With everyone’s attention on the headmaster, Lottie allowed herself to glance around, searching for the rest of their friends. Anastacia, Saskia and Raphael were the easiest to spot, the three of them standing out like supermodels at the top of the Conch House bleachers, and yet even their immaculate appearance couldn’t disguise the dread on their faces. Next she searched the yellow Stratus benches to find Lola, Micky and Binah, only there was something off about the twins. Their usually pale skin was tinged with a sickly green hue and they looked like ghosts of their former selves.

Finally she looked along the purple Ivy rows to find Percy. He generally blended into the shadows, but she found him nonetheless on the bottom bench next to the school councillor who translated for him in sign language. He stared ahead in horror, his sunken eyes watching the scene play out like it was bringing up some awful memory.

‘We shall start with the good news,’ the headmaster bellowed, clearly expecting this to be worthy of applause. No one responded, and he coughed before continuing. ‘Despite everyone’s concerns with regard to the changing school rules and schedules, we will still be going ahead with our Presentation of the Pillars in the spring term, or, as some of you students prefer to call it, the PoP.’ Again he waited for applause and was met with silence. ‘Our school is founded on three pillars, righteousness, resolution and resourcefulness, and you are all in the house for whose pillar you have the closest affinity. The Presentation of the Pillars takes place every three years and gives you each the chance to use your creativity, charm and wit to create something in honour of your house’s namesake: Florence Ivy, Balthazar Conch and Shray and Sana Stratus, respectively.’ The headmaster paused, looking up through his caterpillar eyebrows to make sure all the students were paying attention before he dealt his last card. ‘Participation is mandatory and will go towards your university applications. We look forward to seeing what you all have to offer. Now –’ he quickly swept his hand to the side, welcoming the Conch House mother up to hit them with the bad news – ‘we will be breaking down the new school rules we have decided to put in place for safety reasons. Dame Bolter, if you would, please.’

Nervous chatter began to erupt through the students, everyone anxious to hear about the incident from the night before, but they were quickly stunned into silence by a sharp look from Dame Bolter. She stood nearly six feet tall, her long, athletic body and shaved head matching her fierce warrior glare. They all knew Mercy Bolter used to compete in the Olympics, but seeing her command a room so easily made her seem more like a god than an athlete, and exactly what one would expect of the Conch House mother.