Force of Nature ▸ House of Anubis [3]

chapter sixty-nine. house of capture

Patricia. Victor. Frobisher. Denby.

They're all working together, to try and bring Ammit into the mortal realm. Patricia got captured as a sinner somehow. But when? How? Which sin did she commit so strongly that she was deemed suitable to be a sinner? Jealousy because of thinking Eddie had a secret admirer? Spite because she's Patricia?

I tried calling Fabian to tell him about the second artifact and to see if he's all right, but he didn't answer. It went straight to voicemail, and I'm concerned. KT didn't answer when I called either. I don't want to think about it. Haven't got much of a choice on that, though.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

I look up, letting out a heavy sigh as I see Jerome leaning against the doorway. "What? How'd you know I was here?"

"Alfie told me," he answers, coming in and standing next to the desk, looking down at me. "He said you were upset, so I made him tell me where you were. Can I sit?" I shrug, and he sits beside me. "What's wrong?"

"Life," I state bluntly. "Life's wrong."

"You want to be a little more specific?"

"Fabian won't answer my calls."

"And that's cause for concern, why?"

"Not important."

"Obviously it is if it's bothering you this much."

"Forget about it, Jerome," I mumble, putting my head in my hands. "Just distract me. Please."

Jerome clears his throat. "All right. Well, your uncle's acting weird." I peek out from my hands, willing him to go on. "Joy and I went to ask him earlier if we could have a party after the play and he got all on our case about thinking school's a constant rave or something. And he was being really... aggressive toward other students. It was just not like him."

I sit straight, turning to him fully. "Really? That's strange."

"Yeah. When was the last time you spoke to him?"

I frown, trying to think. Fabian and I spoke to him yesterday to get permission for the lighting. "Well... yesterday morning. He was normal. What could have happened between then and now that he would..." And then it dawns on me. Could he... could they have...? "Uh, you—you and Joy might want to steer clear of him f-for a while."

Jerome tilts his head. "You look freaked out."

"No, I'm good."

"It'd be nice if you could stop lying to me."

"Who says I'm lying?"

"I've known you for four years and been in love with you for that entire time. I know when you're lying."

"Maybe I'm a better liar than you think."

"Not to me. I know you too well."

"That's a... big ego you got there."

"You knew that when you kissed me for the first time."

I glare at him, my eyes narrowed. This boy, I swear to Anubis... I shake my thoughts away, pursing my lips as I rest my weight entirely on my elbows. "How goes the play?"

Jerome looks at me, his gaze hard, but then he sighs and answers, "Terribly. Mara and Joy are trying to make a bunch of new costumes. We'll probably just end up doing it in our uniforms."