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She shrugged helplessly. “I never saw her body. Usually, when one of us dies, the body is placed on an altar, and there’s a large celebration of life so we can all say goodbye before burial, but not this time.”
“Why not?”
“Hopeful claimed it was too hard on True to see her mother like that,” Clarity explained. “He said he took care of the burial himself, and afterward, he built a shrine to her and started calling her Mother God. We have to pray to her every morning.”
Cal squinted at them in disbelief. “And you all just accepted that?”
Vigil shrugged, his face impassive. “At the time, we had no reason not to.”
“Honestly, I just thought it was his way of grieving,” Clarity added. “I liked the idea that Hope was watching over us. She was my friend, and praying to her felt no different than talking to her like I always did when she was alive. But then, True disappeared...”
Sincere picked up the thread of the conversation. “We believe True found out what really happened to her mother and that’s why she ran and contacted you.”
Except True hadn’t said her mother was dead. She’d said Hope was missing. And what about that other pale, thin woman who had appeared on the camera hours before True? He hadn’t seen anyone among the commune members who looked like her. Could that have been Hope?
Cal ran a hand over his face. “Listen, I have to get back to Ellie.” He’d already been gone far longer than he’d intended. “But before I go, do you have any idea where True might be hidden?”
They exchanged glances, a silent message passing between them. Clarity shrugged helplessly. “We’ve been searching since she disappeared. But Hopeful controls everything and everyone here. If he doesn’t want her to be found, she won’t be.”
part two
truth
If you shut up truth, and bury it underground, it will but grow.
-Emile Zola
chapter
seventeen
If Hopeful had locked his daughter away somewhere, then it couldn’t have been her he’d seen hiding in the woods during the bonfire. He’d been so sure it was the girl from the video, but now he wasn’t certain of anything.
Cal left Vigil’s place with his head spinning and hurried back to his cabin. The twang of unease he’d felt earlier at leaving Ellie alone prickled at him again, and he picked up his pace. He shouldn’t have left her.
His heart hammered in his chest as he approached the cabin, the sense of foreboding seeping into his veins like poison. The door hung slightly ajar, and a cold dread seized him. He burst in, ready for a fight, but instead was greeted by a sight he hadn’t expected: Ellie standing calmly in the middle of the room, Hopeful, lounging comfortably on the worn-out couch.
At first, he felt relief, grateful that she was unharmed. But then…
What the fuck?
Why was Hopeful here, smiling that weird, enigmatic smile?
“Ah. Cal. There you are,” Hopeful said cheerfully. “I was just wondering if I should send out a search team.”
Ellie rushed to his side and gripped his arm, her nails biting into his skin in warning. “I told him about the fight we had. He decided to keep me company until you returned.”
Her gaze held his, and the fear he saw in it broke his heart. He promised himself he’d never leave her alone again and covered her hand with his. “I’m so sorry for everything.” He hoped she knew he meant that and wasn’t just putting on a show for Hopeful. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper and left you here by yourself.”
“Oh, it’s all right,” Ellie said a little too brightly. “We all say things we don’t mean when we’re upset.”
Hopeful studied the two of them like they were fascinating specimens under a microscope. His thin lips curled into an even wider smile, his amusement palpable as he lounged on the couch like he owned the place.
“That’s true,” he said, his voice deceptively casual, his eyes glinting. “Emotions can cloud our judgments and actions. It’s important always to keep a clear mind and open heart.” He held Cal’s gaze for a moment before pushing up from the couch. “I’m glad to see you two have mended your bond. A house divided cannot stand, especially not in these troubled times.”
Was that a threat?
Cal’s skin prickled, and he tightened his grip on Ellie, pulling her protectively to his side. “Thank you for your concern, but we’re okay now.”
