𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡 ➳ 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗦

viii.

—

HOPE HAD WALKED THROUGH THE SCHOOL with Alaric's car keys, trying to look for her sister. She had to find Landon and didn't want to go alone despite her tendency to do things by herself.

She heard the door of the main entrance open and looked up to see Faith with that same boy she had seen before.

They were chatting quietly trying not to make a lot of noise.

"Faith," Hope said gaining her sister's attention as she stood in front of her.

Faith looked over at Hope stopping her conversation with Noah. She took in the way Hope looked at that moment. "What's wrong?" Faith sighed already knowing that there was a problem.

Before Hope or anyone could speak up someone else interrupted them.

"Going somewhere?" Alaric asked he took in the appearance of all three teenagers but specifically focused on Hope seeing as she had his keys. The three of them turned to Alaric slowly. "Better question is, where the hell do you think you're going with my keys and without telling me?"

"Uh, Dr. Saltzman." Noah started. "I don't know what this is." Noah gestured towards Hope, still having his keys. "But I have nothing to do with it,"

"Shush," Faith whispered as she nudged him with her elbow.

Alaric looked unimpressed with all of them as he gave Hope a look silently telling her to explain herself.

"Um, you know," Hope started hesitantly. "I just said some really harsh things to you yesterday, and so I just wanted to get you an oil change as a peace offering."

Faith looked at Hope in disbelief not thinking that she was this bad at lying. She was aware that she was bad at it but she didn't think Hope was too.

"At 3:00 a.m?" Alaric asked scoffing. "Hope, you don't have a driver's license. You were gonna commit grand theft auto, which is a felony. You're ditching school right before the midterm exams begin, and you've made it very clear to me that you see me as an authority figure and nothing more. So tell me, why shouldn't I suspend you this very second?" Hope held her arm up and pulled down her sleeve giving everyone a look at the bracelet on her wrist that had a built-in compass that was glowing blue. "And what is that?"

"It's basically a supernatural compass." Hope explained.

"Well, I hope it's pointing you to your room 'cause that's where you're going. All of you." Alaric emphasized looking at Faith and Noah.

"I'm going after Landon," Hope said.

"What's wrong with Landon?" Faith asked her, eyebrows furrowing with confusion.

Hope looked at Faith before answering, "If this thing is glowing, that means that he's in trouble."

"Then we're going, and I'm driving."

—

"CAN YOU REMIND ME WHY HE'S HERE AGAIN?" Hope asked from the passenger's seat of the car referring to Noah who sat across from Faith in the back seats of the SUV.

"Because I'm okay with him being there, as his presence doesn't annoy me as much as it use to," Faith answered. "Besides if we come across any monsters I don't have my magic, so this is a good replacement if things end up going south."

"We don't need him here." Hope rolled her eyes. "If something goes wrong I can handle it just fine. So bringing him is pointless."

"I'm right here," Noah pointed out waving his hand in a small motion. "And I can help you find Landon." He leaned closer to Faith and whispered in her ear, "Also I'm honored that you wanted me here, Faith. I guess it proves how much you trust me with your life."