When Alexander turned to glance back at her as he walked, not slowing his pace, Henri couldn’t help the way her grin faltered a tad. She thought of the rumors she’d heard about what had happened between the older boy and Trent’s last girlfriend and where the incident had supposedly occurred, and then what had happened between him and her in the corridors not long ago. That last incident had been, according to her, completely not her fault and that he was just trying to bully her around but this time she knew she would be instigating whatever reaction she received from him. But she wasn’t about to back down just because the stupid boy had a bad temper. They were in a much more public space this time so he couldn’t really try anything fishy unless he wanted to get kicked out of the school permanently. This was too good an opportunity for her to assert herself; to prove she was just as clever, just as manipulative, and just as threatening as any Holcombe. They had to know they couldn’t mess with her and it would be foolish to pass up this opportunity no matter how much trouble it could initially get her in.

"Hello, Miss Blythe…And yes, it would appear that I am by myself. You are very observant."

Just the sound of his voice shook her determination and made her rethink the whole thing. He might not hate her but she sure didn’t like him. No one threatened her and got away with it and so far he had yet to be punished for his foul behavior. Maybe it would have just been easier to send an anonymous owl to his father and get it over with but it was too good an opportunity to insure that he didn’t mess with her again. His attitude would soon change once he heard what she had to say.

"But Holcombe, is it? Come, Miss Blythe, we are to be family…It's Alexander."

She bit her tongue. If she replied in the way she wanted to, which was to inform him that she would rather eat dragon dung than call him family, she’d most likely ruin the moment and just end up owling his father and thereby lose her advantage. But it took all the restraint she possessed to not tell him just what she thought of his fake attempt at familial affection. 

"Which reminds me: I see that you're 'all by your lonesome' as well. Tell me, where is my dear youngest brother? Haven't lost him have you?"

She slowed her pace a tad, deciding that it wasn’t doing her any favors to keep up with him when he should be slowing down to hear what she had to say…or that he would be slowing down in a few moments when she got to speak her mind.

“Lost him?” she queried, smirking to herself when she thought of her last conversation with the other boy when she’d called him a Lost Boy. That was something Alexander would never know about. “I’m quite sure Trent is capable of functioning on his own for an afternoon.” She cringed a tad as she realized how unconvincing that might have sounded especially when all she could think of was Trent and a wet paper bag and the consequences.

Taking a deep breath, she slowed her walk even more. “How’s Sabrina doing? She looked lovely as ever, don’t you think?” Licking her lower lip, she narrowed her gaze to the back of his head, making sure she didn’t look even the slightest bit shaken.




They say the poisoned vine breeds a finer wine.