Darkest Call

Chapter Eleven

The last place of sacrifice was across the town. It took us far too long to get there. When we finally arrived, we had to park the car away from the warehouse and sneak in, because of Mrs. Thelonien and whoever she had with her. A single guy stood guard in front of the main entrance, but there were no one stationed at the back entrance, which for some reason was unlocked. We went inside, where we split up. Jordan turned into a bear and went one way, Hannah and Maia another, Noah took my hand and let me a third.

"Can't you just read the thoughts of the people in here?" I whispered, surely it would be easier than having to search this entire warehouse. Noah smiled at me.
"My range's not that big, Penny."

I looked at him but didn't answer. This was not the best place for conversation. We turned around some containers. It was dark in the warehouse. The flashlight on Noah's phone was our only light source, my phone having died on the way here. Only the sound of our footsteps echoed around us, otherwise it was dead quiet.

I flinched when someone coughed, my pulse rising. I looked at Noah with a risen eyebrow. So much for not letting the necromancer know, where we were. Noah turned a corner, and I was about to follow him, when a light fell on me. I stopped, my heart racing. Slowly, I turned around.

"Penelope?" Mrs. Thelonien didn't sound angry, merely surprised, her voice barely a whisper, "Didn't I tell you to stay home?"
I sent Noah a glance and signaled for him to keep going. He was out of view from Mrs. Thelonien, and Teresa trusted him. I walked towards my aunt.
"I got a text from Ms. B," I said. Mrs. Thelonien's face pulled an expression.
"I know, Theia is in here somewhere," she said. I looked at her.
"We think..." Mrs. Thelonien interrupted me by putting a finger to my lips and shushing me. As I stopped talking, I realized why she'd shushed me. A mumbling echoed between the containers. A song of sorts? Though goosebumps spread down my arms, I turned on my heels to ran towards the sound. Mrs. Thelonien followed.

*****

In the corner of the warehouse furthest from the head entrance, there was a clearing in containers. Instead of containers, tall shelves you'd see in an IKEA-warehouse stood, most of them empty. In the clearing, lines were painted in black, some candles flickered around the circle. A bundle of clothes sat right in the middle of it. My heartbeat fastened as I realized it was Teresa, her hands tied and a piece of cloth covering her mouth. She'd been crying, everyone could see. Her eyes were wide and she were shaking.

Next to her was the most terrifying thing I have ever seen. The necromancer had unburied Liam Thelonien. I recognized my cousin instantly. Even though his body should have been rotting away, it looked as if he was just asleep. In fact, the body did not look like a corpse of someone, who had been dead for almost two years. There was a horrifying beauty at the sight.

The place seemed abandoned otherwise. Not even signs of Julia. I wondered what the necromancer had done with her.

"What's the time?" My aunt whispered. I looked at her and pulled out my phone, cursing as I remembered it was dead. Mrs. Thelonien sighed and squinted her eyes at her watch. Finally, she seemed to focus on the time. She sighed.
"2 past midnight. Get the girl. We need to get her out. The ritual can be completed now," Mrs. Thelonien instructed. I nodded, understanding the message. I knew Teresa, and my aunt would be watching me, having my back. I shivered slightly. I hadn't thought to put on more than a small shirt earlier, and the cold was making me regret it. Outside somewhere, a train rumbled past us.

"Tessie?" I whispered when she could hear me. She looked up at me. Her face was almost unrecognizable. Tears had left salt marks down her cheeks. Her hair was a complete mess. The eyes, usually full of laughter, were wide and red, the pupils small. I quickly went to her and squatted down.