Exaltation (Insight #11)(67)

Thunder vibrated the school right about then.

“It’s getting wicked outside,” Raven said in an uneasy tone.

Soren put his arm around her. Which would be totally cool and normal to Raven if she didn’t notice Dagen stepping out of Mr. Berries’ class down the hall.

Instead of Dagen giving Raven a dirty look, he winked at her and gave a guy nod to Soren.

Odd.

When they got to the classroom everyone was walking in and turning and walking out. On the board there was a note from Berries that said he was ill and for us to go to the library and sign in—work on our thesis.

Raven could have sworn she heard angels singing in the air. The entire weight of the day lifted immediately.

Soren seemed perplexed as they left the room. Instead of focusing on where they were going, he kept looking over his shoulder in the direction Dagen had gone.

“You’re the tense one now,” Raven quipped.

“Storm’s getting bad outside.”

“You don’t think?”

“Let’s just find a back corner and lay low,” he said, as he took Raven’s hand and pulled her to the library. Most of the class was signing in and turning to leave.

Soren and Raven made their way to the back corner and camped out on the floor. Raven started to work on her paper but Soren kept his eyes trained on the entryway to the aisle.

About the time Raven gave up on her thesis and started on her chem homework, Soren stood up like someone had poked him with a hot iron. That was enough to get Raven’s attention. She pushed her books in her bag and stood behind him.

He held his arm back to keep Raven behind him as they moved forward. Right when they reached the beginning of the aisle, Raven heard a bellowing scream, which made her jump back five feet and caused her heart to slam into her throat.

It was only Miss Carrington, the librarian.

“You scared the life out me,” she said as she braced herself on the bookshelf and held her chest with her other hand. “What are you doing back here?” she said as her eyes darted back and forth between Soren and Raven in an accusing way. Really? Raven thought.

“We’re in Mr. Newberry’s class, we are supposed to be here,” Soren said.

“No one is supposed to be here. They dismissed school early so everyone would be home before this storm came through. You need to go. Now.”

“Go or find shelter?” Raven asked with a tremble.

“The storm isn’t supposed to pass over until four so you have plenty of time. Get to a safe place.”

“We have to find the girls,” Raven said to Soren, as she rushed past him and weaved through the aisles, trying to get out of the library.

When they reached the hall they were both sure they had stepped into a horror film. All the lights were out and the halls were vacant. Random papers were strewn here and there across the floor.

“How did we miss this memo? I bet they are freaking out that they couldn’t find us,” Raven said, as she raked her hands through her hair.

They walked double time down the halls. Right as they crossed the commons area they saw a shadow ahead and a cold chill ran down Raven’s back. She knew that profile.

“Can’t be,” Soren said under his breath.

Benjamin, the boy who nearly killed Raven in that car wreck, decided to step into the glow of the emergency lights just then.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the girl who broke my heart,” he said in a sinister tone.

“Where did you come from?”

“Oh, I’ve been back about a week or so, keeping a low profile, you know, because I’m shy and all,” he said as he moved forward.

He hadn’t changed one bit. Raven was apprehensive about dating him a few years back because he looked older. His hairstyle was the only thing that allowed him to get away with perceived age as a young teen. He’d cut it since then. His dark blond hair was brushed back, and the cool stare of his eyes were gleaming in the dark hall.

In the blink of an eye he was gone. Before Raven could process his sudden disappearance, she heard a BOOM and realized it was Benjamin’s body slamming into the lockers twenty feet from where he was standing and none other than Dagen was holding him in place.

“Been looking for you, buddy,” Dagen said through gritted teeth.

Up until this point Raven had taken Dagen as a playful soul, carefree, the nice guy who was helping River’s boy Kade out. That perception shifted as she saw him for what he truly was: lethal.

Dagen glanced over his shoulder. “Get her out of here.”

Soren glared at Benjamin as he started to move toward him.

“Do your job, and get her out of here!” Dagen growled at Soren.

Right then Benjamin vanished from his grasp. Dagen swallowed a curse as he vanished, too.

Oh. My. God! What just happened!

Soren grabbed Raven’s hand and they took off. Every hallway they passed Raven could have sworn she saw shadowed images moving toward them, ones that looked just like the ones they had all fought in The Realm. When they passed a well-lit hall they saw an even darker enemy. Berries.

“What are you two doing? Come here this instant,” Berries said to them.

Soren focused on him then under his breath he said, “Take my bag, my keys, get the car, and pull up out front.”

“I’m not leaving you to deal with him alone!”