The rain was still pouring as Zaire and I reached the porch, both of us drenched and shivering. The sight of Hallowe's police car parked outside sent a chill through me that had nothing to do with the cold.
"Why is he here?" Zaire muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the car.
"Maybe Rose was worried," I said, my voice shaky. "It's past midnight. She probably called him."
Zaire didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue. He followed me inside, his presence a quiet reassurance as we stepped into the warmth of the house.
Rose was pacing the living room, her face pale with worry. James sat on the couch, his expression tense, while Hallowe stood near the fireplace, his arms crossed and his gaze sharp.
"Mia!" Rose exclaimed, rushing toward me. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but Hallowe cut in, his voice cold and clipped. "And who's this?"
His eyes locked onto Zaire, who stood beside me, dripping water onto the floor.
"This is Zaire," I said quickly, my voice steadier than I felt. "He's a friend."
Hallowe's gaze didn't waver. "A friend who's out with you past midnight in the middle of a storm?"
Rose turned to me, her worry shifting to suspicion. "Mia, where were you? And why didn't you call?"
I glanced at Zaire, who stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "We were at Sebastian's house. His dad can confirm we were there. We lost track of time, and then the storm hit. We didn't mean to worry anyone."
Rose frowned, looking between us. "Sebastian's house? At this hour?"
"It's true," Zaire said, his voice steady. "Mr. Calloway was there the whole time. You can call him if you want."
Hallowe's eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking between us like he was trying to piece together a puzzle. "And what were you doing at Sebastian's house?"
"Studying," I said quickly, the lie slipping out before I could think. "We had a project to finish. It's the final week."
Hallowe didn't look convinced. He stepped closer, his voice low and deliberate. "You know, Mia, it's interesting. Every time something happens in this town, you seem to be right in the middle of it."
I forced myself to meet his gaze, my heart pounding. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't you?" Hallowe's tone was sharp, his eyes boring into mine. "First Hannah. Then Andrew. And now you're sneaking around in the middle of the night with your *friend* here. Seems like a pattern to me."
Zaire stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We weren't sneaking around. We were at Sebastian's. Like I said, you can call Mr. Calloway if you don't believe us."
Hallowe's jaw tightened, but he didn't push further. Instead, he turned to Rose. "You might want to keep a closer eye on her. This town's not as safe as it used to be."
Rose nodded, her expression a mix of relief and lingering worry. "Thank you, Officer. I'll make sure she's more careful."
Hallowe gave me one last look, his gaze lingering like a warning, before he turned and walked out the door. The sound of his car engine starting echoed through the night, but the tension in the room didn't ease.
Rose turned to me, her hands on her hips. "Mia, you can't do this. You can't just disappear without telling anyone where you're going. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?"
I nodded, guilt twisting in my chest. "I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't mean to worry you."
She sighed, pulling me into a hug despite my soaked clothes. "Just... be more careful, okay?"
I hugged her back, my throat tight. "I will. I promise."
Zaire cleared his throat, drawing our attention. "I should probably get going. It's late."
Rose nodded, her expression softening. "Thank you for bringing her home, Zaire."
He gave a small smile. "Anytime."
As he turned to leave, I caught his eye, silently thanking him for the lie. He nodded, his expression unreadable, before stepping out into the rain.
I climbed the stairs to my room, my wet clothes clinging to my skin, leaving a trail of water droplets behind me. The house was quiet now, the tension from downstairs still lingering in the air like a bad smell. I peeled off the soaked jacket, which Zaire gave me, and jeans, I was wearing one under my silk dress, tucked the silk dress so no one notices, tossing them into a heap on the floor before wrapping myself in a towel.
The mirror caught my reflection—pale, tired, but with a fire burning in my eyes that hadn't been there before. Tonight had been a tipping point. The lies, the secrets, the way Hallowe looked at me like I was some kind of criminal—it was all too much.
I dried off quickly, pulling on an old sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants before collapsing onto my bed. The rain still tapped against the window, a steady rhythm that matched the pounding in my chest.
I stared at the ceiling, my mind racing. The cult, the murders, the way the rich and powerful thought they could get away with anything—it wasn't just about Hannah or Andrew or even my mother anymore. It was about justice. It was about making them pay for what they'd done.
"I'm going to bring them down," I whispered to the empty room, my voice firm despite the exhaustion weighing me down. "Every single one of them."
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen lighting up with a text notification. I glanced at it, seeing Sebastian's name flash across the screen.
I didn't open it.
I didn't even want to talk to him right now. Not after everything. Not after the lies, the secrets, the way his father had looked at me like I was some kind of ghost from his past.
I turned away from the phone, burying my face in the pillow. The determination in my chest burned brighter than ever.
They thought they were untouchable. They thought they could hide behind their money and their masks and their lies.
But they were wrong.
And I was going to prove it.