Brent moved his fingers up my neck, working the knots out. “What if he does that to us? What if he erases our memories too?”
“Is there anything we can do to prevent that?” Cherie asked.
I let out a humorless laugh. “This would normally be the point where I’d ask Vovó for the answer.”
“We can ask Dalva and Rosane,” Cherie said.
“What about Kalina or Faith?” Cherie asked, sitting across from me. “They seemed willing to help.”
“I’m not sure about them either,” I said.
Brent rubbed my arm. “I think they already put forward a pretty good show of trust. Even if it didn’t help, Kalina tried to give you the scroll. And Faith told you what was on it.”
I knew he was right, but it was too much to think about right now. My grandma should be the one to make the big decisions. “How am I supposed to do this without Vovó?”
Neither of them answered. But their silence spoke volumes. They both thought I needed to reach out. Still, I had to be sure.
“You really think calling Kalina is a good idea?” I finally asked.
“I think it’s a great idea.” He held up both hands. “But I’m not the one in charge. That would be you.”
I suddenly sympathized with Atlas.
“How did I end up being the leader? I never wanted this. I never wanted to make decisions that could get people hurt. I feel so alone.”
“Hey, now. You’re not alone.” He put his arm around me and pulled me against his chest. “You have me and Cherie and Steve. It isn’t just you against Crosby and his minions.”
“I know. I do know, but . . . it all just feels so hopeless.”
“ Don’t let yourself be beaten before you even begin.”
I tilted my head back so I could look into his eyes. “That sounds like something Vovó would say.”
“She may have said something like that to me once.” He leaned closer and kissed the tip of my nose.
“Looks like you don’t have to choose after all,” Cherie said.
I opened my eyes and saw Kalina standing in the doorway of the waiting room. She shifted from foot to foot, her face pale and her hands shaking.
“I’m so sorry, Yara. I saw what happened to your grandma in a vision.”
The empathy in her face surprised me.
“Have you seen anything like this before?” I asked. “Crosby messing with people’s memories?”
She cleared her throat, nodding slowly. “Yes.”
I sat up. “And you didn’t warn us?”
“I couldn’t!” She stepped forward, her hands held out in front of her. “Kathryn compelled me not to.”
“That excuse won’t—”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything, Yara. Knowing wouldn’t have saved her. I promise.”
Cherie looked away, wiping her eyes, and Brent rested his forehead against my shoulder. I couldn’t feel anything. It was like my body had overloaded and shut down.
Kalina cleared her throat and her voice dropped to hoarse whisper. “It happened to my mom, weeks ago. I’m still trying to put the pieces back together.”
Something about the way her voice sounded, the way she looked when she said that reminded me of the day she showed up at my house. My shoulders dropped a little.
“It happened the day you brought me the scroll, didn’t it?”
She blinked. “How did you know?”
“Something major must’ve happened for you to go against Kathryn.”
Her hands clenched and she plopped into a chair next to Cherie. “I never wanted anybody else to have to go through this. Not letting me warn you was the final straw.”
Kalina and I already shared a lot in common but we’d never really bonded over being a Waker or a Returned. But this was a time where we might truly need each other.
I licked my lips, gathering my courage to ask the question I really wanted to know. “Do you know if this permanent? Has your mom gotten any better at all?”
“I don’t know if it can be reversed, but so far no, my mom hasn’t regained any of her Waker knowledge.”
I shuddered and collapsed against Brent, the pain breaking through the numbness that had sunk into my bones. “So not the answer I was hoping for.”
Brent’s fingers closed around my hip and his eyes mirrored my own sorrow.
Was this how Crosby would win? Cornering us when we were alone, when our guard was down? That was the track we were on. I didn’t want to go out that way.
The only way to change our fate was to alter our game plan, to go on the offensive. There had to be a lead out there, some clue where to find Crosby. And we’d find it.
In that moment, I made my decision.
“We’ve been playing it safe for too long and he’s picking us off one by one. We’ve got to up the stakes and take the fight to him.”
Kalina’s eyes lit up. “That is exactly what I hoped you’d say.”
Standing up, she handed me a piece of paper with a list of names. “Those people will be at your house tomorrow at four. We have a war to plan.”
Chapter 13
Cherie walked through the back door and DJ moved out of her way so she wouldn’t step through him.
“I sat for another two hours listening to Modesto talk about the drought,” she said.
“And?” Brent looked up from the map of California he’d been studying.
I closed my eyes, stuffing away the disappointment as I set down the article I’d printed. We’d been poring over every article and Crosby sighting we could find trying to pinpoint where he could be hiding out.
Cherie sighed as she sat down. “Even with my leading questions, he didn’t mention anything about ghosts or Wakers.”
“What about plant life?” Brent asked.
“It was mostly basic crops that were affected, which we already knew.” She took her hair out of the bun she’d been wearing and shook it free. “If there’s some magical plant, Modesto doesn’t know about it. And he said no one else has really made a study of the drought. He couldn’t give us any other sources.”
“Then why did Christopher send us back to him?” I asked.
Cherie opened her mouth, but her phone beeped and she glanced at the screen. “Did you know there are three ghosts here?”
She looked up at me to confirm and I shook my head. “I only see DJ.”
Cherie glanced around the kitchen with a sad smile. “Hi, DJ. We miss you, you backstabbing little twerp.”
DJ laughed. “She always could hold a grudge.”
I ignored him and asked Brent, “Who else is here?”
He tilted his head toward the fridge. “Phil Lawson and a guy dressed in a Pendrell uniform that I don’t recognize. Oh, now there’s also a lady who looks familiar.”
Cherie studied the dots blipping on her screen. “Who else have you seen so far? Besides Christopher and Neal.”
“Yara’s brother Kevin,” he said.
Cherie’s hand went to her heart. “You saw Kevin?”
My brother had been Cherie’s first serious boyfriend and they’d still been dating when he died. It had been hard for her on Halloween, when I could see him and she couldn’t. Judging by her wistful expression, discovering Brent had seen him wasn’t any easier.
“How did he look?”
“Good.” Brent marked a spot on the map. “He looked really good. And happy.”
I knew that, but it was always good to hear.
Cherie grinned at me, but quickly shook her head. “So, we know that Christopher has been trying to relay messages to you. What about the others?”
Brent cleared his throat. “I think they want me to come into the light with them.”
“Oh.” Cherie’s eyes cut to mine.
I couldn’t look at her. Hearing that still stabbed at my heart. It was worse since the binding ceremony Vovó had performed. Losing Brent would be . . . awful didn’t begin to describe it.
Cherie tucked her phone into the pocket of her jeans. “O
kay, well, don’t listen to them. If the light comes for you, run in the opposite direction.”
“But what about all those near death experiences?” Brent folded up his map. “They always talk about the light.”
“Those were people who saw the light, but hadn’t crossed into it yet. Not completely,” I said.
“So if I see the light, I run.” Brent gave Cherie a salute. “Got it.”
“Tell him he can follow me,” DJ said. “I’m not going anywhere near that light.”
I ignored DJ and moved around the table, sliding onto Brent’s lap. Placing my palms on his cheeks, my fingers caressed his face. I could smell the peppermint candy he’d been snacking on. His breath warmed my lips while his brown eyes stared into mine.
“Brent, if the light comes for you, it’ll break my heart, but you can’t run. I’ve seen the ghosts that get left behind and I don’t want you to end up like that.” I took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to his lips. Short and soft, but sincere. “If the light comes, go into it. When it’s my time, I want you to be waiting for me there.”
I forced myself not to cry, to be brave. No matter how selfish I was, I never wanted Brent’s spirit to end up lost and wandering alone where I may not be able to find him.
The humming of the garage door motor announced Vovó’s arrival home from the hospital. Cherie, Brent, and I formed a welcoming line at the door leading into the kitchen just as it opened. She appeared exactly the same as always. If only she really were. She gave us each a hug as she passed.
“What did the doctors say,” I asked my dad as he closed the door behind him.
“They don’t know, but they’re thinking it might have been dehydration. Or some form of a stroke, although their scans don’t show that. It’s not like their theory is going to include memory wiping.” He sighed and shoved his hands in his back pockets, looking every minute of his fifty years. “They aren’t sure what to make of her memory loss and aren’t sure about it being permanent. But they all said she seemed healthy.”
It was pretty much what I’d expected, but not what I’d hoped.
“I have to go,” Cherie said. “Steve and I have are having dinner with his parents tonight.”
“Be safe.” I tugged on her hair.
“I will.” I locked the door behind her and wondered if I’d ever feel okay letting anyone leave my sight again.
My mom heated up some leftovers for dinner and we all sat down to eat.
“I almost forgot. A nurse at the hospital was talking about a rally Crosby’s sponsoring,” Mom said, setting extra silverware on the table. “And this lead wasn’t given to us by Brent’s evil dad, either.” My mom grimaced and gave Brent an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
DJ and Brent snorted at the same time.
“No problem,” Brent said while DJ piped in, “Just saying it how it is.”
“That’s not very polite, young man,” Vovó said, reaching for the butter and glaring at DJ.
Brent and My mom appeared confused. I mouthed, “DJ,” to them, and they both nodded.
“DJ hasn’t had the best experiences with Brent’s dad, Vovó,” I told her. “But you’re right; he shouldn’t say such things in front of Brent.”
“Exactly.” Vovó spread some butter on her roll. “Manners are very important.”
After seeing Vovó’s panic-filled eyes when I mentioned ghosts to her at the hospital, we’d decided not to tell her how many she encountered every day. If it hadn’t been so tragic, it would have been pretty funny.
Brent stared in the general direction of DJ. His eyes widened then narrowed. With a frown on his face, he rubbed his eyes and then he leaned toward me and whispered, “I can see DJ.”
“What?” I lowered my voice and scooted my chair closer so we could have a private conversation. “How’s that possible?”
Brent shrugged. “Maybe it has something to do with our souls binding? He’s sorta bound to both of us, now.”
“Or it could be part of your genetically altered DNA,” I suggested. “Think you can see all ghosts now, or just DJ?”
“I’m not—” he started to respond in a quiet voice.
“Well, Crosby’s rally is at a bus terminal.” My mom interrupted us, bringing the conversation back to Crosby. “I think it’s such a weird location. Why would he have it there?”
“We’re finishing this conversation later,” I told Brent before answering my mom. “I have no idea.”
“Maybe it’s the only place that’d let Crosby in.” Brent wiped his mouth with his napkin. “They’re used to cockroaches and rats there.”
I laughed. “I say we go. See what information we can gather and then regroup.”
Brent glanced at Vovó and raised his eyebrow. “You don’t want to go in guns blazing?”
I shook my head. “I would love to, but he’s too strong. We have to figure out what we’re up against first.”
I just hoped we could survive our scouting mission.
My dad cleared his throat. “I don’t think you should go at all. This is his first public event. Don’t you think he’ll be waiting for you?” He reached out and chucked me gently under my chin. “He may have more strength and greater numbers, but you’re smarter.”
The doorbell rang before I could whine about how hard it would be to miss this opportunity.
“That should be Kalina and Faith now,” I said, standing up from the table.
Kalina didn’t look happy when I opened the door. She had a crease between her eyebrows, and her face was pale. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she handed me a plain white envelope.
I opened it and read the letter inside.
Did you like the sample of what I can do? I could have taken her completely, but I wanted you to have a reminder of what will happen to the people you love if you continue to meddle. I can make you forget anyone and anything. Don’t try me. Give me what I want.
A single C signed the note.
I crumpled the note and stalked to the kitchen, my entire body trembling. I forced myself to sit, but my hands wouldn’t stop quivering. Brent pried my hand open and muttered a swear word after reading the letter. He passed it on to my parents.
Faith and Kalina sat down and we stared at the note now resting in the center of the table, all of us silent. Sure his threat was scary, but more than anything, it infuriated me, leaving me boiling and raging, waiting to explode. I took a deep breath, trying not to let his gloating get to me.
Janette appeared beside DJ. Vovó rubbed her eyes and squinted at Janette. “You are certainly spry. I didn’t even see you come in.”
Janette smiled at Vovó. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I came with my daughter.”
Vovó grinned. “A pleasure to meet you.”
Kalina’s eyes shone with pity as she greeted my grandma. My mom glanced around at the gathering and quietly gathered up two plates of dinner, guiding Vovó out of the room and away from a conversation that would only confuse and scare her. Faith claimed her seat while Kalina took the chair next to my dad.
“So how do you want to start?” Faith asked.
Everyone was watching me, waiting for my decision. I fidgeted in my seat.
“Well, I found a notebook with some ideas Vovó jotted down before . . . ” My throat closed on the words and I shuddered. “Anyway, she thought that a recipe she forced out of Thomas might be useful.”
Brent nodded. “Didn’t Thomas say the Clutch used it for mind control?”
Nodding, I continued. “They used it to force their will on others, but she thought it might strengthen a person’s own will, protecting their minds. She thought if we took it, it could act as a shield that’d protect against compulsion and memory erasing.”
“It might work.” Janette moved around the table as she spoke. Brent’s eyes tracked her. Apparently he could see other ghosts too.
“I would love to be on the other end of compelling.” DJ hooked his thumbs into his belt loops.
“Careful DJ.
Don’t make me order you to not abuse it,” I warned. “You know I can now.”
He glowered and moved further away from me.
“It can’t hurt to try,” Faith said.
“I agree.” Kalina shuddered. “The alternative isn’t pleasant.”
“What about your sister?” Janette asked. “She’s a Waker too, right?”
“She is,” I said. “She couldn’t get away from work, but she’ll be here soon.”
“Good,” Faith said. “We’ll need all the help we can get.”
There was a lull in the conversation, a silence broken only by the ticking of the clock in the hallway.
“Have you had any visions recently?” my dad asked Kalina.
“Yes.” She rested her hand against her forehead and closed her eyes for a few seconds. “I can see a battle with Crosby and Clarke, but they’re only flashes. I can’t tell when or where it is. I’ve seen his four bodyguards. They’re like Brent. They have telekinetic abilities and can manipulate air. And they can project.”
Brent frowned. “I’ve never fought anyone with talents like mine.”
“Be glad; they look tough,” Kalina said.
DJ nodded. “I think I remember them. It’s still a blur, with holes like Swiss cheese, but if I remember right, they totally kicked my trash. I think they’re the ones who caught me.”
“He lured me in using a ghost.” Janette stopped behind Faith. It was odd to see Faith’s reflection in the window but not her mother’s. “The spirit of a young man who said he needed help, and asked me to come with him. He led me to . . . I wish I could remember, but I know it’s where I died.”
“He tried that trick on me too,” I said, and told them about my encounter at the wedding dress shop.
“Great! He’s smart too,” my dad muttered, collecting a stack of dirty dishes. “See? This is why I told you not to go to the bus terminal.”
Kalina’s eyes grew wide. “Do not go there. That would end very badly.”
Any lingering desire I had to go to that rally vanished with her pronouncement.
My dad looked around the room. “What if DJ or Janette went to the rally?”
“That won’t work,” Faith said. “We’ve sent spirits to spy for us before and they never returned. We think his Waker compelled them to leave, or to join his side. Maybe she even banished them.”
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