Shadow Oracle by Laura Greenwood

Thirteen

Ms Margery standson the other side of the door, looking as if she wants to hurt me badly.

She probably does. I've always known Ms Margery has a mean streak that she's never been allowed to use.

I suspect that's about to change.

"Excuse me, please," I say as politely as I can.

Her scowl deepens. "You're not going anywhere that isn't an isolation room."

"Actually, I have class in an hour, I really need to be there or I'll fail." Not actually true. Thanks to the nature of the academy and the fact we often need to leave classes in order to do our jobs as reapers, there's a much more relaxed atmosphere at Scythe Grove when it comes to missing a single lesson. I'll be able to take a catch up session instead.

But that's not the most important thing for me to focus on right now.

Ms Margery reaches out and grabs my arm, squeezing a little more tightly than is comfortable.

I plant my feet down firmly, half wishing I had my scythe with me, but unsure what I'd do with it if I did. Probably wave it around to stop people approaching me. It may make me look a little bit crazy, but it would get the message across even if I had no idea what to do with it.

Unfortunately, Ms Margery is too strong for me and manages to pull me down the corridor regardless of my attempts to stay put. I tug hard, trying to make her let go, but not getting anywhere.

She sighs. "This would be a lot easier if you behaved."

"It'd be a lot easier if you let me go, too," I point out.

"I'm glad you're not." A sadistic smile spreads over her face. "The more you resist, the harder we'll have to discipline you."

A lump forms in my throat but I gulp it down. The glint in her eye is enough to send chills down my spine, but so long as I remember that this isn't going to last long, I can make it through it. While I have to assume that Fielding and her team are getting themselves ready to come in and make the necessary arrests, they're still going to have someone monitoring the wire I'm wearing.

And every word Ms Margery is saying will end up working against her when it comes to proving her guilt on matters related to the Shadow Association.

I hope. I suppose there's a chance she'll end up turning into an informant herself. I haven't dared to ask Fielding about what happens in that case. Probably someone I don't like getting immunity from the charges against them, which admittedly isn't great.

A loud crash sounds from the direction of the front door, stopping both of us in our tracks. I recover a little quicker and take the opportunity to pull my arm out of her grasp.

I don't waste any more time and hurry in the opposite direction. It's not ideal for me to be moving further into the house instead of towards the door and out to freedom, but it's preferable to staying in the not very tender care of Ms Margery. If this is the last time I ever have to see her, I won't mind in the slightest.

A roar of frustration comes from her as she realises I've managed to slip away from her. The floor shakes and the walls start to move in as she hurries after me. I half-expect her to use some kind of magic to try and catch me, but she doesn't. Maybe spending so much time around the younger members of the Shadow Association has made her forget she can do some.

I stumble over a loose floorboard and catch myself against the wall. I glance behind me, regretting it instantly when I come face to face with Ms Margery's anger.

I straighten my spine and glare at her. I don't see any point in hiding my disdain for her.

"You never were a very grateful child," she growls.

"What should I be most thankful for? You removing me from my mother or locking me in a room and ignoring me?"

"You were treated exactly the same as all the other children."

"Right, so all of it then."

"You think you know better than us?" She takes a menacing step forward and I try not to flinch. "You're nothing but an orphan no one cared enough about to even look for."

"Because you killed the people who would have done," I shout at her. "If it wasn't for the Association, I wouldn't have been an orphan in the first place." The truth of my words sinks in for the first time. It is their fault I'm an orphan. If it wasn't for them, I would have had a very different childhood. There's no guarantee that it would have been better, but it could have been.

She raises her hand and steps forward, ready to strike me.

I stand my ground, not wanting her to know how scared I really am. Maybe that's foolish of me, but with the end in sight, it's hard not to feel at least a little invincible.

"Step back," Fielding calls into the corridor.

I breathe a sigh of relief. She's arrived just in time.

Not that you'd be able to tell from the expression on Ms Margery's face. "What have you done?" she demands.

"Nothing that you didn't bring on yourself," I respond.

"Margery Philips, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnap, and miscellaneous other charges," Fielding says, stepping forward and holding out a pair of handcuffs.

Ms Margery looks as if she's going to run, but then decides better. It's a good choice. I don't imagine being a fugitive from the Supernatural Retrieval Agency will help her case very much.

Rage crashes over her features as two of the agents manhandle her, fixing the handcuffs around her wrists.

"You won't get away with this," she fumes.

"There's nothing to get away with," Fielding counters. "There has been an investigation and as a result, you are now being taken in for questioning. If you are proved to be innocent, then you will be released."

Ms Margery stops struggling, but I can tell from her expression that she's not stopped being difficult.

Fielding gestures for the officers to take her away, presumably to the cars waiting outside.

"Are you okay?" she asks me.

"I've been better," I mumble.

She smiles weakly. "I get that. One of the agents can take you back to the academy. if you come to my office in the morning, I'll debrief you."

"That soon?"

"It'll just be about today. The case will go on for a long time yet."

I nod, feeling a wave of tiredness flood over me. I don't think I'll be getting to class later today. All I really want to do is curl up on my bed and sleep.

If I'm lucky, Mathias won't have class either and we can spend the time together. No doubt he's waiting to hear from me to make sure I'm okay.

Luckily for us both, it seems like I'm not going to have to haunt him after all.