The Night Children

Chapter 41

I took another step backwards, eyeing both of them off in alarm. They looked corrupted, their gaze glinting like the pin in their fingers. Izzy continued to twist hers in jerky movements while Chelsea gripped hers like her life depended on it. Together, they both looked like bed ragged racoons holding tiny hair pins.

"We are under orders not to use these unless you kill anyone else," said Chelsea, her lips twisting into a vicious snarl of dislike. "Until you are under arrest, we won't let you out of our sight."

Izzy nodded beside her, pausing to stare at the end of the silver pin. "For Hannah." She whispered after examining the piercing end of the pin.

"For Hannah." Chelsea echoed. And then, almost in sync, they twisted the hair pin back into their birds nest of hair before spinning on their heel. The click of their stilettos was the only thing that drilled into my mind before they disappeared out the building.

I slouched back up against my locker, feeling the familiar taint of hot tears brim my eyes. Everything was becoming out of control. Miss Anderson had all the evidence she needed to put me under arrest. But how did she find the dagger? She would have to have been in the woods recently but why? My fingerprints were on that bloodied dagger and it was left in the forest. The same forest where Amber was discovered. I knew all the children who were killed. I was in and out of hospital for suspicious reasons. I was a nobody in town.

The chickas were right, I did really look like a murderer.

I blinked back the gathering tears and willed myself not to cry. I wasn't guilty of anything; I wouldn't be charged.

But you are guilty for Aleena's coma.

I shoved away the thought and squeezed my eyes shut against the sharp pain that intensified around my body, causing my head to throb.

I couldn't deal with this anymore. Miss Anderson thought I was a werewolf and was setting me up for the murders of the Forsaken. Aaron is oblivious to what is going on behind the scenes and I can't even talk about my worries to Isaac because Aaron forbid me to. Not to mention Aleena isn't getting any better, Mum is getting worse and multiple people hold lethal weapons in their hair and are walking around school like everything is normal.

But here's the thing about Brookefield. Nothing is ever normal.

"Renee."

I looked up sharply to see Isaac watch me from afar. His hair was tousled, curling into locks by his temple and down the nape of his neck. His expression was troubled, his lips pulling into a tight frown as he spoke my name. His green gaze was darkened with worry, his pupils almost only brown. I stared at him definitely, almost daring him to make a remark about my reddened eyes and flushed cheeks but he said nothing. The only give away that he had realised I was crying was the softening of his gaze.

"We need to talk." He breathed softly, although his voice was loud in the empty locker room. I shook my head mutely in response, causing him to take a step closer. "Renee." He whispered, his eyes searching mine. "Please."

I cast the locker rooms a quick glance to ensure no one was listening although I knew the action was stupid. No one was around anymore to listen in to our secrets.

"We don't need to talk about anything." I said remotely, flat lining my voice to hide all emotion. Aaron wanted me to stay away from Isaac, and if that was what I had to do to ensure everyone was happy, then that is what will happen. Despite Isaac saving me over and over again, he was still a shady character and I knew I would never be able to uncover all of his secrets.

He moved forwards, his actions hesitant as if he thought I would run away at any minute. Believe me, I wanted to.

"Renee you don't understand what is about to happen," He said hastily until he stood a metre away from me. I could see an indent on his lips from where he had constantly bitten at it. "Miss Anderson is using your dagger to set you up, Renee you need to-"