Chapter Three
"What now?" Evangeline asked Friday night as she was the last one to close her textbook in the King's Room.
"What do you want to do?" Gabriel asked. He had been done with his work for an hour now.
"Well, Gabriel, I've heard you're a brilliant piano player. Would you mind playing me a piece?" Evie asked shyly.
"Not at all." Gabriel said, blushing slightly.
Up in the music tower, they ran into Mr. Bone.
"Oh, hi Mr. Bone." Gabriel greeted his teached.
"Why hello, Gabriel. Why haven't you three gone home?" Mr. Bone asked.
"Mr. Bone, this is Evangeline Nimbus. She just started Monday and by Wednesday had detention. I offered to stay at the school with her for detention. I was just going to play a piece for her and Tancred if you don't mind."
"Of course not. Well, Miss Nimbus, you're very lucky to have a friends like Gabriel and Tancred. I'll see you on Monday Gabriel." Mr. Bone said, leaving the tower.
"Charlie's dad, I'm guessing." Evie said.
"Yeah. Until two years ago, he was Mr. Pilgrim. It's a very long story." Gabriel said and started playing.
Evangeline was entranced by the beautiful music. "Amazing." she breathed once he had finished. Gabriel smiled at her praise and blushed. "My brother plays very well, but he's nowhere near this good."
"We better get back to the King's Room. We left our stuff there. If Matron finds it, she'll be sure to go through it." Tancred said, trying to break the connection between Gabriel and Evangeline.
"You're right." Gabriel said standing up abrubtly.
"What's through here?" Evie asked out of curiosity as they passed a dark looking door on their way back.
"Not sure." Tancred said. "Let's check it out."
Evie looked doubtful but went through the door after the boys.
"Why is it so hot in here?" she asked.
"I don't know, but someone's coming." Tancred said.
"In here!" Gabriel said, opening the door to a broom closet and urging them in.
"Ow, you're on my foot Tancred!" Evie hissed.
"Sorry." he muttered.
They stood there for about two minutes hardly daring to breathe when the voices became more distinct, as though the two people were right outside.
"You're sure?" a man asked. It was quite clear that it was Dr. Bloor.
"Yes, Father, I've told you several times." the other said, obviously Manfred. "Silk, Torsson, Bone, and those other goody-two-shoes' have gotten to them already."
"What about the younger one? She might be more easy to persuade. Sapphire, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Evie's breath caught in her throat.
"The older one's hopeless, I believe. Torsson's been following her around like a puppy." Manfred said darkly.
"Very well. Perhaps you should work on the younger one. But either way, you're great-grandfather's not very happy." Dr. Bloor said and there were foot steps and the voices became less distinct until they finally faded away completely.
The three stood in the broom closet for another two minutes, just to be sure.
"Glad to know I'm hopeless." Evie said heatedly once they got back to the main hall on their way to the King's Room.
"Trust me, you're lucky to be hopeless in their perspective." Gabriel told her. "I'd warn your sister if I were you. They'll be likely to go after her. She could either be a very good assett to us, or very bad advantage if they have her."
"But why?" Evangeline asked, very confused.
"The Bloors are evil to put it simply. If they think an endowed kid is worth the trouble, they'll turn them evil. Trust me, I know what it's like." Tancred said gravely.
"Tancred, if you want to help me in any way, please, please keep an eye on Sapphire for me." Evangeline begged him.
"No problem." he said with a smile.
"Thanks." she said, stepping in front of him to stop him. She stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek. "There, that's all you'll ever get from me."
She watched as he completly forgot where he was going and he turned around and went up to his dorm.
"Where's Tancred?" Gabriel asked when Evangeline walked into the King's Room with out him.
"He just went up to his dorm. Don't know why though." she shrugged, gathering her books.
"I'll see you in the morning." Gabriel said with a sweet smile and walked out of the King's Room.
"Yeah." Evangeline muttered.
- -
"You guys want a ride?" Evangeline asked.
The two boys looked at each other and shrugged and walked toward the car.
"Where you live, boys?" Sapphire and Evangeline's older brother, Liam asked the boys.
It was Saturday and the kids had been released from the school.
Gabriel told Liam his address from the back seat and Tancred instructed him to just drop him off at Gabriel's.
"What time are we meeting at the Pets' Cafe tomorrow?" Evangeline asked, turning around in her seat to face Gabriel.
"Oh, I don't know. Two?" Gabriel suggested.
"That works." Evangeline smiled and turned around.
"So, boys, why did Evie here get detention?" Liam asked.
"I-" Evangeline started.
"I didn't ask you." Liam shot at her. She gave him a dirty look and slouched down in her seat.
"She shouted in the hall." Gabriel informed Liam.
"And who was she shouting at? Sapphire, no doubt." Liam guessed.
"No, actually, it was me." Tancred admitted.
"Oh." Liam said and chuckled. "That's a change."
"See you tomorrow!" Evangeline waved at Gabriel and Tancred when they got out of the car.
Gabriel waved back and smiled and Tancred just ignored her.
"You like him, don't you?" Liam asked.
"What, who?" she asked.
"The one with the brown hair. Gabriel, I think the blonde called him."
"I do not like him! He's just a friend who offered to stay at the school and help me with Tancred." Evangeline told her brother. "Tancred likes me though and he is so annoying!"
"Are they endowed?"
"Yeah. Tancred can control the weather and ... I'm not sure what I'd call Gabriel."
"I kinda figured Tancred could do weather. That or static the way his hair was crackling." Liam laughed.
"Gabriel plays the paino." Liam raised an eyebrow with interest. "But he's a heck of a lot better than you."
"Oh really?"
"Yup." Evangeline said, unbuckling her seatbelt as they pulled up to the house.
When Evangeline stormed up to her's and Sapphire's room, their friend Michela was sitting on her bed.
"Evie!" Michela cried, hugging Evangeline.
"Michela, hi! How long have you been here?" Evangeline asked sitting down beside Michela on her own bed.
"Only just got here."
"What took so long for you to get home? It's only a ten minute drive. You got out at two. It is now," Sapphire paused to look at her watch, "two fourty-seven."
"We dropped Tancred and Gabriel off at Gabriel's." Evangeline said.
"Speaking of guys, how are they at the school?" Michela asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestivly. Sapphire smirked.
"They are just fine." she said. "Myself, I like Tancred. But he likes Evie. Fidelio and Gabriel like her, too. No body likes me."
"Since when do Gabriel and Fidelio like me?" Evangeline asked.
"Did you see how they both jumped at the chance to stay with you for detention?" Sapphire asked.
"Since when does that happen? All the guys liking Evie, none liking Sapphire." Michela giggled. "But the main question is, is are they cute?" Evangeline blushed.
"Tancred's cute. Fidelio's cute in the puppy way. And Gabriel's just as cute as Tancred." Sapphire said. "So Evie, take your pick. Just, Tancred's mine."
"You can have him. He's stalking me. But I don't know." Evangeline shrugged, "Are you coming with us to the Pets' Cafe tomorrow afternoon?"
"I'm not sure. Is Tancred going?" Sapphire asked.
"I'm pretty sure."
"Do you mind if I come?" Michela asked.
"Not at all. Gabriel's bringing gerbils for everyone who needs one." Evie said.
"Why do you want to come?" Sapphire asked.
"Hello, I want to see the guys!" Michela asked.
"Alright, meet us here at one thirty." Evangeline told her.
