Exaltation (Insight #11)(92)

Raven glanced inside and saw some of the papers and magazines were turning to flames and vanishing, others disappeared without fire. It happened so fast the house which had nearly been a dump was almost pristine inside of five minutes. Saige was saying words over River and putting something on her head where she was bleeding. The wound was closing, slowly, but it was still closing.

Raven stood frozen in place. The only time she even bothered to flinch was when she saw Rydell and Dagen charge through the door.

Saige reached for her hand right as River blinked her eyes opened.

“There’s an alliance, child. You were never in danger.”

“He—he was really going to kill me?” Raven gasped as her eyes watered over.

Saige stood. Her hands were trembling ever so slightly as she cradled her face. “Child, no one could look into your eyes and find the thought to end you.”

“Am I a black widow?”

She didn’t answer, instead she closed her eyes and pulled Raven to her shoulder. The war of emotions began in Raven’s heart then. She had never been so scared.





Chapter Twenty-Seven

When Rydell had watched Raven drive away he knew something was wrong. Really wrong. Before he could follow her he understood why.

Benjamin appeared in his driveway. Dagen was at Rydell’s side in an instant.

“You want to do this now?” Rydell asked as he raised his chin to look down at him. Thankful Raven had left him just in time.

“What would we be doing?” Benjamin asked with a crooked smile.

“I’m going to take you out,” Rydell swore. “You’re a turncoat.”

“Me? If anyone is, out of the pair of us, it would be you,” Benjamin said with a grin. “Besides, you wouldn’t want to do it until you knew where all my little plots were, now would you?” he said with a glance to Rydell’s garage. “That’s going to be a sweet curse. Too bad you’re not the one that’s racing or we could fast forward this cat and mouse game.”

Dagen was right.

He’d thought for weeks Benjamin was behind the races Kade was winning. The other drivers clearly had better rides, nevertheless at the last second Kade would assault the finish line.

Benjamin had been hazing the races, building Kade up for a track and a race he was not ready for. Rydell knew that could only mean the curse he feared really was in play. How it would be in play was a mystery. He wasn’t sure if it would impact River. But no matter what it would impact Kade, and he didn’t deserve it. Rydell had pulled him into this.

What Rydell didn’t understand is why he was telling him of his plots, giving them a chance to change the course. This was a distraction; he was sure of it.

“You haven’t fed from Kade. I would have sensed you before. What are you not saying?” Rydell asked.

Benjamin shrugged. “Never been one for the discernible.”

“Clearly, I trusted you.”

“You. Trusted me? You robbed me,” Benjamin said with a snap.

“From a careless sovereign.”

“From power. My place,” Benjamin said with a murderous gaze.

A wayward thought crossed Rydell’s mind. Could he be the next First? Is that what Britain was trying to say? The thought was mind-blowing to Rydell. Benjamin was weak in his mindset, a follower, a puppet who was easily distracted—everything a First wasn’t. Rydell knew Revelin was empowering Benjamin; as he could and would do for anyone in his line—but a First? It just seemed ludicrous to Rydell.

“What lies have you heard?” Rydell said with a cock of his head. He was evaluating his energy. It was elevated, and Rydell’s was depleted. There was only a hairline of distance between their power at that instant.

“Never trust my ears, usually not my eyes. But the springs are revealing. They’re so full of information.”

“He’s using you,” Rydell warned, knowing he was right. First or not, Benjamin was still adjusting to the higher levels of power. Killing him now would be easy. What wasn’t easy was they were not ready to take down Revelin. Rydell needed to plot this, and quick.

“And you didn’t? You nearly let that girl kill me. Served me up like a steak. Telling us all she’s evil and an infant. Then low an behold you pulled her into your bed.”

Dagen reached his arm in front of Rydell. He knew he couldn’t stop him from lashing out but he wanted to put the thought in Rydell’s head to pause.

“Every dark moment brings joy, no wait, what is it we say…every joy brings a dark thing? Ah, it doesn’t matter. The thing is Revelin felt it when she struck me. He felt it hard, and as soon as he recovered he called me home.”

“He put you in a cage.” How could Benjamin not see that?

Benjamin glanced behind Rydell at his rental. “I’d rather be in his cage than your grease pit.”

“And he taught you to lie.” Benjamin was addicted to cars. So good at handling them Rydell was sure he had past lives that centered around them.

“Omit. No sense in engaging in earthly games unless they bring power.”

“What do you want right now?” Dagen asked, stepping forward. Benjamin was starting to sound just like Revelin, spouting his same words.

“Now? Nothing. I’m just a distraction.”

Right about then they all felt power surging through the air. A lot of power. Jamison and his coven moving to one location.