At seven years old I was more confident, more willing to take risks, than I just was in Aarya’s room. And I know better than to track things in and linger indecisively like that. Dad told me a million times that you either do something or you don’t, but hesitating is never an option.

When I get to my room, I immediately check behind the curtains and under the beds. Emily always thought it was weird the way my family encouraged me to be better at sneaking around, instead of scolding me. I used to tell her it was because Dad believed that survival skills were just that—for survival. But until I came here, I didn’t actually realize how right he was.

Chapter Eighteen

LAYLA HANDS ME my cloak as she recaps what Ash overheard last night. “Apparently, Matteo only just returned from the outer perimeter, so Felix was telling Aarya he’s not sure Matteo even knows about Stefano yet,” Layla says. “Although I’m certain he figured something was wrong when he returned to his room and Stefano was missing.”

“Outer perimeter?” I ask. “What are you talking about?”

“Blackwood has been known to send students to the outer perimeter as part of their punishment,” Layla says. “The tasks vary, but it’s frustrating because you miss all your lessons.”

I try to keep the fear off my face that Matteo is back. He already punched me for no reason that I can tell; I really don’t want to find out what he will do if he actually believes I killed his friend. “How did Felix know Matteo was in the outer perimeter?” Only in a school as competitive as this would people be upset they missed their classes.

Layla shrugs. “Ash didn’t say. Maybe Felix spotted him coming back in and assumed, or maybe he overheard Matteo telling someone that was where he’d been. Felix also told Aarya that Charles spotted Ash out on the night of the murder. And if Aarya knows that, you can pretty much assume the entire school will know by lunchtime, leaving us vulnerable to possible sabotage by the other students who might have reason to further the idea that you or Ash was responsible.”

“Great,” I say with no enthusiasm as I slip my arms through my cloak. “Is it weird that Charles would tell Felix about seeing Ash? I didn’t get the sense they were friends.”

“They’re not. But the passing of information is about strategy, not friendships.” Layla opens the door and we make our way into the hall, cutting off our conversation.