the pub then passed out in front of CSI.”

I squeezed her tighter; there was nothing else I could do. “Bet Carl was pleased.”

“They had a fight when he got in. Then they made up. Loudly.” She winced and I pressed my lips together. Sometimes I wished I could kick Hannah’s mum, but there was always this tiny traitorous voice inside saying, “at least she still has a mum”. I squashed it into silence.

“You should come over after school.”

Hannah nodded. “Your dad won’t mind me staying?”

“Does he ever? So… what colour this time?”

Hannah grinned. “I’m working my way through the neons. What do you think?”

“Love it.”

Her hair had long turned into a frizz, but it was the one thing her mum couldn’t take away. I understood that. Hannah had control over her hair and she made it glow.

I glanced back down the corridor towards Mr Barnes’ office. Tamsin and the others were still inside. “I forgot something in my locker, see you in class?”

Hannah looked alarmed. “You aren't skipping out on me again?”

I shook my head. “I'll be back before bell. Save me a seat.”

Hannah inhaled and didn't move.

“Honest, Han, I'm coming back.”

She glanced at my gloved hand.

“What?” Self-consciously I folded my arms, hiding the glove from sight.

“You bail on me a lot when your eczema is bad,” Hannah shrugged. “It's a pattern.”

“Oh.” I worried at the glove with my nails. “I hadn't noticed.”

“Whatever, it's no big. I'll save you a seat.”

“I will see you in a minute.”

“Sure.”

Hannah followed the last of the hags into the classroom and she didn't look back.

I wanted to go and check the waiting area outside Mr Barnes’ office. I hoped Justin might be hanging around waiting for his girlfriend. But the hallway was empty and the chairs sat unused. There was no sign of any dead.

I flexed my Marked hand and looked at the clock. There was still time for him to show up in class. If he still believed he was alive, he would come to school.

As I prepared to head back to the classroom, the door to Mr Barnes’ office opened. Pete stood with his back to me, still holding the handle down, but he made no further move to leave. Mr Barnes was just finishing up.

My breath shortened as I realised that I was alone and about to come face-to-face with the whole group. I wasn’t sure who I was more worried about, James or Tamsin. Normally I’d deal, but today they were unpredictable and with Justin missing, the teachers would let them get away with more than usual.

Swiftly I slipped into the shadow behind the drinks machine. It wasn’t the best hiding place, but it might keep them from noticing me.

I stared at the ceiling, pressing myself into the cool metal, as the door clicked shut.

“Tamsin, you gotta chill.” That was Harley.

“Mr Barnes says everything will be alright.” Pete. “He has a contact in the force, a bloke from his club. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“You – you think they’ll find Justin?” Tamsin’s voice wobbled and I almost felt sorry for her.

“Yeah, they’ll find him.” That was James. “Let’s get to class.”

“We’re still meeting this week?” They were moving further down the corridor and I risked a look around the drinks machine. Tamsin was clinging onto James’ arm as if it were a lifebelt.

James nodded at her. “We have to show. People depend on us.”

At the back of the group Pete hesitated, then turned. I pulled back too slowly and his eye caught mine. He shook his head: disappointment, exasperation? I wasn’t sure. Either way, he said nothing, simply turned and trailed his gang into class.

I knocked my head against the drinks machine making it rattle and Mr Barnes emerged from his office.

“Are you waiting for me, Miss Oh?”

I clutched my bag. Moron. “No. I was just on my way to class.”

He frowned at me over his glasses and his pudgy fingers worked around his tie. “I don’t want any trouble today, Miss Oh. I’m thinking particularly of Justin's friends. They are having a difficult time and I do not want to hear reports of you antagonising them.”

“That’s not fair–” Heat flushed my chest.

“I don’t want to hear it, Miss Oh. Get to class.”

He closed his door in my face and I stood for a moment, shaking. My gloved hand wound around the straps of my pack and I tried not to picture winding it around his neck. Then I closed my eyes and exhaled. If only he was the sort to commit murder, I could stamp him with a one way ticket into the Darkness.