Exaltation (Insight #11)(89)



“Why would I lie? Rydell King, you’re not your sovereign’s First, at least not his first First.”

“Jamison,” Rydell breathed.

One nod.

“If you ask me, Jamison should have been the sovereign then. The Creator made a big whoops, but they say he never makes those so, it is what it is.”

“How come I was never told of this?” Rydell asked, feeling his soul pulse. All he could think was Raven was either going to have to kill him or her own father to rise, if not both. He couldn’t even fathom what that would do to her.

“Do you think Revelin would boast his true First not only left him but took his entire line?”

“An entire line?” Dagen said. Right as Rydell thought impossible.

“Even though lines were not as massive as they are today, it was still a large feat. Nevertheless, the first sovereign created had to recreate himself from the ground up. Giving the illusion it was the youngest line.”

“How does this war fold out then if there are two of us?”

“One, two, three? Who knows?”

“What?”

“Who knows how many he really has. How many he has released,” Britain said with a cunning grin. “No one but him witnessed your creation. We honestly thought you were stolen at first. You don’t look a thing like him.”

Rydell kept a balanced expression on his face. “What else made you feel I was false?”

“The punishment, the length of time had not been met. You see, Revelin was put in a ‘time out’ and that time out was not up until just recently.”

“So how did I come to be then? The rest of us?” Rydell asked with a glance to Dagen.

“Awesome question. More came after you so of course in time we believed him.” He leaned back. “I don’t know though, it seems odd you broke away when you did, that he tried to kill you when he did. He’s not as weak as he should be.”

“What you do mean he’s not weak?” Panic. Rydell felt panic for the first time. He thought Revelin was the last person he had to worry about for the next century.

“He was at the meeting of the kings just this night, looking very—energized.”

“I need to understand this war. How would the new kings know who to kill, when do they feel they have to?”

Britain shrugged. “There is no rule book or reason. At times I assume both sides feel the other knows more.” He leaned a little closer. “So you see I am really curious as to how your story may play out. What this girl of yours will be put through, and once she has completed her course if she will be the one you know…or someone else.”

She wasn’t going to go through anything. She would never know about any of this. Rydell was determined to find a way to end Revelin himself, then bow at her feet and surrender her crown to her.

“Did I give you enough information?” Britain asked.

“More to ponder.”

“Well then,” he said slapping his knees. “My work here is done. You look stronger by the way,” he said with a wink. “Smart little First you are, managed to get me to give you power the natural way.” He let his smile fade. “You need more. Trust me.”

“Decline,” Rydell said without even looking at him.

“Then ponder deeply for if your future unfolds the way confluence and circumstance have reflected, only one thing can save you.” He vanished in the next breath, clearly wanting Rydell to follow him to ask what that one thing may be.

“What now?” Dagen asked.

Rydell clenched his jaw. He kept thinking about all Revelin had put him through, and the fact Rydell wasn’t even his true First made it all the worse. “If I’m not his then we have to figure out who is. We have to make him weak so we can take him out.”

“Then you need to feed.”

“Not now.”

“Rydell, whoever we go against will be able to manifest mirrors and move fast. You want to protect her, this is the only way.”

They already knew Benjamin could spawn mirrors—those were reflections of people. Sometimes of the person who was creating them, sometimes other people.

“I’m good right now,” Rydell said, knowing the rush Britain gave him made him stronger than he had been in a while.





Chapter Twenty-Six

The afternoon went as planned. Raven left the house with the twins, and they dropped her off at Rydell’s.

One of Jamison’s rules was for Raven not to go into Rydell’s house unsupervised. She had never met his family. When she was over there she and Rydell stayed in the garage. She’d watch him work on Kade’s car with Dagen, which was far more fascinating than one would think. So hot.

Tonight was no different. Kade was over and so was Dagen. Another one of Kade’s friends was coming and going as they all worked on Kade’s ride. Raven sat on the toolbox and watched them.

Kade had won a lot of little races over the last few weeks but a big one was tomorrow. It was for pinks, and the track was on the DL.

It was made for backwoods racing. A friend of a friend of a friend had built it on the back of a hard to get to property. Like really built it. Dirt was mounded on each side and gravel was in the pit so everyone could stand on the mounds and look down, see it all at a safe distance.

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