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you.’
    ‘No? So why are you bugging me at school where anyone can see you?’
    He swirls his hands in the air. ‘Take a look around. This is where we’re going to hold our official meetings.’
    ‘What are you talking about?’
    He pokes his finger in my chest, his face turning serious. ‘My employer is adamant I keep my eye on you to ensure you’re sticking to the terms of your arrangement with him. So when Principal Eckard reinstates me into Year Eleven tomorrow, we’re going to be friends again, meeting down here in our matching free periods two or three times a week for an update.’
    My stomach drops. ‘You’re coming back to school just so you can check up on me?’
    He takes his finger from my chest, points it at my head like a gun and makes a clunking noise in his mouth. ‘You got it, bro.’
    ‘Don’t call me that either.’
    ‘Why not? You used to like it.’
    ‘In that other time before you tried to kill me.’
    He waves his hand in the air dismissively. ‘Oh that. Well, you killed my brother, so I say that makes us even.’
    ‘Dude, it doesn’t work that way. Whatever’s going on with you, whatever you’re on, keep me out of it. I’m not going to meet you here, Skinner. Tell your “ employer ” you don’t have to check up on me. I have until Ebony turns eighteen to break them up. And I told you I would do it. I’m not backing down on the deal.’
    I try to push past him to leave, but he doesn’t budge. He sticks his chest out to block me while scrutinising me with narrowed eyes. Then he lifts his right shoulder and lets it drop. ‘If you say so.’
    Something’s not right. Adam Skinner doesn’t give in, not unless it’s part of his plan. I go along with it for now, keeping wary. ‘Yep.’ I point to the exit. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’m leaving.’
    He doesn’t stop me. But before I feel the sun on my face he says, ‘Of course, there is another way I can survey your progress.’
    I turn round slowly. ‘OK, so what’s the other way?’
    Examining his fingernails, he says, ‘I’ll just have to hang around with someone else who’s close to the lovebirds.’
    My mind races and it doesn’t take long to figure out which friend Skinner means. ‘No way! Leave Amber out of this. I mean it, Skinner. Do not go near that girl.’
    In a flash he’s grabbing my shirt, bunching it up in his fists and shoving me against the wall. ‘Touchy, touchy. You’re not carrying a torch for Amber too, are you?’
    ‘She’s just a good person. Leave her alone.’
    ‘I can be your friend or Amber’s. It’s your choice, Jordy.’
    It gets hard to breathe. I’m not sure why until I glance down and realise my feet aren’t touching the ground. ‘My friends will think I’ve lost it if I start hanging around with you. They won’t accept you.’
    He releases me, and when I drop to the floor, he says, ‘You’ll think of something.’
    ‘Amber won’t let you come near her anyway.’
    His smile is nasty. ‘I have my ways.’
    And I have mine. Succumbing to this bully is not one of them. ‘No. I won’t do it.’
    Surprise registers on his face. ‘What do you mean, Jordy? You won’t do what?’
    ‘I’m not going to be your “friend” again, and you’re going to leave Amber alone.’
    He stares into my eyes for the longest moment, and then laughs. It makes me so angry that I push his chest with both hands. It does nothing but make his eyes flash weirdly like there’s a fire burning inside them. ‘One last thing I nearly forgot to mention,’ he says, his voice dead serious. ‘When your mother died it was Prince Luca who fought Solomon for her soul. We all know who won because she’s now in Skade. But no one knows what happened to her after the King brought her to his palace.’
    ‘What are you talking about?’
    ‘You’re smart. Figure it out.’ He flicks my forehead with a finger and walks out the door.
    ‘Adam. Adam .’ He doesn’t stop, but I gotta know what he means.