Exaltation (Insight #11)(83)



“I lost both my children, and we have barely found them again. He’s surviving. Trying to stay lucid. I doubt he’s aware of the path he’s on. First and foremost, he’s trapped. I have to find a way to get him out.”

“Then he needs to find a different way to stay lucid while you figure it out,” Jamison bit out. Knowing Raven would never believe him if he told her the boy was made of her soul and was worth waiting on.

“She’s young,” Charlie said, with a glance to Raven “They both are. I don’t know why Cashton was pulled in so soon.”

“It’s not my concern. I’m disappointed,” Jamison said again, looking like the stern southern businessman he was.

“When their time is truly meant to cross he will not be the same. The Creator must want them to grow,” Charlie asserted.

“That or your boy just royally jacked up a divine plan. She was led there yesterday. By the Creator.”

Charlie fisted his hand through his hair as he stared out at the river.

“It’s too early,” Charlie finally said.

“Best of luck getting your son in line. And all I can say is that I hope we do not move from too early to too late.”

Charlie reached to shake Jamison’s hand, then glanced at Raven. “It was an honor to meet you, Hartley Raven BellaRose.”

Raven’s eyes grew wide right as he vanished.

“Dad, what is The Selected and how did a ghost just follow us out—and what was that coded talk you just had? And more importantly, how do dead people know my name!”

He stared out at the river then finally down at her. “It’s a story I don’t think you want to know, not now, after tonight. It will sway your heart.”

“I’m not na?ve. I went from thinking he was gone, that death had him, to knowing that to be true—that ghost is seduced by the world he’s in.”

Jamison knew it to be true, knew that at best Raven was nothing but an illusion to him now, a thought he couldn’t grasp in the position he was in. That didn’t make him less pissed at Cashton, though. The last thing Raven’s young heart needed to see was his actions.

“You should never strive to understand the unknown when your emotions are out of control. At the very least I’ve taught you that.”

Raven glanced away as she felt sick again.

“Listen,” he said to get her attention. “You are a half to a whole and that half is going to protect you far better than I can when it comes to the likes of your fate. This business with Rydell, it’s not real and you know it. Don’t let this night cast you in the wrong direction—every move you make impacts others on a scale I can’t even begin to explain clearly.”

Raven glared into thin air finding it impossible to believe Rydell’s coven had wronged hers so badly, so harshly her father wanted her to wait until ghost boy had managed to hook up with every hot little haunt he could find.

She liked her life better when acing school and mastering skating was all she had to worry about. When boys simply lingered in the background of her life.

She wanted to hate that ghost. Wanted to forget him and how he made her feel in one transitory moment but knew she was too weak to do so. None of it seemed fair to her.

“I just want to be me, Dad. I really like Rydell. He’s the only highlight to the past few weeks. Every time you or someone else bursts my bliss bubble he brings it back, even if it’s only the distraction of him.” She met his stare. “Just let me be right now, let me figure this out in my own way.”

Jamison clenched his jaw before he spoke. “Forget what we saw tonight. I’m not defending what you saw, but I understand what Charlie said. It’s very difficult to stay lucid in the Veil. Just do not hold that memory of Cashton in your mind. Promise me.”

Not an issue there. Raven was going to stomp out the memory of this night with everything she had—it was the only way she’d be able to stay sane.

When they walked in the kitchen door Emery tried to catch Raven, to help her through what she saw on her face but Raven rushed by her and crawled into her bed.

Every time the Cashton ghost came to mind Raven thought of Rydell. She told herself she had no reason to feel guilty for being his friend, or more. He was here—he was her happiness.

The war of emotions followed her into her haunting dreams.





Chapter Twenty-Four

It had been a long time since Rydell smiled for the hell of it. That smile was still on his face when he walked into his house and found Dagen and a few others from their faction. Dagen waved them off as soon as they saw Rydell. After a nod to Rydell they all vanished.

“That’s a big smile, King. And why are you covered in mud?”

“Just had a good night.”

“Glad you did,” Dagen said with a shake of his head.

“What happened?” Rydell asked as his mood fell.

“A whole lot of nothing. I can’t find Benjamin. Not on this plane.”

“Which means he’s with Revelin,” Rydell said as he felt fury wash over him.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Rydell swallowed a curse.

“The good news—no one can break the field Jamison has up. We tried all night just so I would know where we needed to have our people, so we could find the weak spots. There are none. Apparently adding us to the dome of energy he has made it invincible. Smart one, that Jamison. I made sure everyone was well fed, too.”

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