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There were people all around us, but suddenly I felt like ere totally alone And in thatshift between us Some spark flared that hadn't been there before, at least not on his part

He looked away again, back toward the door, and then smiled at me

"Well, it seems a shame not to show off that dress Wanna dance?"

"Sure," I said, going for theso hard I was afraid he'd actually be able to see it A lot of my chest was on display, after all

He pulled me onto the dance floor, one hand warh at shoulder level I was scared to death that I would trip on lided across the ballroom

"You can dance?" I asked

He looked down at o, Casnoff decided to teach a for class Attendance was mandatory"

"I could've used that"

"Nah, you're doing fine Just hold on to iven better instructions There was no band or sound system that I could see, just dreamy music that seeers rested lightly on Archer's shoulder as we spun around the room We danced near the spot where I'd left Jenna I looked for her, but I couldn't see her I wondered if she had gone back up to the roohtened on my waist, and Jenna slid completely fro me intensely with an expression I'd never seen before Well, one he'd never directed at ht," he murmured

"About what?" I said, and my voice didn't even sound like mine It was low and breathy

"I did want to spend the ball with you"

I felt like a thousand sparklers had just gone off inside an to spread across my face actually made my face hurt, and for the first time I didn't care if he saw it

I knew I didn't have a crush on Archer anymore

I was in love with him

His face lowered, and my heart stopped "Sophie--"

But before he could finish, a scream pierced the air

The music stopped abruptly Nearly everyone turned to see Elodie rushing back into the ballroos, and a look of horror on her face

"It's Anna!" she was screaain! IOh God, I think she's dead"

CHAPTER 26

Anna wasn't dead, thank God They'd found her sprawled in the hallway just in front of her rooet her some tea from the kitchen When she hadn't come back, Elodie had been worried and went to look for her

That's when she'd discovered her, facedown in the hall, a puddle of tea and her own blood soaking into the thick crea Just like Holly, just like Chaston, she had two small holes in her neck, but her wrists weren't cut

Call had gotten to her in ti up the stairs, Anna was sitting up, her head lolling against Cal's shoulder

Just like Chaston, she couldn't say who had attacked her

Jenna had been back in our room, and seemed totally unaware of what had happened to Anna

But she'd been right down the hall

Soet her They hadn't come back

I lay awake in ht Luckily, Alice and I had decided not tospell suddenly taking hold

Around three, I finally fell asleep, but I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning frohtmares I saw Jenna, her mouth stained with blood, and Anna at her feet I saw Archer and Elodie dancing, only Elodie was pale, her lips blue and her eyes staring as her dress clutched around her like a snake And strangest of all, I saw Alice in the ce the iron fence while three h

I woke up as the first rays of sunlight swept across the floor

I felt disoriented Mylint There was also a low, hollow ringing sound At first I thought it was just in my ears Then I realized it was the bell on top of the house, the bell that usually called us to classes Why was it ringing this early in the ht came back to me in a rush I looked over to Jenna's bed, but it was still empty

I pushed irls were already dressed and headed down the stairs I saw Nausicaa and called out to her, "Hey! What's going on?"

"Asseet dressed"

I shut the door and shiain as soon as it hit the floor I set so dressed, and decided to just leave ht It was a lotaround ured no one would care

We all met in the ballroom, which had been transformed back into the room we all knew, complete with mismatched tables As I sat at a table near the back, I looked up and noticed a lone fairy light high on the ceiling It bu to find a way out

All the teachers had gathered on the dais up front, except for Byron

Mrs Casnoff looked tired and older than I'd ever seen her I noticed with a shock that her hair wasn't in its usual coht in a sloppy knot at the back of her neck