heartbeat // zayn malik AU

chapter twenty-six

"'Cause I've drawn regret,

from the truth of a thousand lies."

- Linkin' Park [What I've Done]

Quiet fell on our group for a solid minute. Mr. Pomfrey emitted a low groan of despair, running his fingers through the slicked-back mop of his hair. "A takeover? Are you sure? A takeover?" he muttered distractedly. "That's impossible. That's never happened!"

"I would just like to point out," Zayn said mildly, "that Council used to think that demons were still extinct. They also thought that they were basically invincible, and now two of their members--one of which is the Head--are dead."

I flinched at the reminder of Amary-Rose's death. Renee put her arm around my waist and gave me a sort of half-hug, and I leaned closer to my friend.

Mr. Pomfrey fixed us with an unsure expression. "What are you getting at?"

"Please don't pretend," Cyphus said brusquely. "Council always pretends to have everything under control, and all it ends up doing is getting others hurt. You came to us for help, didn't you?"

I frowned. "Wait. Why are you coming up to us? We're just young people; what are we supposed to do to help?" I'm not even an angel, I added in the privacy of my own mind.

"There is actually something very big that you can do to help us, Valarie," the man responded.

My eyebrows raised of their own accord. "And what would that be?"

He leaned forward. "You are an Arrowan, aren't you?"

I gasped, and for a second struggled to figure out how he could know that. Then I remembered: The Books. Council had access to all of our records. Stupid know-it-all pricks.

"So what if I am?" I snapped.

Beside me, Zayn gave a little sigh and shook his head at me. "What do you mean 'so what'?" he whisper-hissed in my ear. "It's only the biggest family name in the angel world--"

"Well, I'm not really a part of the angel world, am I?" I cut him off sharply, and he froze, eyes wide.

"It has long been believed that the Arrowans have in their possession a clue or map to the whereabouts of the Infinity Sword," Mr. Pomfrey said, finally reaching his point.

Cyphus trapped him in a coolly calculating examination of his green eyes. "That so? I thought the Sword was stolen after the Battle of Baille, after Kenneth Arrowan passed away. It disappeared, didn't it?"

Playing along, Renee bobbed her head in agreement. "That's what I've always heard." She narrowed her eyes at Mr. Pomfrey. "What gives you any reason to believe differently?"

The mild expression on Mr. Pomfrey's face was quickly vanishing, replaced with a mask of irritation and anger. "Look, children, you all need to stop with all the questions. I could have you all arrested right now, you know. Especially you two." He nodded towards Zayn and I. "But I'm not going to, and that's because I honestly think that you could help us." Turning to face me, he fiddled absently with the lapels of his coat. "Valarie, I need you to be totally honest with me. Does your family know anything about the Infinity Sword?"

I took a soft breath, casting a questioning gaze towards Zayn. He paused for a bit, then gave me a subtle nod. Tell the truth, he was telling me.

So I did.

"I have no freaking clue."

Mr. Pomfrey glared at me.

I bit down on my bottom lip. "My mother might, though. She said she hid it, a long time ago."