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I ARRIVED at Mahler’s an hour before classes began I’d had a busy weekend First there’d been reen tie, grey trousers, black shoes - then books, notepaper and A4 writing pads, a ruler, pens and pencils, an eraser, set squares and a compass, as well as a scientific calculator, whose array of strange buttons - ’INV’, ’SIN’, ’COS’, ’EE’ -to me I’d also had to buy a homework report book, which I’d have to write all n the book each night, saying I’d done the work I was meant to I shopped bythe day, and Harkat’s strange appearance ot back to the hotel with , after two days of non-stop shopping Then I re as well, so I rushed out on one last-gasp, lightning-fast expedition to the nearest supplier I bought a si with plenty of space for my books, and picked up a plastic lunch box as well

Mr Crepsley and Harkat got a great kick out of my unifor stiffly, they laughed for tenit at the about the hotel roo - it had been a long tiht I shaved carefully and let Mr Crepsley cut my hair Afterwards he and Harkat left to hunt for the va to the city, I stayed behind - I had school in the ressed, I’d work out a schedule whereby I’d assist in the hunt for the killers, but the first few nights were bound to be difficult and we all agreed it would be for the best if I dropped out of the hunt for a while

I got hardly any sleep I was almost as nervous as I’d been seven years earlier, when awaiting the verdict of the Vampire Princes after I’d failed my Trials of Initiation At least then I knehat the worst could be - death - but I’d no idea what to expect froe adventure

Mr Crepsley and Harkat were awake in theto see h I’d nothing to worry about "This is a wonderful opportunity," Mr Crepsley said "You have often complained of the life you lost when you became a half-vampire This is a chance to revisit your past You can be hu"

"Why don’t you go instead of me then?" I snapped

"I would if I could," he deadpanned

"It’ll be fun," Harkat assured ive it time and you’ll fit in And don’t feel inferior: these kids will know a lot more about the school curriculus that they will never learn, no matter how old they live to be"

"You are a Prince," Mr Crepsley agreed, "far superior to any there"

Their efforts didn’t really help, but I was glad they were supportingme

With breakfast out of the way, Iwith a se juice, and then it was time to leave

"Do you want me to walk you to school?" Mr Crepsley asked innocently "There are erous roads to cross Or perhaps you could ask a lollypop lady to hold your hand and-"

"Stuff it," I grunted, and bolted out the door with e, ed in a square around an open-air, cement recreational area The main doors were open when I arrived, so I entered and went looking for the headnposted, and I found Mr Olivers’ roon of the headmaster Half an hour passed - no Mr Chivers I wondered if Mr Blaws had forgotten to tell the headmaster of my early arrival, but then I recalled the little e briefcase, and kneasn’t the sort who forgot things like that Maybe Mr Chivers thought he was supposed to meet me by the main doors or the staffroom I decided to check

The staffroom could have held twenty-five or thirty teachers, but I saw only three when I knocked and entered in response to a cry of, "Colued to thick chairs, reading enor sheets of printed paper to the walls

"Help you?" the wo around

"My na for Mr Chivers"

"Mr Chivers isn’t in yet Have you an appointment?"

"Um Yes I think so"