Layla shifts subtly next to me. “To win every challenge for a year straight, she would have had to do more than accumulate information on the other students,” she says. “She would have had to know the way each student thought, and then think differently. We always expect that people will react the way we do—that when we hit them they’ll hit back, or that when we help them they’ll be grateful—and when they don’t behave the way we think they will, we’re surprised.”

Blackwood looks at Layla approvingly. “Leonardo da Vinci didn’t limit his study to one thing. He was curious about art, anatomy, and engineering, to name just a few. He didn’t see the world for what it was, but for what it could be. And he combined his interests to tackle ideas like human flight. He knew that there were many ways to solve the same problem if you were brave enough to dream them. So yes, Layla, this girl did just that. She did what no one expected over and over, and just when you thought you knew her next move, she changed again. She was the most breathtakingly brave strategist this school has ever seen.”

Judging by their expressions, the other girls seem to take this lesson quite seriously. There is a mixture of what I think is admiration and an ambition to be better. I can’t help but wonder if they know the identity of the girl Blackwood referred to.

“Now let’s have a go at this challenge,” Blackwood says, and her eyes land on me. “Stand up, November.”

My heart starts beating so loudly, I’m positive the vein Ash saw in my neck is going wild.

Blackwood motions for me to approach her at the open part of the U. “Turn around.”

I face the other girls, who all stare at me with blank expressions, except for Aarya, who looks amused. The girls appear to come from all over the world, yet I’ve only heard people speaking English. And I’m suddenly feeling grateful. The only thing that could make this place more baffling would be if I couldn’t understand anyone.

“The rules will be as follows,” Blackwood says, untying my cloak. It swishes to the floor and the cold night air immediately seeps through my clothes. “No light, and no leaving this room.”

I quickly glance around me. There is a guard by the courtyard door, one directly across from her by the bottom of the staircase, and one in each of the hallway exits. Behind the hallway guards, the torches have already been snuffed out.

“Each participating girl will get one of these cloths.” Blackwood holds up two pieces of gray fabric. “They will be tucked into the back of your pants and will stay there. The idea is to steal the other girl’s cloth. The first person to do that wins.”

Oh man. I look around again, this time making a fast mental map of the room. The staircase is directly behind me. There’s a tapestry to the right of it, and a hallway with a guard. Another tapestry, a chip in the wall a little lower than my waist, a torch holder above the chip, tapestry, door. And it repeats in a mirror fashion on the other side of the room, minus the chip.