Exaltation (Insight #11)(85)

He’d crossed a lot of souls in his long existence, never witches though—every being knew that was a bad idea. So their scrutiny made no sense to him, he could only assume it was because they didn’t agree with the alliance Jamison had made with the Helco faction.

“That everyone?” Rydell asked as he glanced at the hard stare Saige was giving him from across the patio.

“Pretty much. Miss Thelma Ray is around, too. There usually aren’t this many people here. I guess you’re something to see,” Raven teased, still not sure why her Aunt and her friend were looking at Rydell the way they were. Why they glanced at her dad every now and again and shook their head slightly.

Approval or not I’m keeping him…Raven thought with wry smile as she met her aunt’s gaze, then her fathers.

“River hasn’t come down,” Rydell said to her quietly as he nodded to Dagen who was trying to get Kade to crack a smile.

“I’ll go check on them. You’ll be all right?” He nodded once. Raven moved double time, not wanting to leave him alone for too long. The twins were not even dressed yet. They’d woke up and pulled the book out.

“Are you guys nuts? Food is seconds from the table.”

“Check it,” Ash said, raising her hand. “I think you have a sister or a cousin, maybe a few.”

“Do what?”

“It means cousin,” River said, pushing her notes to Ash. “This says seven sisters.”

“Seven!” Raven said with a gawk.

“I don’t think it’s blood,” Ash said.

“It’s not,” River agreed. “I don’t get the reference though.”

“Whoa, just stop. Kade is downstairs looking like he lost his best friend. We can’t do this tonight.”

“No, you have to ask your Aunt Saige about her daughter.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s her daughter.”

“Here is a news flash. She’s not my blood aunt. Dad told me so.”

“But this is the coven’s book. The one that reads like your dad is the old leader’s son, so that means in this book she is,” Ash argued.

“What?”

“There is even a name. Sky,” River said.

“No, lyn,” Ash protested.

“Maybe it’s one name. Skylynn,” River said as if she had an epiphany. Raven just shook her head. You are both now insane—certifiable.

“We’re serious,” Ash said, shaking her notes. “I think she’s one of the seven, too. It says she’s shadowed. You have to find an evasive way to ask Saige about it.”

“Seriously,” River said. “I bet that Skylynn girl knows where the other sisters are—it’d be best to find them before all this hits. And they’re here in this dimension or so its says…The Queens resided in Infante.”

“Do what?”

“That’s our planes name to those who travel the other dimensions and realms—means young, and massive. A good place to hide from wicked monarchs who’d rather not be slain by young blood.”

Raven’s gaze darted between the pair of them. Yep. Certifiable. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t we take the books downstairs and have a powwow—instead of pouring through this we go to the source? And maybe find a way for you not to go to juvy?”

You would have thought Raven spoke a different language. Which meant the twins knew they would be in BIG trouble if anyone found out where those books came from.

“Get dressed or I’m telling on you.” And with that said, Raven ran out of the room.

They finally came down.

River’s stare didn’t go to Kade. Instead, she turned scarlet when she saw Dagen and then her flirtatious grin surfaced.

Rydell was the one who noticed it as he elbowed Dagen. “You trying be inventive in breaking that curse?” he asked in a low tone.

Dagen glanced over River. He had done so a thousand times before. The girl was hot, but he had too much on his plate to play games. “If that was an option I’d be all over it.”

“She’s seventeen,” Rydell said with a slant of his head, knowing Dagen didn’t have the control he did, not when it came to women.

“Almost eighteen,” Dagen countered. “Just drop it for now. I’m ready get out of here. We got stuff to do.”

“Any lead on Benjamin?”

“No, that’s why I got work to do.”

Rydell and Raven ate their dinner on one of the back tables with the twins, Soren, and Dagen. Safe from parental figures, but as soon as it was over the twins took off and Soren followed. Kade not so much. He said he had to work on his car and left. Rydell nodded to Dagen and without out a word he followed Kade.

Right about then two bowls were set in front of Rydell and Raven. Well, Raven’s was set, Rydell’s was nearly slammed. Raven had her favorite in front of her—carrot cake with extra cream cheese icing. She wasn’t sure what Rydell had. It looked like it was supposed to be peach pie. Yuck”

Miss Thelma Ray sat down right beside him and leaned forward with a furrowed brow.

Raven’s stomach flipped. This was going to be bad.

“Good luck,” she said under her breath as she nudged Rydell under the table. He glanced at her but his focus was on Thelma Ray. Where it should be.