genuinely believed Wildings offered a necessary resource. Or maybe they were just unprincipled opportunists.
The curriculum followed the International Baccalaureate. In order to cater for the age range and abilities of the students, much of the teaching was one-on-one, though such a tiny school only required a handful of teachers. They were supported by a fitness instructor, a psychoanalyst and an assortment of housekeeping staff and security guards. The latter were all Swiss and mostly local. They too signed a confidentiality clause before joining the Wildings. They too were under suspicion. Once Lucas and Glory were at the academy, the only people they could trust were each other.
Chapter 8
Compared to sky-leaping, flying in an aeroplane was no big deal, Glory thought dismissively. Where was the thrill? But she was still relieved to return to the solid ground of Zurich airport.
In the arrivals hall, a short muscular woman in a black trouser suit was holding up a sign with her name on it. A good distance apart, a man held up one for ‘L. Stearne’. Lucas was some way behind; he was still waiting for his bag to be unloaded when she left the collection point. Now it seemed they’d be driven to the academy separately. Wildings’ authorities didn’t want their witch-kids getting friendly without proper supervision.
Glory’s driver curtly introduced herself as Elga, then lapsed into a silence that lasted for most of the two-hour drive. The car was a gleaming hulk with blacked-out windows, and when Elga opened the boot, Glory noticed a telltale bulge in the woman’s jacket. Not just a chauffeur, then, but a member of Wildings’ armed security team – the so-called ‘school guardians’.
She decided not to waste energy on worrying what it would take for Elga to draw her gun. Here, finally, was Abroad, and she wanted to see as much of it as possible. Although the car’s tinted windows leached the colour from the view, she could tell the late-afternoon sky was as blue, the sun as golden, as the tourist information websites had promised. They sped past rolling green hills, silver lakes, snow-dusted mountains, toytown villages. Everything was like a child’s picture book, clean and bright.
As evening drew in, the mountains loomed larger, their lines more jagged. Signs appeared for Swiss National Park . Elga, though, turned off at a small unmarked road that wound up to a narrow valley.
There was a village at its head; a huddle of houses with high-pitched roofs, white walls and exposed beams. Every balcony was hung with flowers, every window twinkled with light. There were people strolling in the cobbled lanes. Just for a moment, Glory was able to imagine herself on holiday too. But the car sped swiftly through, leaving the lights and people behind, moving up the valley towards the mass of pine.
The countryside was as alien to Glory as Abroad. In the fading light, she saw how different this landscape was to the neat meadows and rolling hills they’d passed earlier; a true wilderness. Uneasily, she peered out of the back window, looking in vain for Lucas’s car.
The road became a track, leading to a high wire fence and a gate with a checkpoint. Private Property signs in English and several other languages were prominently displayed as well as Danger! warnings.
‘ The locals don’t go in here. Nor do tourists,’ said Elga, after presenting her pass for inspection and exchanging a few clipped words with the sentry. ‘ There are wild animals in this forest. Wolves, bears. And stories that the place is haunted too.’
Glory didn’t believe in ghosts. There’d been no mention of Swiss wolves or bears in her research. But anything could be hiding in those trees, so thick and dark and silent.
Elga looked at her in the mirror. ‘Don’t fear. The fence is electrified. There are patrols. You will be very safe.’
Her smile had an ironical slant. Glory understood. The fence was to keep her in, as well as danger
The curriculum followed the International Baccalaureate. In order to cater for the age range and abilities of the students, much of the teaching was one-on-one, though such a tiny school only required a handful of teachers. They were supported by a fitness instructor, a psychoanalyst and an assortment of housekeeping staff and security guards. The latter were all Swiss and mostly local. They too signed a confidentiality clause before joining the Wildings. They too were under suspicion. Once Lucas and Glory were at the academy, the only people they could trust were each other.
Chapter 8
Compared to sky-leaping, flying in an aeroplane was no big deal, Glory thought dismissively. Where was the thrill? But she was still relieved to return to the solid ground of Zurich airport.
In the arrivals hall, a short muscular woman in a black trouser suit was holding up a sign with her name on it. A good distance apart, a man held up one for ‘L. Stearne’. Lucas was some way behind; he was still waiting for his bag to be unloaded when she left the collection point. Now it seemed they’d be driven to the academy separately. Wildings’ authorities didn’t want their witch-kids getting friendly without proper supervision.
Glory’s driver curtly introduced herself as Elga, then lapsed into a silence that lasted for most of the two-hour drive. The car was a gleaming hulk with blacked-out windows, and when Elga opened the boot, Glory noticed a telltale bulge in the woman’s jacket. Not just a chauffeur, then, but a member of Wildings’ armed security team – the so-called ‘school guardians’.
She decided not to waste energy on worrying what it would take for Elga to draw her gun. Here, finally, was Abroad, and she wanted to see as much of it as possible. Although the car’s tinted windows leached the colour from the view, she could tell the late-afternoon sky was as blue, the sun as golden, as the tourist information websites had promised. They sped past rolling green hills, silver lakes, snow-dusted mountains, toytown villages. Everything was like a child’s picture book, clean and bright.
As evening drew in, the mountains loomed larger, their lines more jagged. Signs appeared for Swiss National Park . Elga, though, turned off at a small unmarked road that wound up to a narrow valley.
There was a village at its head; a huddle of houses with high-pitched roofs, white walls and exposed beams. Every balcony was hung with flowers, every window twinkled with light. There were people strolling in the cobbled lanes. Just for a moment, Glory was able to imagine herself on holiday too. But the car sped swiftly through, leaving the lights and people behind, moving up the valley towards the mass of pine.
The countryside was as alien to Glory as Abroad. In the fading light, she saw how different this landscape was to the neat meadows and rolling hills they’d passed earlier; a true wilderness. Uneasily, she peered out of the back window, looking in vain for Lucas’s car.
The road became a track, leading to a high wire fence and a gate with a checkpoint. Private Property signs in English and several other languages were prominently displayed as well as Danger! warnings.
‘ The locals don’t go in here. Nor do tourists,’ said Elga, after presenting her pass for inspection and exchanging a few clipped words with the sentry. ‘ There are wild animals in this forest. Wolves, bears. And stories that the place is haunted too.’
Glory didn’t believe in ghosts. There’d been no mention of Swiss wolves or bears in her research. But anything could be hiding in those trees, so thick and dark and silent.
Elga looked at her in the mirror. ‘Don’t fear. The fence is electrified. There are patrols. You will be very safe.’
Her smile had an ironical slant. Glory understood. The fence was to keep her in, as well as danger
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