Exaltation (Insight #11)(96)
“You’re worried Kade will lose tonight?”
His smile fell. “Worried about the curse.”
“Curse?”
He clenched the steering wheel. “Sometimes when you get what you think you want you lose what you need, what would make you truly happy. It’s a curse. What happens when Escorts in my line cause an emotion.”
“You think Kade is cursed because you helped give him what he wanted?”
One nod.
“I think you taught him it was more than a race. I’ve watched him with you guys. He’s always been a shy one, easy to overlook, but you gave him confidence.”
“Raven, it’s still a gamble, but the thing is I know Benjamin is lurking. I know he staged the races so Kade would be here tonight.”
Raven stopped breathing—terror took over her expression. “Did someone forget to tell my father that when he advised us to be ‘seen’ tonight?”
No they didn’t. Jamison, as well as Rydell, knew a host of Escorts were aligning to attack the dome of energy over the Quarter. The plan was to move Raven and the others to the field the race was in. Benjamin would sense that, scramble then move there, where Rydell’s faction could handle him.
That was their battle plan. Jamison protecting the Quarter, and Rydell’s faction protecting Raven. Neither Jamison or Rydell cared for it but it was the best they could come up with at the time.
Rydell reached for her hand. “I have plenty of people from my faction there tonight. You’re going to be safe.”
“What about Kade?”
“I’ll keep him safe, too, even if I have to destroy his car.”
“Destroy it?”
“I have before. I hoped it would make him realize it was just a race, but it made him want it more. He and River seem to be distant so I hope whatever the curse is it turns out to be mild.”
Wide eyes. “Why would it matter if he and River were together?”
“I don’t think he races because his family does, he races to get her attention. The curse will give him the reward but take away what he was trying to reach.”
“What do you mean, take away?” Raven was sure this had to be why she had felt sick all night—why this night felt ominous.
He clenched his jaw. “It can be bad. I’m going to keep your friends safe tonight. I swear it.”
Meaning Kade was not winning this race—nope, Rydell and Dagen had already planned to help build the boy another car, right alongside his confidence.
Raven stayed silent until they got to the field. Rydell parked and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her temple and caressed her arm. After a long while he spoke. “I’m so sorry.”
Raven clenched his shirt in her fist. “Promise me we’re going to finish this, do this, and all of us are going to go home safe and sound.”
Before he could answer Dagen pounded on his window. A second right after, Rydell’s body tensed. He pulled Raven close to him like something was going to rip her from his arms within the next breath.
Rydell looked in every direction, nodded at Dagen, and the next thing Raven knew she was moved. She was standing on the edge of the property, hidden under the moss on the trees.
“What is going on?” Raven demanded.
“Benjamin is here.”
“Where?”
Rydell glanced in the direction of the track. “Stay up here.”
“Rydell! No!”
Dagen and the others had arrived around them, bringing the twins and Soren to Raven.
Rydell pulled Raven to him and gave her the deepest, most passionate kiss she had ever had, and she knew it didn’t feel like that just because they were in public. With that kiss she felt a surge of vim surround her like a barricade. A powerful shield. He vanished when his lips left hers, so did Dagen. The men Rydell obviously led stayed behind.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rydell couldn’t fool himself. No matter how many precautions they had put in place this was not safe.
“It didn’t take them long,” Dagen said to Rydell as they emerged on the bank of the track. They expected Benjamin to be tracking Raven the second she left the spells her father had in place over the Quarter.
“I don’t like these mind games.”
“Are you going to kill him now? Risk finding a different way to take Revelin out later?” Dagen asked, not really liking the plan but failing to find another way to get past this threat. At least nothing beyond putting Raven and the others in some kind of storm shelter covered in spells for the next century or so.
If they stopped Benjamin, it would stop Revelin for a time, too.
Rydell saw Benjamin close the hood on the car Kade was opposing. A second later Rydell felt him to the east and saw him on the hill top. “He’s mirroring.”
That was a risk and not a good one. Benjamin had enough power to manifest an army of his images. They would be nothing more than cloud when you went to attack him, but they would be a distraction.
“I’m counting ten now,” Dagen said, keeping his stare forward. “Nine are moving in around Raven.”
Each of those images had a part of his power in them. There were only ten, which meant he was greedy. He was keeping himself tight. He knew he was outnumbered but was stupid enough to force the war tonight.
Rydell tensed with rage. “And one is getting in the car.”