“Okay, I stand corrected,” Sunday says. “Sometimes, you have to wonder if the humans are even worth saving, don’t you, if they’re willing to risk kids handing out food packages.”
“They’re desperate, Sunday,” I say.
“I know,” he sighs. “I don’t mean it. I just…”
“I know,” I say, patting his shoulder.
We each take a box, all of which are labeled with a name and an address. We debate splitting up, but we decide against it. If the horseman finds Sailor, we need to all be together so we can help her defeat him.
We make our way around the houses, and each time we come to knock on a door, I’m tensed up, ready and waiting for an attack, but none of the grateful little old ladies we visit turn out to be vicious supernatural killers. In fact, the most eventful thing we see is two teenage boys having a fight in the street. A fight that is quickly broken up when Aziza marches over to them and threatens to end them both if they don’t clear off.
By the time we get back to the town hall, it’s almost nine and the sheriff insists we return home for the curfew. I try to argue with him, but he tells me it’s fine, most of the food packages have been delivered and the few that haven’t, he’ll take himself before he goes over to the clinic.
Defeated, we head toward the edge of town. Once we’re in the forest, we can portal the rest of the way, but we can’t risk anyone spotting us portalling in the town. We reach the edge of the woods and Ya-Ya shushes us.
“Can you hear that?” she asks.
I strain my ears and I can just hear it. A child crying. We look at each other and run in the direction of the sound. As we get closer, the crying becomes a scream, a desperate plea for help, and I recognize the voice.
“It’s Jenny,” I shout.
We rush forward and find ourselves in a small clearing. Dr. Hill has hold of Jenny and he’s dragging her along behind him. He’s muttering away to himself as he goes.
“This is all my fault. I should have seen it sooner. I should have known.”
Jenny kicks out, catching him in the shins, and he bellows at her.
“You need to die. And I will be the one to end you. You’re pure evil.”
I’ve heard enough. I step forward.
“Let her go right now,” I say.
Dr. Hill spins to face me.
“Rye. You don’t understand,” he says.
“Please help me,” Jenny cries, her eyes begging us to do something. She’s crying so hard it’s hard to understand her words, but I get the gist of it. “He killed my mommy. And now he’s going to kill me.”
“Last chance, Dr. Hill,” I say.
I draw my knife. The team have their own weapons out.
“Why do you all have knives?” Dr. Hill asks, eyes wide. He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. You have to help me kill her.”
I watch from the corner of my eye as Sailor edges away from the rest of us, circling around to the back of Dr. Hill.
“I don’t fucking think so,” I snap.
Sailor gets herself behind Dr. Hill.
“Jenny, run,” she shouts.
Her shout startles Dr. Hill, who spins to face her and releases Jenny. Sailor makes a roaring sound as she plunges the knife into Dr. Hill’s chest. His knees buckle and he collapses onto the ground on his face. Sailor comes back toward us, white faced and shaking.
“Is it over? Did I kill the horseman?” she asks.
I nod, and she drops the dagger. It falls on the ground at her feet as she looks at her blood-soaked hand in disgust. I go to her side. Mel is on her knees, hugging Jenny tightly against her chest as she sobs, and my heart breaks for the girl. I know what it’s like to be an orphan.
“Oh Jenny, you were so brave,” Mel says to her.
Jenny pulls back from Mel’s arms a little, her tears shining in the moonlight as she sniffles.
“What will happen to me now?” she asks.
“Don’t worry, Jenny. We’ll take care of everything,” Jinx says.
A noise in the undergrowth distracts me from the scene and I see a white puppy bounding through the trees.
“Archer. Come here, boy,” Jenny says, suddenly looking more excited than sad.
I feel Sailor tense up beside me.
“Mel. Get away from her. Now,” she says in a frantic voice.
Jenny turns to face us and laughs. A mirthless laugh that sends a shiver through me.
“Clever girl,” she says. “But not clever enough. Too busy being distracted to see what was right there in front of you.”
Mel scoots away from her and gets to her feet. She comes to stand with Sailor and me. The rest of the team begin to move into position beside Sailor except Aziza. Aziza throws herself on the ground, going for the dagger, which still lies on the ground where Sailor dropped it. Jenny beats her to it, snatching it up with glee. Aziza crouches low, ready to take her on for the dagger.
“Aziza, no. If you touch her skin you’ll die,” Sailor shouts. “That’s what happened to Grace, isn’t it?”
“Ah, dear trusting Grace. She was only too happy to take my little hand in hers when she found me wandering the streets crying saying I was lost.”
“You bastard,” Sunday shouts, stepping forward.
I hold him back as Jenny laughs.
“Grace knew it was you when you touched her, didn’t she? You thought she died alone, but someone found her and took her to the clinic. She was trying to tell your dad, but he thought she was delirious. But then he started to think about it, and something didn’t add up and he realized she was right. He started to put it together, seeing all of the little changes in you that he hadn’t been able to explain, didn’t he?” Sailor says.
Jenny nods, her eyes flashing with rage.
“Yes. Another one who was too clever
