Page 25 of Death Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

For a second, nobody spoke.

The forge gave off a low, leftover warmth. Metal tools lay in neat rows, silent and patient, like they were waiting for a hand to pick them up and start shaping certainty out of chaos. I would have loved some certainty. Even a small, affordable amount.

Tegan’s expression tightened, eyes narrowing as if she could stare hard enough to force the universe to make sense. Nishi went very still, the way she did when she was doing ten things at once in her head. Faith’s jaw set, her whole body shifting into that ready stance that meant she was one surprise away from violence. Eve’s fingers kept returning to her necklace, not fidgeting exactly, more like checking it was still there.

Andel watched us all, cautious again, like he’d said too much.

I cleared my throat. “Okay. So we’ve established the death magic is weird, and the necromancer is unusual. That’s… not comforting.”

Faith’s eyes flicked to me. “Save the humor.”

“I’m not sure I can,” I said. “It’s either sarcasm or sobbing. I’m trying to be considerate.”

Eve opened her mouth to respond, but her phone buzzed in her hand.

She glanced down, and her face changed. The tension in her shoulders turned brittle. Her lips parted.

“What?” Faith demanded.

Eve’s gaze lifted, locking onto all of us. “Hunter.”

My stomach dropped before she even read it out loud.

Eve’s voice went tight. “Another attack. Downtown.”

Nishi’s ring turned once, fast. “Location?”

Eve’s eyes flicked to the screen again. “On the main street. There are mundanes.”

Of course it was downtown.

Because if you were going to unleash undead chaos, why not pick the place with the most witnesses, the most phone cameras, and the highest chance of someone doing a livestream with dramatic music.

Eve swallowed. “He says people are filming. Social media is going crazy.”

I felt something cold and heavy settle in my stomach. That was not fear of the undead. That was fear of the internet.

Faith swore under her breath, vicious. “We’re going.”

Tegan’s gaze snapped up. “Now.”

Andel stepped forward, brow furrowing. “Downtown. That’s too open.”

“That’s the point,” Nishi said. Her voice stayed calm, but her eyes were hard. “Whoever is doing this wants exposure.”

Eve’s phone buzzed again. She glanced down, and her breath hitched.

“What?” I asked, already hating the answer.

“Several mundanes have been killed,” Eve said quietly.

The workshop seemed to tilt for a second. Like my body didn’t like the idea and tried to refuse it.

I had seen death. I had dealt with death. I had smelled it in quiet rooms and held it in my hands like a fragile thing that could be guided gently. This was not gentle. This was screaming in public.

Tegan’s face went pale, then she did what she always did when fear tried to take her. She got practical.

“Spencer,” she said, already pulling out her phone. “I’m calling Spencer.”