I shut the door behind me, exposed skin nipped from the cold wind that picked up as the sun set. I was only two steps into the kitchen before Nathaniel descended on me.
"What the hell were you thinking, talking to that kid, alone, and getting involved in what I specifically told you to avoid!?"
I dropped my bag on the counter. "Have you just been waiting here to lecture me?"
"Don't avoid my question."
"Don't worry, I got this!" I assured.
"Oh do you!? I'm sorry, I couldn't tell from your complete and utter lack of experience and common sense!"
I groaned. "I don't want to, but he knows about my abilities. If I don't help him he'll tell the world. I don't even want to think about what could happen if I allowed that."
Nathaniel sighed. "Alright, I see where you're coming from. Just don't make your dumb decisions a habit."
"Look who's talking."
He shook his head at me. "What were you doing in the woods anyway?"
"Trying to summon Amber. But it didn't work."
Nathaniel tilted his head. "Well, yeah, you didn't have the right materials."
My eyes bore into his. "Do you know the right ones?"
He nodded.
"And how do you know them?"
"I had another necromancer friend before you. He was older, and a lot more mean. Nowhere near as sassy, though, as I'm sure you're glad to hear."
"Tell me how to do it," I pressed.
"It's simple: you need one of three things. If you're dealing with a particularly stubborn ghost you might need two or all three. But I don't expect Amber's ghost to be the stubborn type."
"Get on with it, Nathaniel."
"You can be at the site of their death, with their body, or have an item of great significance to them."
I nodded. "Well, we know where she was killed, so that shouldn't be too hard. And if we need to, I'm sure detective douche rocket can work up the courage to get something from her room, or get his friend Elena to do it."
"So that's what you're calling him?"
"What else would I call some idiot trying to play Sherlock and solve a murder? It's stupid."
"It isn't if he has a Watson, and I think I know who that is."
I snorted. "Yeah, right, sure."
The front door slammed. My mother strode into the kitchen, heels clicking against the tile. She met my gaze. "Oh, good, you're home."
"And why do you care?"
"Didn't you see the news? A girl who goes to your school was murdered."
"Yeah, I know, kind of hard to forget, since I knew her and all."
She grabbed my hand. "No going out after dark."
I started to protest but she cut me off. "I mean it, Raven. You need to be cautious. And if you do go out, don't go alone."
"Mom—"
"Promise me."
I sighed. "I promise."
"Good." She stepped back, dropping my hand and striding over to the cupboard. "Dinner will be ready in about forty minutes."
"Okay," I replied softly before slinking away upstairs, Nathaniel trailing after me.
I shut my door, leaning against it. I was already wary after I saw Amber on the news, but with my mother acting like this, it wound my chest up even tighter.
"You okay?" Nathaniel asked.
I sighed, hitting my head against the door. "Not really."
"In all seriousness, I really think you should listen to your mom."
"I know. I plan to. But I have a feeling Noah won't be sticking to daylight hours to solve this murder."
"You're probably right."
I fell back on my bed.
"Aren't you gonna tell Noah about what I said."
"Nope.���
"Raven—"
I sat up and he snapped his mouth shut. "I don't want to text him. If he needs me he can call me."
Nathaniel sighed. "You're so stubborn."
"One of my best qualities."
Nathaniel snorted.
"Raven! Dinner!"
I sighed and slipped down the stairs. My mother was quiet for most of the meal. I could tell she was freaked out about Amber. I didn't want to say anything to make her more worried. I had a feeling I'd be breaking her curfew, even if I didn't want to.
"'Night," I said after bumping the dishwasher closed.
She nodded. "Goodnight, honey."
I sat in a nest of fuzzy blankets on the couch in the loft and worked through my assignments for the night, music blasting through my headphones. Most of it was Palaye Royale, my newest musical obsession.
I tossed my books into my bag and fell back into the couch. I checked my phone when it buzzed. I swiped the notification away, noting the time, a few minutes past eight.
Nathaniel appeared above me. "Ya going to text Noah?"
"No! Stop asking me!"
Nathaniel sighed before snatching my phone.
"Hey!"
He held it out of reach, since he was much taller than my 5'3". I jumped for my phone, but he typed away, barely sparing me a glance.
"'My dearest Noah," Nathaniel read aloud. "I would like to inform you I figured out how to summon Amber; I need something of hers or be at the site of her death. I think we can handle one of those.' Shall I press send?"
"No! Just stop!"
"I'll delete if you send your own message."
I groaned. "You're so annoying."
"I'm only annoying when you're stubborn."
Fair point. I held my hand out, and he handed me my phone back. I deleted his message and typed out my own.
I know how to summon Amber. I need something of hers or to be at the site of her death. I pressed send.
I clicked my phone off and tossed it on the couch before angling my glare up at Nathaniel. "I really don't like you sometimes."
He wrapped his arms around me from behind in a mock-choke hold. "But you love me anyway."
I wriggled in his grasp. "You're testing that notion."
He chuckled and released me. My phone buzzed. I heaved an irritated sigh and picked it up.
Meet me at the school fair grounds. 20 minutes.
I shoved my phone screen at Nathaniel's face. "See? Look what you've done."
He only chuckled.
Now?? I texted back.
Got something better to do?
No, curfew.
This early?
Yep.
Liar.
Nope. After my mom saw the news she told me not to go out after dark.
I don't care. Come anyway.
I sent an eye roll emoji. Fine.
I grabbed my jacket before snatching my keys from my desk. I sent a glare at Nathaniel. "I'm blaming you for this."
He shrugged. "I'll live with it."
I snorted and he sighed.
"Pun not intended."
I shook my head at him before shutting my door and slowly creeping down the stairs. My mother was in the back room, watching the t.v. in the dark. I walked on silent feet and slipped out the front door. I clicked my car parked on the street unlocked and turned my key in the ignition. I backed out and made my way down the street and down the bare slip of the town's main street.
I turned onto the road the high school was off of. Using my headlights to pierce the thick darkness pressing in around me, I pulled into the road by the football field. I drove past it to the fair grounds behind it, backing all the way up the dark woods. I parked next to Noah's bike and shut my car off. I locked my car and stuffed my keys in my pocket. I did the same with my hands while I trekked out over grass and gravel out to the rusted chain link fence surrounding the fairgrounds.
I pushed the gate open once I realized the latch was already undone and pushed up, I assume from Noah. I walked down the main strip past rows of games stripped of prizes and most of their setup except the booth and signs. I saw a figure clad in a motorcycle jacket standing by the ferris wheel.
Noah.
I continued towards him, gravel shifting and crunching under my combat boots. When I was a few steps behind him, I called out. "Hey, I'm here."
Noah turned around. "I know; you're not exactly quiet."
I shrugged, hands still in my pockets. "Not trying to be. Now doesn't seem like a good time to be sneaking up on you."
He shrugged, mimicking me. "I guess so."
I crossed my arms. "So, is this where Amber died?"
Noah let out a shaky breath. "Yeah. From what I saw on the news, it was around this spot."
I nodded, a morbid feeling overwhelming me. A girl I knew died here, or at least somewhere close. I shook off the sensation. "Did you get something of hers?"
He shook his head. "It didn't feel right breaking into her room, and Elena wouldn't agree to help me."
I nodded. "It should still work without one. If her ghost is still here and I'm strong enough."
"Let's hope so."
"You can. I for one can't wait until you don't need my help anymore."
He sighed. "Just try."
I sat down, crossing my legs. Gravel crunched as Noah shifted on his feet. Blocking him out, I closed my eyes and felt my grip subconsciously grip my knees stronger. The threads of the universe connecting me to the dead tightened and constricted around my chest. I called out for Amber, picturing her in my head, calling out. I sent my voice and summoned her through the threads of the world, rippling my wish into existence.
Opening my eyes, I saw a faint outline of a girl I recognized as Amber, and an even fainter voice. "Amber?" I called out.
Noah perked up.
"--can't-hard to-I sh--" Amber kept cutting in and out. Maybe my connection wasn't pulled all the way through. I gave a hard final tug, but she only improved faintly.
"Amber?"
"… Yes?"
"Can, can you tell me who did this to you?"
"… don't know… talk to…"
"Talk to who?"
"… Ace might… not sure… abilities… help."
"What?" I asked. "I didn't catch all of that?"
"Try… Vic doesn't… luck."
She disappeared. I tried pulling her back, but she was staying gone. I sighed, standing up.
"What? What did she say?" Noah asked.
"She was hard to hear. She kept breaking up, and she didn't say much before she disappeared. I think it was part of her staying over on the 'other side' or wherever ghosts are supposed to be once they pass on."
"Does she know who did it?"
"She said she didn't know."
"How could she not know?"
I shrugged. "She was hard to hear, but what I could pick out was to talk to someone named Ace? She also mentioned Vic, but it seemed like she was trying to say Vic doesn't know anything."
"Ace," Noah growled.
"Who's Ace?" I asked. I've never seen Noah this pissed before.
"This guy at our school who always gave Amber hell. I have no clue why."
"And he killed her because he bullied her?"
"I don't know, but I'd love to find out." Noah walked past me towards his bike.
"Where are you going?" I asked, jogging after him.
"Where do you think? To talk to Ace."
"At night?" I called after him. "Isn't that suspicious?"
Noah didn't reply.
I ran to catch up with him. Damn, his strides were long. I pulled on his arm. "Wait until tomorrow, where you can talk to him in the light of day."
He shrugged me off. "What difference does it make?"
I stepped in front of him, planting myself in front of his bike. "You're not calm. You can't go beat this guy up, and, yeah, that's what the look on your face implies. Just take a minute, okay?"
He pushed past me. "I'm going. Try and stop me all you want."
I jumped in my car as he sped away. I followed his bike down the cracked road behind the school and out onto the main road. I grew more and more angry with him as I followed. Why did he feel the need to do this? I really needed to talk to his friend Elena and maybe he'll listen to the both of us.
Or not. He's the stubborn type. But then again, so am I.
I pulled into a skate park parking lot. I skidded to a stop as Noah jumped from his bike and towards the lights and bleacher seats where a few boys were sitting and drinking. I jogged after him, locking my car behind me.
I saw the figures of two teenage boys running away, the sound of beer cans hitting concrete and the slap of sneakers. I watched Noah grab who I assumed was Ace by the shirt and throw him on the ground. I ran even faster and skidded to a halt as Noah had Ace pinned under him.
"Noah!" I shouted. "Stop it!"
Veins bulged in Noah's arms as he struck Ace. "You killed her, didn't you!?"
"I didn't kill anybody!" Ace yelled back, his words laced in pain as he pushed Noah off him. Both boys stumbled to their feet. "I didn't touch Amber, okay? I don't give a rat's ass what you think. My money's on you. We all know what your family's capable of."
Noah surged forward again, his eyes dark and almost haunting. I stepped between them, holding my arms up. "Both of you stop!"
Ace angled his head at me, his amber eyes slanting at me. "And who are you?"
Noah pushed past me while I was distracted. "How do I know you didn't kill her!? Why would she say your name?"
Ace held his hands up. "Dude, I swear, I didn't do anything to her."
"Then why did you pick on her? Why did you make her feel like shit!?" Noah nearly shouted.
"I liked her," Ace replied quietly.
"What?" Noah asked, taken aback.
"I liked her, that's why I teased her." He looked up. "I would never hurt her, and especially never kill her."
"How can you prove you didn't?" Noah asked.
"Hey," I jumped in between Noah and Ace again. "Stop this. He told you everything. He didn't do it."
"And you just believe him?" Noah questioned.
"Yeah, I do," I fired back. "Because if you used the part of your brain that's actually smart and not full of rage you'd see that."
Noah's eyes flashed in anger. Oh shit.
"Noah, just calm down. He did nothing."
He sighed. "Fine."
"Thank you."
Noah stepped forward. "But you need to help us."
Ace raised his eyebrows. "How can I do anything?"
"I know pretty much everything around here, Ace. I know what you can do. We need your help."
Ace blanched.
"What?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Ace has magic."
I turned around. Ace stuffed his hands in his jean pockets.
"Is he serious?"
Ace nodded. He snapped his head up. "How the fuck do you know that? I've never told anyone."
Noah shrugged.
I smacked his chest.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"You made him tell you his secret, now it's your turn."
"I don't trust him."
"And I don't trust you," I replied, arms crossed. "But you made me admit it. Then you told me. Now do the same for Ace."
Noah sighed. "Fine." He met Ace's icy gaze. "I'm psychic, in a way. I can see what you fear the most. And yours is anyone finding out your secret. That's how I know."
Ace blinked. "You're serious?"
Noah nodded.
Ace spun to me. "Then what was your 'power' or whatever the hell Noah had on you that's making you help him?"
I sighed. "I'm a necromancer."
"A necro-what?"
"She can see and talk to ghosts."
"Are you fucking with me?"
I shook my head.
He snorted. "This town is just a place of freaks."
Noah worked his jaw. "Yeah, and you're one of them."
I rubbed my temples. "Freaks or no freaks, we're all just trying to figure out what happened to Amber." I met Ace's gaze. "Will you help us?"
Ace sighed. "Alright, I will."
I elbowed Noah. He rolled his eyes but still bit out a "Thank you," to Ace.
Ace barely accepted it but grumbled in response. Great. This was going to be fantastic.
I backed away. "I'm going home, Noah, before I get my ass beat just because you were impatient."
"Meet me after school tomorrow."
I spun around, hooking my thumb at Ace. "He comes too.���
Noah nodded stiffly.
Without another word I turned on my heel and walked away. I unlocked my car and quickly got in, locking it immediately behind me. Despite what I said, I was scared. What happened to Amber was starting to feel much more complicated than I ever imagined.