Darkest Death

Chapter Eight - Adler

"First, they jump off a train, and now they burn down a freaking church?" Hannah looked at the screen with an annoyed glance.

"I'm pretty sure they didn't mean to burn down Notre Dame." I took the remote from her and turned off the TV, turning towards Hannah. She was stood in the dim-lit living room at Blackwell's. A few of the children were here as well, doing their homework. Jordan was helping Mrs. B. with Julia. Hannah looked at me, a small frown between her eyes. "Besides," I continued, "It's technically a cathedral."

Hannah rolled her eyes and scuffed before her gaze turned mild. "I hope they're okay. Jordan hasn't been able to reach any of them and we've called like a thousand times."

She bit her lip. I gave her a reassuring smile, or at least that's what I tried to do, though with my own ball of nerves coming solely from the idea of my best friend in trouble, the smile was probably more of a weird grimace. I closed my eyes, wanting to say something after my failed reassuring smile. When I opened them again, Hannah wasn't looking at me.

"I should probably head home." Her face was neutral. 

Riley, the oldest resident at the orphanage, looked up. She had seemed busy with her homework, but now, looking at her, I realized the girl was tenser than a 30-year-old guy-virgin talking to a girl for the first time in his life.

"Not yet," she gave Hannah a glance, making Hannah furrow her brows.

"You've seen something?" Hannah asked.

Riley shook her head, then gave a weird smile. "Something bad is about to happen. That's all I know. It's like I'm blocked out or something."

My hands turned to fists as I tensed up catching Hannah's glance.

"Liam." It was barely a whisper, but the word was certain in Hannah's mouth.

She turned on her heels and walked out the door. I looked between her and Riley, then I followed her outside. She was busy putting her jacket on, barely sparing me a glance. A year ago, I would have thought she looked indifferent to her normal appearance. But now I could see how her eyes darted slightly too fast over the surroundings. I could even see how her hand shook when she closed her jacket.

"Hannah, you don't know if he's here." I reached out for her, only realizing what I was doing halfway through the movement. She looked at me again, shrugging.

"I have to check," she looked down, "You know I have to."

She left the house. I nodded after her, biting my lip. Yes, I knew she had to. Somehow along the past months, without Penny at school and me hanging out with the Gang, I'd come to know a lot more about them than I'd ever imagined I would. For instance, I knew Hannah preferred her coffee black with just a hint of milk, I knew she would sometimes work on her magic instead of following along in the English lessons, making her turn to me when she was confused about our homework. And I knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if Liam was out there hurting someone without her at least trying to stop him. Just like I knew she blamed herself for Viola joining him the other day, even though Viola had never been very likable, much less a friend of Hannah's.

It was exactly because I knew her, I stepped outside to follow her.

*****

I found her at the graveyard next to the small chapel. She was looking at a gravestone, with a name I recognized. Annabel Thawn. The reaper, Penny had told me about.

"You know, this was where Penny heard Liam the first time? Before the revival?" Hannah hadn't looked at me. I must have made more noise than I expected coming over to her. "Julia was here as well. Her reaction seemed so genuine," Hannah tightened her fists, "Maybe it was. She probably didn't know he was a hybrid. She was my best friend, and she betrayed me, but I can't help but wonder how much of it was him. How did he manipulate her?"