Free The Citadel and the Wolves by Peter Goodman Page B

turned with us, pulling in at the stop by the parade of little, independent shops on top of the hill. But where was the green car? They had vanished.
    Daddy dropped us off outside the school gates. We waved as he pulled away.
    He was behaving strangely this morning. I wanted to know why. I waited outside the school gates a few moments after he’d driven away. I had to test a theory of mine, but I also hoped that I was wrong. When the green car turned the corner and swept by, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I’d been right. Someone had been following us!
    I caught up with Wendy again on the main spiral staircase in the school building, the toppling teapot or watering can.
    “What was that all about, Jade?” asked Wendy, who was unaware of anything going on.
    I shrugged my shoulders.
    “Jade!”
    Kevin Willis joined us. I groaned inwardly.
    “Many happy returns, Jade,” said Kevin.
    “Thank you, Kevin,” I replied wearily.
    I was going to get this for the rest of the day, and I blamed my sister because she had announced my 14 th birthday to the rest of the world and his brother by pinning it up on the school notice board. I could boil her brain sometimes.
    “This is for you, Jade.”
    Kevin gave me a little present and a birthday card.
    “Thank you, Kevin.”
    Then he kissed me on the lips, embarrassing me. It was like being kissed by a wet flannel. ZOOTWOSOME! And much more besides.
    As I put his little present and birthday card away in my bag, Wendy nudged me.
    “Er…Kevin, you’re-you’re invited to my birthday party tonight,” I said between gritted teeth.
    He was delighted. “That’s wicked, Jade.”
    I murmured.
    Wendy and I vanished into the school library. We had a few minutes of free time before class, so we caught up on some homework. There was something that I was trying to remember. What was it now? I got down to some science homework. How many galaxies were there in the known universe? No one knew for sure. Perhaps we would never know.
    “Jade, aren’t you gonna open it then?” asked Wendy, who fidgeted in her chair.
    “Pardon?”
    “Kevin’s present.”
    “I’m not bothered, Wendy,” I answered without looking up, scribbling in my science book with my ball point.
    “Aren’t you the least bit curious about what he’s bought you, Jade?”
    “No.”
    “Let me.”
    “Please yourself.”
    Wendy took my bag.
    I couldn’t concentrate. It wasn’t Wendy. It was the green car that bothered me. Was it really following us this morning? If it was, why? Perhaps I already knew the answer.
    I looked up when Wendy giggled.
    “He’s bought you a troll.”
    We text in our homework.
    Then I noticed the papers in my open bag. PAPERS! I’d remembered what it was now. Oh, DROKK! I thought.
    I’d left Wendy looking puzzled in the school library as I flew down the crowded corridor of early morning with my bag. I ignored one or two frowns as I jostled them in my haste to be somewhere else before class. I’d promised daddy earlier that I’d drop off the very important papers as a matter of urgency when I got in. I’d nearly forgotten. I blamed the green car. I blamed Kevin Willis, and finally, I blamed Wendy, for they were all distractions. I turned the corner at the end of the long corridor. I ran down a short flight of stairs to a door. I hesitated. The sign in large, red letters on it said: ‘STAFF ONLY, STRICTLY NO ADMITTANCE.’ I ignored it. The other coming out of a side entrance frowned when she saw me. I ignored her too because I was on very important business here. I stopped outside the blue door, caught my breath and adjusted my clothing a little nervously. I was about to tap on the door when it opened. He smiled warmly when he saw me.
    I waited breathlessly in Mr Whitehouse’s little office that was cluttered with all sorts of things including old papers and books. Simon was sitting behind his desk. He was looking through the papers that I’d given him a moment before