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"Lily Parker," he said

I sat up straight

Peters tried to arch one eyebrow But he couldn’t quite e it, so it just looked like an comfortable squint "You’re wanted in the headmistress’s office"

I frowned, but bobbed rabbed the stuff onfrom the other, and stood up MK, arms crossed, rolled her eyes as she waited for ot to the front of the room

"Nice shoes," she said e’d closed the classroo down the hall She walked in front of lanced down at today’s ensehts, and yellow boots in quilted patent leather--as I situated onally across my chest The boots were loud and not everyone’s style, but they were also vintage and ner, so I wasn’t sure if she was being sarcastic I assu sincere

"Thanks," I said "They’re vintage" Unfortunately, the owner of the thrift shop in old, don Sagae, too Three months of hard-saved allowance disappeared in a five-minute transaction

"I know," she said "They’re Puccinis"

Her voice was , as if I couldn’t possibly have been savvy enough to know that they were Puccinis when I bought theeh the Great Hall, crossed the labyrinth, and turned into the ad It was the sao, except in reverseand presumably under different circumstances this time around

When we reached the office, MK put her hand on the doorknob, but turned to face o back," she sniped She opened the door and after I walked inside, closed it behind irl

Foley’s office looked the sao, except that she wasn’t in the room this time Her heavy oak desk was empty of stuff--no pencil cups, no flowers, no lamp--but for the royal blue folder that lay in the exact es of the desk, as if placed just so

I walked closer Holdingback with a hand, I leaned forward to take a closer look LILY PARKER was typed in neat letters across the folder’s tab

A folder bearing ed to be opened

I glanced behind me When I was sure I was alone, I reached out a hand to open it, but snatched it back when a grinding scrape echoed through the rooain as the bookshelf on one side of Foley’s office began to pivot forward Foley, tall and trim, every hair in place, navy suit perfectly tailored, stepped through the opening, then pushed the bookshelf back into place

"Can I ask what’s behind the hidden door?"

"You could ask," she said, walking around the massive desk, "but that does not antly, she lowered herself into the chair, glanced at the folder for ame with an arched brow

I responded hat I hoped was a bland and completely innocent smile Sure, I’d wanted to look, but it’s not like I’d actually had tiaze again and, with a single finger, flipped open the folder "Have a seat," she said without looking up

I dropped into the chair in front of her desk and piled --onher fingers together on top of her desk "I have asked you here to inquire as to how you’ve settled in" She looked at s are fine"

"Mmm-hrating well into the St Sophia’s coht, that it was "Ms Green’s suite," and not Aardless "Yes Scout and I get along pretty well"

"And Ms Cherry? Ms Barnaby?"

"Sure," I said, thinking a vague ansould at least saveto answer questions about the brat pack’s attitude toward newcoe you to expand your circle of classirls in your class as you can, and to make as many connections as possible For better or worse, your success will be measured not only by what you can learn, by what you can be tested on, but on whoain

"And your classes? How are your acade?"

I was only in the fourth day of my St Sophia’s education--three and a half pop-quiz- and final-exaressing" against So I stuck to er, I figured I was entitled "They’re fine"

She lanced down at the folder again "Once you’ve settled into your academic schedule, you’ll have an opportunity to experience our extracurricular activities and, given your interest in the arts, our art studio" Foley flipped the folder closed, then crossed her hands upon it, sealing its secrets inside "Lily, I’ to speak frankly"

I lifted my eyebrows invitationally

"Given the nature of your arrival here and of your previous tenure in public school, I was not entirely confident you would find the fit at St Sophia’s to becomfortable"

I arched an eyebrow "Comfortable," I repeated, in a tone as flat and dry as I could etically repeated "Comfortable You arrived here not by choice, but because of the wishes of your parents, and despite your having no other connections to Chicago I can only iht of your current separation from your parents But I am acquainted with Mark and Susan, and we truly believe in their research"

That stopped me cold "You know my parents?"

There was a hitch in her expression, a hitch that was quickly covered by the look of arrogant blandness she usually wore "You were unaware that I was acquainted with your parents?"

All I could do was nod The only thing my parents told me about St Sophia’s was that it was an excellent school with great academics, blah blah blah The fact that otten to mention that

"I must admit," Foley said, "I’ht

"St Sophia’s is an excellent institution, without doubt But you are far froamore I’d assumed, frankly, that your parents chose St Sophia’s on the basis of our relationship"

She wasn’t just acquainted with my parents--they had a relationship? "How do you knowout her one-word response while she traced her fingers along the edges of the folder Thefor tilanced up at me "We had a professional connection," she finally said "Similar research interests"