When the fire alarm went off, Tilli and Key left their room along with the other girls as Edoward ushered them all outside. Key looked for Mat as the teachers exited their own building. Lights were coming on in the other houses as well. That's when Tilli saw Mat coming out of the doors, leaning on his roommate. Mrs. Putyam steered them both toward the headmistress.
"Why are they talking to Mrs. Wayteel?" Key asked, "you don't think the fire happened in their room, do you?"
"I hope not." Tilli didn't want to mention her worries about Mat. Key had enough to worry about already.
Then Mrs. Wayteel addressed the group as a whole. "Due to the fire in Victoria house, you will be moved to other houses until we have been able to investigate." As the house heads moved forward to divide the freshmen into groups, Key grabbed Tilli's arm and pulled her towards Mat to make sure they ended up in the same place. They went to Westwood House, where several students woke up to help the newcomers.
Once Reed helped Mat through the door, he pulled over a beat-up chair--the furniture in the Westwood common looked several years older than that in Victoria House. It wasn't until after Reed helped Mat sit that Tilli noticed how shaky he was.
A Westwood boy who had the same angular chin as Reed tapped him on the shoulder. Reed turned around and hugged the older boy tight.
"Hey, you all right?" Like Reed, he spoke with a Suxadi accent, and Tilli guessed they were brothers.
"Yeah. Yeah, we're fine. Just shaken."
"It was your room, wasn't it?"
Reed gave a weak smile. "Is it that obvious?"
"What happened?" Tilli saw the older boy's eyes flick toward Mat.
"I don't know. The fire was up the whole side of the wall. It could have started in the other room." Now Reed looked at Mat. "Roding and Dega. I hope they're okay."
"They will be." A second Westwood boy, round faced, and even taller than Key, walked over. "We just got them settled. Hey Drew," he addressed Reed's brother, "can you get a crutch from the infirmary?"
"Sure." Drew jogged off as the other boy took charge. He called orders to other students. He found a second chair for Reed, and once he was satisfied that Mat's roommate was okay, he turned to Mat himself.
"You okay?" He spoke as if coaxing a frightened animal out of a hole. After a moment, Mat blinked and looked at him. Charlie snapped his fingers at another student and said something about tea. He turned back to Mat. "I don't think you're hurt." Mat shook his head to confirm he wasn't injured.
Key stepped forward and cleared her throat.
The Westwood boy turned. "Hey. Key, right? You're Ketu's friend?"
"Yeah. And that's my brother." She nodded toward Mat.
"Of course." The boy stood and stepped away.
But Key couldn't get anything more out of Mat, and when a girl came to say they had another bed, she gave Tilli a pleading look. "Maybe he'll talk to you?"
Someone came by and brought them each a mug of tea, which, based on the smell, was the same tea Key had packed so much of. She took a small sip and it steamed up her glasses. Mat held his own mug and looked forlornly into it. Then Reed's brother returned with a crutch for Mat. He left with Reed, and Tilli took the vacated chair. "What did Mrs. Wayteel say to you?"
"Me and Reed have to meet with her tomorrow morning."
"What about the other boys? Roding and Dega?"
Mat shook his head. "The fire started in our room."
Tilli didn't ask him how he knew. "You want me to go with you?"
When Mat looked up at her, he really looked. "You'd miss Mrs. Theelnin's class."
"Look, Mat, I don't know what happened. And I get that you don't want to talk about it. But I've messed up before. Like... really messed up. And... it's nice to have someone with you."
"Thanks."
The round faced boy returned, announcing that he had a room for Mat, who downed his tea in one gulp and handed them empty mug to Tilli.
"See you at breakfast?" she asked.
He nodded to her and followed the Westwood boy down the hall.
