Ivy noticed Petra trying to glance through the potted-plant divider to the boys’ side of the room. ‘I like Helga,’ Ivy reminded Petra. ‘I don’t want to annoy her.’ She pushed at the plastic pot to loosen the dirt around their parsley.
‘You’re supposed to be creating a distraction,’ Petra whispered back. ‘I have to create my art when inspiration strikes, Ivy! And I’m so close to my Etan. Please!’
‘No,’ said Ivy, scooping up a heap of soil. ‘I’m supposed to be extracting this herb, not creating a distraction.’
What kind of poem or drawing can Petra be doodling in a greenhouse, anyway? And why can’t she do it in her own time? Ivy looked around and all of a sudden Helga was standing behind them.
‘Petra, Petra, Petra,’ Helga chided. ‘Did you really think you could whisper and not be heard? Or have you forgotten about a little thing called vampire hearing ?’ Petra shrank in her seat.
I guess she doesn’t like being the one in trouble as much as she likes encouraging other people to get into it, thought Ivy.
‘Do you girls need help with anything?’ Helga asked.
Ivy carefully pulled out one of the sections of the plant’s roots. ‘Nope. I think I’ve got it under control.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘What is this particular herb used for?’
‘Caped Parsley?’ Helga pinched the stem. ‘Well, its scientific name is Oxynamon. And it’s used mostly in a remedy to cure vampiric infections by increasing oxygen to the bloodstream. It can certainly come in handy in a crisis.’ Helga winked. She leaned in closer to Ivy and lowered her voice. ‘Who knows when any of us will find ourselves in a sticky situation? Knowledge and strength – they’re a person’s most important assets.’
‘But which name will be on the test? How will I get an A on my test paper if I don’t know whether to study the Latin name or the informal name?’ whined Petra.
‘Either will be acceptable.’ Helga heaved a sigh, and turned away to leave, muttering under her breath. ‘So preoccupied with grades . . .’ Ivy noticed a glint on Helga’s wrist.
‘Is that new?’ asked Ivy, pointing to a silver bracelet. Between her and Olivia, Ivy was definitely not the fashionista of the pair, but she did know that Helga had not been wearing that bracelet the day before.
Helga pressed her thin lips together and made a big show of checking her watch. ‘Oh, is it that time already?’
‘Oooooh, is that from a certain handsome butler?’ Ivy teased. ‘Horatio, perhaps?’
Staring down her nose at Ivy, Helga gave her best stern teacher look. ‘Perhaps,’ she said, her mouth twitching as she tried not to smile.
When Ivy turned her attention back to the table, she saw that Petra had manoeuvred one of the potted plants a fraction to the left, to make a small gap in the jungle that sat on top of the dividing table. Petra had her elbows on the desk, her chin resting on her fists as she stared longingly at a handsome vampire boy on the other side. Was he the subject of her gushy love poems? He had wavy blond hair and sharp green-and-yellow eyes that gazed wistfully back at Petra. Was that Etan?
Ivy snuck glances at the two lovebirds, both of whom seemed to have completely forgotten there was anything going on outside of their little staring contest. Maybe I was too hard on Petra, Ivy thought. The poor girl was clearly lovesick and the longing looks were as close as this couple were going to get to a relationship at Wallachia.
Star-crossed lovers! Ivy could picture her sister mooning over the impossible romance. I wonder if there is anything I can do to help Petra, after all. Ivy knew that’s what Olivia would want her to do. Leave it with me, sis, Ivy thought. The queen of romance aka Ivy’s twin sister may not have been at Wallachia Academy, but Ivy would try her best in Olivia’s absence. How hard could it be, bringing two lovebirds together? What could possibly go wrong?
After class, Ivy was making her way across the grounds, feeling thankful for her special ultra-protective vampire contacts since the sun was already beating down full force. As she walked towards the cafeteria she cast a quick look in the direction of the Gauntlet.
‘Would you cross the Gauntlet for a boy?’ a girl named Stacia was asking, as she walked by with a classmate.
‘No way,’ said her friend emphatically. ‘Have you heard? There are meant to be hidden pits in there with snakes, waiting for a victim to fall in! And the Gauntlet Ghost can scare a person to death before they even have chance to cry for help.’
Ivy glanced over at the edge of the wood. It did look pretty spooky; even haunted.
The girls were still talking. ‘Someone told me that a female student went in there once and when she came out, her hair was white with shock!’
The two of them laughed nervously. Just a bunch of silly stories, Ivy told herself, as she wandered further ahead with Petra. But still, she felt a shiver pass over her. Entering the Gauntlet wasn’t for the faint-hearted, even if the stories were made up and all you were risking was getting a nasty rash from the berries and ivy.
Petra held open a heavy antique door for Ivy and they entered the main building. It was lunchtime and after that they had Secret History, which would mean Ivy got to go at least half the day without seeing Miss Avisrova.
But as Ivy strolled down the school corridor, she suddenly caught sight of a figure lurking beside a suit of armour. Ivy nearly shrieked. It was Miss Avisrova; standing tall, erect, and completely still. She glowered at Ivy, following her with her eyes like one of those creepy portraits in a horror movie.
What is her problem? Ivy didn’t understand how or why the teacher was keeping such close tabs on her. Doesn’t she have anything else to do – like organise extra-curricular classes in Extreme Pain?
Ivy tugged Petra along. ‘Come on.’
Petra stumbled behind her, watching with puppy-dog eyes as the boys walked back to their side of the grounds. I love you, Petra mouthed at the retreating back of Etan, tracing a heart in the air.
Ivy groaned, rolling her eyes. ‘OK, OK, stop being so dramatic.’