Chapter 56 The Bell Tower
In the evening, after I left the council hall, I went to the library, where I found Oliver. Other students were there too, but they were slowly being dismissed.
After how rude I had been earlier, I didn’t know if I could face him again.
I shouldn’t have spoken to him that way. I needed to apologize but just not now.
I moved to another section of the library, close to the tall window, pulled a book from the shelf, and pretended to read. In truth, I was only waiting. Waiting for everyone to leave.
One by one, the seats emptied.
Soon, Oliver stood up. He adjusted the books in his bag, sliding the manuscript in carefully. His face was plain, unreadable. No smile. No familiar warmth. Just a straight, distant expression.
I raised the book higher, covering my face until he walked past. Only when I was sure he was gone did I lower it.
Still, I waited.
By 8:00 p.m., the library was completely empty.
I stood and made my way toward the stairs, heading for the attic. If Julian was anywhere, I was certain I would find him there.
As expected, the place was dark. Old books lay scattered around, their spines cracked with age. I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.
“Julian,” I called.
No response.
I took another step forward.
“Julian,” I called again, my voice echoing faintly as I searched the shadows. “Julian, I got something for you. Come out.”
If anything would draw him out, it would be that.
But nothing moved.
No sound. No presence.
“Where could he be?” I murmured to myself.
Then I remembered what Melissa once told me, he would either be in the library’s attic or the tower.
I left the attic and hurried back down. My steps were quick, almost careless, until I froze mid-step.
Oliver stood there.
Our eyes met instantly.
“What are you doing?” he asked, then glanced up toward the stairs I had just come down from. “…In there?”
Not now, Oliver. Please, not now.
I didn’t want to stand with him. I didn’t want to apologize. Not if it meant he would insist on coming with me.
“That’s none of your business,” I said, sharper than I intended.
His eyes flicked back to me. “Did you go to see that psycho… up there?”
“For the last time, Adrian is not a psycho,” I said firmly. “And please, stick around, but stay out of my business, Oliver.”
I walked past him toward the door.
He didn’t stop me. He didn’t say another word. He only watched as I left, and I didn’t look back.
I exited the school hall and headed straight for the bell tower. I climbed the stairs until I reached the top, my breath uneven.
The wind up there was cold, sharp and relentless.
How does Julian survive up here?
I stepped forward—
Then I froze.
Someone was lying flat on the floor.
My heart slammed against my ribs as I moved closer. Slowly, details came into focus.
First, the Gravenmoor uniform.
Then the skirt.
A girl.
Her hair had fallen across her face.
I leaned down, my hands trembling, and swept her hair aside.
My heart sank the moment I saw her.
It was Melanie.
My entire body froze.
What was she doing here, lying flat on the tower floor?
Her skin looked lifeless, pale like porcelain, as though she had been dead for far too long.
I fell back, crawling away from her. I wanted to stand, to run, but my legs betrayed me. They refused to move.
“Wait… is she alive?” I whispered to myself.
Panic forced me forward again. I crawled back to her, my breath shaking, and reached out, ready to place my index finger beneath her nose.
Then my eyes caught her neck.
Two bleeding holes.
Perfectly spaced.
Like something had bitten her.
A cold ran through my spine, freezing every nerve.
Then, from the ledge, I heard a sound.
A harsh, guttural caw.
I snapped my head toward it.
A raven.
Just one.
“What…?” I whispered under my breath.
It was here again.
It must have done this to Melanie.
Whoever or whatever was behind this… whoever was sending these ravens… had to be connected to Sally’s death. To Marcus’s death.
Maybe this was the process.
Maybe this was how they went missing, how they returned acting strange, hollow, wrong.
But when I looked again at the marks on her neck, doubt crept in.
Neither Sally nor Marcus had wounds like this.
This wasn’t the same.
This was different.
This looked like an animal had done it.
I stood slowly and moved toward the ledge. As I approached, the raven took flight, disappearing into the dark clouds above.
I watched it vanish.
Then—
A loud sound exploded behind me.
Like flesh hitting flesh.
I flinched, frozen in place. My body trembled violently, unsure whether to turn or stay still.
Then came groaning.
Struggling.
The sound of bodies fighting.
I gathered what little courage I had left and turned around.
Slowly.
Step by step.
Melanie’s body still lay flat where she was, unmoving.
But behind her—
Two figures were struggling near the wooden structure, one pressed down beneath the other.
Oh God.
Let this be a dream. Let this be one of my nightmares.
“Lexie!” I flinched, even though I knew that voice.
“Go! now! Leave!” Oliver shouted. I wanted to obey. I really did. I took a step past them but my eyes flicked to the person Oliver was pressing down.
I froze mid-step.
“Julian?”