The Witch's Doll ⚢

Chapter 11

They gave each other a nod in acknowledgment, unlikely to discuss how they are after their mutual friend just died hours ago. Isla sat in silence for the next couple of hours of class and refused to look at Henri but caught peripheral glimpses of him eyeing her peculiarly. Henri didn't push through while Isla just took her usual meticulous notes and answered a few of the questions the Deputy Headmistress put to the class.

Isla eventually began to relax, cautiously optimistic that Henri would do as asked and just leave her alone.

She should have known better.

Eventually, the chimes of the clock tower echoed through the castle at nine o'clock.

Deputy Headmistress hastily instructed, "Alright, don't forget your two-page essays about the evolution of English to submit next meeting; dismissed." Then bee-lined out of the classroom, muttering. "Ah, I have an appointment with the Headmistress. Another investigation is about to happen in this school."

As Isla hastily cleaned off her desk and began to re-pack her bag, eventually, it seemed, Henri couldn't abide the suffocating quiet. He finally spoke up.

"So, Isla, what's gotten into you?"

Isla's jaw clenched. She opened her mouth to spit out some half-formed rebuke, but Henri cut her off.

"Don't try to deny it." Henri glanced around and then lowered his voice from a murmur to a hiss. "I know you're restless as I. Wiltshire Police couldn't even figure out how Parker got poisoned! A murder happened right under their noses!"

"I unquestionably don't fix the mistakes of every incompetent adult out there."

Henri said. "Come on, Isla. What's got you in a pit? Unless the broody nature could only mean one thing... you got scared."

Isla scoffed at that, but even she knew that it wasn't very convincing. All of her things collected, she got up from her seat and stalked out of the classroom with Henri hot on her heels.

"Tell me," Henri demanded, speeding up. Isla refused to answer. "What are you afraid of?"

Isla made it halfway down the hall before fingers circled her wrist and jerked her back. She turned to glare at him, Henri mirrored it, and his cheeks flushed red with frustration at Isla's silence and worry as clear in her eyes as her anger.

Confronted with Henri's impatience and feeling her own frustration mounting, Isla suddenly felt very weary. She didn't know where Henri got his strength to be able to function like this. His best mate just died and here he was, standing, confronting her, raving at her for not taking any action.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping a bit with the motion. She glanced around furtively, and, seeing that no one was about the corridor to witness her actions or their conversation and in one frantic move, she seized Henri's elbow and yanked him into a nearby empty classroom.

"Fine, Henri," she spat, "I will tell you what I figured out. But never speak ill of me as I tried to keep you out of it. Parker's dead because of my recklessness. And I'm convinced it's her all along. Alessandra Adams will be difficult. I believe she was trying to poison me instead of Parker and somehow she has miscalculated."

"Pardon?"

"He died because of me!" she bellowed. "What are you talking about, Isla?"

She took a deep breath as he waited for her to start. Isla grew even more distressed as she slowly, "I have foreseen this event. You did too, you wanted me to disengage before something happens, but I didn't. I thought I was ready, yet I let my bleeding guard down like an idiot. I should have f—" she wanted to curse out loud but she couldn't, "known better. I should have known that I was too bloody optimistic. I should have remained all the clearer by staying away."