Darkest Death

Chapter Ten - Adler

The Dark Beings had called an emergency meeting after the explosion at Blackwell's. Hannah forced her parents to get her into it. I had joined her. Jordan was with Julia, having wanted to make sure she was stable rather than tell a bunch of proud Dark Beings that Liam was in the UK despite all clues leading the other way.

It went worse than we imagined.

We were meet by a room full of annoyed glares, as Helen Thelonien raised her voice. "You want all of us to leave for Europe, leaving our home country vulnerable to the Hybrid, who so far has only attacked the US, because an at best mediocre banshee told you to?"

Around us, people nodded in agreement. I tightened my fists slightly, taking a breath. Hannah nodded at them, her posture challenging. To most people she might have seemed relaxed, but I noticed how her eyes darted from person to person, and how her jaw was slightly clenched.

"Said mediocre banshee is our only hope for stopping Liam." It was Ms. B who took the word. We'd gone to her first, and after a little deliberation she'd agreed with us. The text from Penelope being the final straw to convince her.

Helen Thelonien scuffed as she rolled her eyes. Detective Broom, who was leaned against a couch in the room we were in – a big one provided by the Blackwell family in one of their smaller homes –, leaned forward, a frown decorating her face. "Why should she be that? Why is she even in Europe with the Blackwell and Felloe?"

Detective Broom sent some of the Blackwells a glance first, then Mrs. Felloe, Maia's mom. The leader of the Blackwell family – and Noah's uncle –, Theodor Blackwell, looked up with a bored glance. Mrs. Felloe on the other hand gave a quick smirk. 

"Tourism?" she suggested.

Hannah chuckled next to me and I couldn't help but smile myself. Hannah's parents sent her a strict glare.

"I believe Ms. Withfellows and her human friend knows why the Messenger is in Europe," Theodor Blackwell said, ignoring Mrs. Felloe as he looked at Hannah. She sank quickly giving me a glance. I nodded slightly at her request, before taking a small step forward. An army of cold glances landed on me.

"She's on a... Mission of sorts," I started, not wanting to say too much, "And if this mission doesn't succeed, there's good reason to believe Liam won't be stopped."

Several people eyes rolled.

Theodor Blackwell crossed his arms as he raised a bushy eyebrow. "What proof? We've only got your word for it, human."

I opened my mouth, wanting to answer him, but the last word hurt. Everyone in here with the exception of a few people didn't think I belonged at this meeting. I supposed I didn't. I was just a human, after all. A human who had survived several attacks from Liam. A human who had fought him and won. And a human, like my dead best friend, who was the one to figure out he was being revived before any of the Dark Beings, despite not knowing anything of the Dark World going into the investigation. 

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, Hannah sent me a quick glance. She turned towards Theodor Blackwell; her eyes cold.

"Because," she looked him straight in the eyes, "your nephew died. Yes, he actually died, and was saved somehow by Penny using her powers. As far as she's told us it was then she realized what else she had to do."

Hannah's voice didn't shake once. Not even when recalling Noah's quick death. Theodor Blackwell straightened his back.

Helen Thelonien gave a chuckle. "Which was?" Her voice was icy. 

I gave Hannah a sideways glance and she nodded. If we wanted them to go to Europe, they would need something to trust. They would need to know, why Penny had gone there in the first place.