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Head business, whatever happened down there," the round "But I guess there’s only one thing that matters"

The headmistress had started to walk away, but stopped on his words "Which is?"

"She’s alive"

The headmistress frowned "Let us hope"

CHAPTER 12

The First Living Roo before being transferred to a hospital in Portland, Maine, and then home over winter break to recover Between the panic that ensued after her discovery and final exams, I barely saw her before she left Nathaniel and I visited her every afternoon, but most of the time she was delirious The nurses said that she was technically fine; they couldn’t deter trauht case of pneu ti yet she refused to use any blankets or sheets; she was hungry but turned away all of the food given to her; she was tired but she never slept Eleanor didn’t knohat had happened either She told Mrs Lynch that the only thing she re to the library to study After that, everything was blurry

The news only made people more uncomfortable Had she been attacked? Was it an accident? I obviously thought the forh the fact that she wasn’t afflicted with any sort of heart failure did disturb h I was happy she was safe, I was alsofor new leads, new evidence But just when they were ready to begin, winter ca the campus--and all of its secrets--beneath three feet of snow

But let irls’ dormitory, he came and found me in the bushes "This is a nice spot," he said over reen shrubs I all but screamed at the shock of him suddenly behind me

"How did you find her?" I asked hiht she was in the base to the dorave hiht she was in the basement," I said "I told Eleanor’s father that"

Dante stared at me "You didn’t?"

I shook my head "No"

Dante looked troubled, but I didn’t care

"Cassandra is dead," I said bluntly, because how else can you say so like that? "I saw her file Which I found in Gideon’s rooet into Gideon’s …" But his words trailed off "Wait, her file? You have it?"

"Yes, but--"

Suddenly he stood up "Show me"