Vindicate (Insight #5)(86)

“Quit being a tool,” Aden said through his teeth. “Where were you ? Where is everyone else?”

“Ask them,” Winston said, crossing his arms, refusing to answer.

“He was looking for his daddy,” Dane said with heavy disgust.

“Were you?” I said sarcastically, raising my eyebrows.

“You guys weren’t in Esterious. I didn’t feel you there,” Landen said in a mystified tone.

“Bingo. This man gets a prize,” Winston said, only to get another slap on the back of the head, from Draven this time.

“Where were you?” I asked. “I haven’t seen you in days.”

“Infante,” Clarissa answered, “looking into this Escort thing.”

“That’s not where you found me,” Winston said as he dodged another smack from Aden. “Where were we, chaps? Tell them, why don’t you?”

“A guy named Silas brought him to us. Told us that you knew him, that he needed to be with you.” Dane supplied.

I felt Charlie’s heart sink when Silas’ name was said. I looked from her to Clarissa. “He just walked up to you and said, ‘Here, take this kid’?”

“Something like that,” Clarissa said, not able to hold eye contact with me.

“Listen,” Da ne said. “We have to get back. Just keep him under control.”

“Where are you going?” Lande n asked. “Mom’s cooking dinner. Everyone is going to be there. We need to relax, think things through.”

“They don’t know how to rest in peace,” Winston said as a wicked grin came across his face.

“What is going on?” I asked, looking from Winston to Dane and Clarissa.

“Nothing,” Dane promised. “We’re not trying to be rude – not at all. We’ve met a few p eople who understand The Realm, and we need time to work through it . We’re fine. I promise.”

“We will work through it with you,” I swore .

“I know you will, but if I don’t understand it enough to exp lain what I know simply to you then I need more time,” Dane said, looking down at me, pleading for space with his eyes and emotion.

“Alright. Space . I t’s yours,” I mumbled, still not understanding.

“Where are you staying so I can find you?” Landen asked.

“New Orleans. One of Austin’s old houses,” Dane answered.

“Is that where you have been?” I asked .

“Spent a lot of time in the French Quarter,” Clarissa said as she tried to smile .

Dane reached his arm around Clarissa. “We’re going to get back.”

As they turned to leave, Clarissa hesitated, then looked over her shoulder. “Landen, tel l Mom I love her. Tell Dad, too …I love all of you.”

Landen’s eyes grew wide as he saw her tears. When he stepped forward, she held her hand out to stop him. “I’m fine. I swear . I’m fine. I just don’t tell you that I love you enough, and I want you to know that I have always felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I have the best family in the world. The best brothers.”

She leaned against Dane, and he pulled her close as they disappeared into the glow.

“What the hell?” I thought.

“I – I don’t know. I’ve never seen her like that.”

“Should we follow them?”

His eyes told me no . “They’re telling the truth.”

“Are you sure?” I thought as a sick feeling settled in my throat.

He nodded as he stared into the glow they had disappeared into. “Let’s go home.”

Landen turned around and grabbed Winston by the back of the arm. Draven took his other arm, and they led .

Charlie was sta ring at me with absolute fear and grief in her soul.

Madison walked ahead with Aden, but not before whispering something to Charlie.

I took a few steps forward and found my pace with Charlie. “Why would Silas take Winston to them ? Not us . Not you . Not Chara?”

Charlie shrugged her shoulders. “He’s unpredictable.”

“What are you not saying to me?” I asked.

She grimaced. “I don’t know how to say it.”

“Try,” I said as I all but stopped.

Charlie gritted her teeth and balled her fist. Madison looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows, telling Charlie to speak up, no doubt.

“Silas. Silas is not real.”

“He looked real to me,” I argued.

Charlie rubbed her hands across her face, then let out a deep b reath. “I mean, he’s not alive, but he’s not dead. He’s undead.”

“What?!” I whispered harshly, knowing that made no sense.

“He’s like immortal. Like some kind of archangel or something . He can appear and disappear like a ghost, but there are some pla ces he doesn’t go – or can’t go. He spends a lot of his time in The Realm. A lot of time killing Escorts. I f he’s not there, he’s in old cities like Salem. Like New Orleans.”

“So he’s a ghost,” I clarified. Oddly, not finding that shocking like most normal people would.

Charlie moved her head from side to side. “No. My dad is a ghost and he’s not flesh he’s like Draven’s mom. Silas is different; he’s made of flesh. I don’t know want to call him besides undead.”