Page 40 of Hollowed

“Iwill speak to them as well.Unlessyou would prefer to?”

“Weshould speak with them together.Iwill be able to tell if they are hiding something,”Isaid with a sigh.Asmuch asIdid not want to face my parents,Iknew it would be a wise decision to have us present a united front.

“Isthere anything you can tell me that will help?Haveyou been to these kinds of meetings before?”Hecrossed his arms over his chest.Thelook on his face was stern, but there was something beneath it that was indecipherable.Somethingunder the surface that was darker than the shadows trailing across the floor.

“Wehave only had a few new members join the town.Usually, it was to share important news or some announcement from theCiallmhar,”Isaid, thinking back through my childhood. “However, this meeting isn’t just to welcome us to the town.They’venever done that before.TheCiallmharalone make nearly all the decisions, soIcan’t imagine what they’d be meeting about.”

Helooked at me, waiting.

Realizationdawned. “Theyare meeting about me.”

“Yousaid thatBromis the one who pushed you down the bank?”Hisjaw worked, clenching visibly. “Wouldthat have been enough in the eyes of the town for their… sacrifice?Oris the larger ceremony onSamhainalso necessary?”

Ishook my head. “Idon’t know.Hecertainly would have told them, butIdo not know if it would be considered enoughwithout the ceremony.Wehave never had anyone try to escape their death.”

Hiseyes widened. “Fornearly a century, people just accepted that they might die for this town?Noone questioned or fought back?”

“Theycouldn’t,”Isaid, ducking my head at the implied admonishment. “Wewere told that if we refused the sacrifice, a family member would have to take our place.Thatdiscouraged any dissent rather well.”Mybody stiffened. “Ineed to check on my mentor.Hewould be the one they use as my replacement if they considered my sacrifice incomplete.”

Shifting, his arms flexed, and his jaw feathered again.Heremained silent, looking at me.Finally, he nodded. “Tomorrow, we will find your friend.”

Mycheeks flushed at his expression.Ciarahad been right.Questioningthese practices had come far too late.PerhapsIcould sneak away fromAlexanderand see her.Tellher that her brother was alive and safe, that theDullahanhad not killed him.

“Oncewe learn who is summoning the sluagh and stop them, we will address that practice.Itwill not continue.”

“Whatabout those you sent away?”Iasked, my mind going back toCiaraandTorin. “Couldthey return?Totheir families?”

Icould only describe the expression that crossed his face as surprise, andIwas hesitant to grasp why that irked me.Washe surprisedIcared for those who had been sacrificed?Orwas he surprisedIhad asked if they could return?Eitherway,Idid not appreciate the look he gave me.

“Ifthey remained in the placeIbrought them,Ican send word.Butif they have moved on, there will be no easy way to find them,” he said, inclining his head. “Butyes, we can try.”

Inodded, biting the insides of my cheeks to keep from asking why he was surprised.

Thankfully, a knock sounded on the door.Alexanderlooked at me for a moment before standing up off the wall.Witha graceful strength, he pulled the door open in one fluid movement.

Edmundwaited on the other side, bowing toAlexander. “Goodevening.Areyou both ready to depart?”

Alexanderlooked back at me, raising an eyebrow.Quickly,Ipulled my boots on, lacing them with fumbling fingers.Standing,Ismoothed down my dress. “Yes, thank you.Weare ready.”

“Wonderful.Ifyou will follow me,” he said, bowing shallowly before turning and leading us from the room.

* * *

Thetown meetingwas not quite whatIhad been expecting.Insteadof the entire town, a population of around one hundred, a much smaller crowd of about twenty congregated in the town square.Istudied those in attendance asAlexanderandIapproached.Myparents,Bromand his parents, the rest of theCiallmhar,Ichabod, and many of the more prominent members of the town all gathered in the center, cast in glowing light from the lanterns that lined the square.

Henrywas not present, not thatIhad expected him to be afterIsaw who was in attendance.Ciarawas not either, which was surprising, given how important her apothecary shop was to the town.Henry’sabsence, though expected, only furthered my anxiety around the man’s safety.Hewould have fought back, but he would be no match against my mother.

“Welcome,AlexanderandKatherineElizabeth, toSleepyHollow,” my mother’s voice boomed.

Alexanderslipped his gloved hand into mine, squeezing slightly.Themove was likely to keep up the pretense of our marriage, but it offered me comfort all the same, andIclung to it, especially after how terriblyIhad fumbled our previous interaction.Hisvoice was smooth as he spoke. “Thankyou.Weare very pleased to be here.”

Mymother stepped forward, her chin lifted high as her eyes scanned over the audience in front of her. “Asyou know,SleepyHollowis in a precarious situation.Wemust all make sacrifices for the good of the town and our people.”

Murmursof agreement shuddered through the crowd, andAlexander’shand tightened around mine.Lookingup at him, he kept his gaze firmly on my mother, but squeezed my hand once more before dropping it.Itook a deep breath in through my nose, pushing back my disgust.Shespoke of sacrifice, yet did not know what it truly meant.Sacrificemeant giving up something you loved and valued.Andthat had certainly never been me.

“Despitethe…”Shehesitated on her words, lacing her fingers together in front of her, “…unfortunate situation involving this year’s sacrifice, we want to reassure everyone that the town will continue to be protected, no matter the cost.Andwe want to thank those who have sacrificed forSleepyHollow.Ittakes honorable and selfless people to ensure the continued success of a haven such as ours.TheDullahanwill protect us, and we will continue to live in peace, safely away from humans.Thisyear will be no different.”

Mybody went rigid at her words, fighting to keep from looking up atAlexander.Werethey talking aboutHenry?Thefull moon was in two days, and whatever it took,Iwouldn’t let them sentence anyone else—let alone my old friend—to death.Iwould burn this entire town to ashes beforeIlet that happen.Itwas too risky to assume my mother would be content with sending the sacrifice into the forest.Icouldn’t risk that she wouldn’t take matters into her own hands to ensure the death she believed theDullahanneeded.

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