Fallen 2. Torment(90)

Luce inhaled deeply. Though she hadn't been prepared for Francesca to turn over

the floor so soon, she didn't want Miles or Shelby trying to cover for her. "It was my

fault," she said. "I wanted to--" She looked at Steven's drawn expression, then down at

her lap. "I saw something in the Announcers, something from my past, and I wanted to

see more."

"And so you went for a dangerous joyride--an unauthorized passage through an

Announcer, imperiling two of your classmates who really should have known better--the

day after another one of your classmates was kidnapped?" Francesca asked.

"That's not fair," Luce said. "You were the one downplaying what happened to

Dawn. We thought we were just going to look into something, but--"

"But ...?" Steven prodded. "But you realize now how utterly moronic that line of

thinking was?"

Luce gripped her chair's armrests, trying to fight back tears. Francesca was cross

with all three of them, but it seemed that all of Steven's fury was coming down solely on

Luce. It wasn't fair.

"Yes, okay, we snuck out of school and went to Vegas," she said finally. "But the

only reason we were in danger was because you kept me in the dark. You knew someone

was after me and you probably even know why. I wouldn't have left campus if you'd just

told me."

Steven stared Luce down with eyes like fire. "If you're saying we honestly have to

be that explicit with you, Luce, then I am disappointed." He cupped a hand on

Francesca's shoulder. "Perhaps you were right about her, dear."

"Wait--" Luce said.

But Francesca made a stop sign with her hand. "Need we also be explicit about

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the fact that the opportunity you've been given at Shoreline for educational and personal

growth is--for you--a once-in-a-thousand-lifetimes experience?" A pink flush rose on her

cheeks. "You've created a very awkward situation for us. The main school"--she gestured

to the south portion of campus--"has its detentions and its community service programs

for students who step out of line. But Steven and I don't have a system of punishment in

place. We've been fortunate until now to have students who did not overstep our very

lenient boundaries."

"Until now," Steven said, looking at Luce. "But Francesca and I both agree that a

swift and severe sentence must be handed down."

Luce leaned forward in her chair. "But Shelby and Miles didn't--"

"Exactly." Francesca nodded. "Which is why, when you are dismissed, Shelby

and Miles will report to Mr. Kramer in the main school for community service.

Shoreline's annual Harvest Fest food drive begins tomorrow, so I'm sure you'll have your

work cut out for you."

"What a crock of--" Shelby broke off, looking up at Francesca. "I mean, Harvest

Fest sounds like my kind of fun."

"What about Luce?" Miles asked.

Steven's arms were crossed and his complicated hazel eyes peered down at Luce

over the tortoiseshell rims of his glasses. "Effectively, Luce, you're grounded."

Grounded? That was it?

"Class. Meals. Dorm," Francesca recited. "Until you hear differently from us, and

unless you are under our strict supervision--these are the only places you will be

permitted. And no dipping into Announcers. Understand?"

Luce nodded.

Steven added: "Do not test us again. Even our patience comes to an end."

Class-Meals-Dorm didn't leave Luce with a lot of options on a Sunday morning.

The lodge was dark, and the mess hall didn't open for brunch until eleven. After Miles

and Shelby shuffled off reluctantly toward Mr. Kramer's community service boot camp,

Luce had no choice but to go back to her room. She closed the window shade, which

Shelby always liked to leave open, then sank into her desk chair.

It could have been worse. Compared to the stories of cramped cinder-block cells

for solitary confinement at Sword & Cross, it almost seemed like she was getting off

easy. No one was slapping a pair of wristband tracking devices on her. In fact, Steven and

Francesca had basically given her the same restrictions Daniel had. The difference was,

her teachers really could watch over her night and day. Daniel, on the other hand, wasn't

supposed to be there at all.

Annoyed, she powered up her computer, half expecting her access to the Internet

to be suddenly restricted. But she logged on just as usual and found three emails from her

parents and one from Callie. Maybe the bright side of being grounded was that she'd be

forced to finally stay in better contact with her friends and family.

To: lucindap44@gmail.com

From: thegaprices@aol.com

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