For a moment, nothing happened.
Lori sat perfectly still. Her face was blank—completely, terrifyingly blank. Her eyes were fixed on Iva's face, but they weren't seeing her. They were looking inward, at something Iva couldn't see.
Then Lori laughed.
It started as a small sound—a puff of air, a twitch of her lips. Then it grew, swelling into something louder, something almost hysterical. She threw her head back and laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Oh, Iva," she gasped, clutching her stomach. "You got me. For a second, you really got me. Headmaster Attia? The terrifying headmaster who looks like he eats students for breakfast?" She wiped her eyes. "That's a good one. Really."
Iva didn't laugh.
She sat perfectly still, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes never leaving Lo
