he was the leader of them? Wouldn’t that make him the boss?”
“If only things were that easy,” he tells me. “If being the leader meant you never had to worry about anything, but unfortunately for Altarius, he knew the evil within himself and therefore understood the evil that lay in Reapers, all of them. No matter what they tell you.”
What a convenient little story he’s got going on here. The abrupt reappearance of Cameron’s voice startles me so badly that I jump.
Professor Morgan gives me a startled look. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tuck a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, giving myself a moment to get myself together before I speak again. “So, you think this ambulate umbra could protect me from the Reapers killing me? Or is it going to protect me from something else because I thought they couldn’t kill me.” Only drive me crazy. Or if the book I was reading is right, steal my soul.
Not all Reapers want to drive you crazy, Cameron says. I want your mind completely intact. In fact, I find you very fascinating… now stealing your soul on the other hand. Please tell me more about this because I’d love to try.
Like you already don’t know how.
Actually I don’t, he says. It’s supposed to not be possible, so I’m really curious as to what book you’ve been reading.
The one that was stole from me, I say. From my shadow stalker.
“They can’t kill you,” Professor Morgan says, interrupting Cameron’s and mine’s conversation. “But they can make you want to kill yourself.”
Shock soars through me and strikes me in the chest, knocking the breath out of me. “You mean, they can possess me and force me to… to die.”
He wavers with hesitancy, folding his arms. “Not necessarily force you, but get you to that place, enter your thoughts and mess with your mind enough that you want it to all end.”
That’s not what I’m doing, Cameron insists. I want you around, Ember.
Sure you do.
Ember, think about what’s going on here, he says. This guy pretty much just comes out of nowhere and willingly tells you all this stuff. Why would he all of a sudden do that?
I don’t know… because he’s Asher’s uncle. I get what he’s saying, though at the same time, it’s hard to be on the same page as Cameron.
Yeah, on his father’s side.
What the hell’s that supposed to mean?
“Ember, are you sure you’re okay?” Professor Morgan is staring at me like he’s starting to grow concerned with my state of mind. “You seem a little distracted.”
I tear myself away from my internal conversation with Cameron. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a little sick. That’s all.”
“Maybe you should go home and lie down.” He glances out the window at the campus yard and his face pales.
I track his gaze and find that everyone has stopped moving except for one person. As soon as I see the guy everyone’s looking at, my head starts to pound, my lips start to tingle and my back starts to burn. He moves with confidence through the sea of motionless people, taller than most with broad shoulders, a scraggy jawline and blonde hair that reaches his shoulders. He’s wearing a black suit and a red tie. Everyone seems to be drawn to him as he makes his way slowly across the campus yard with heads turning, eyes following his movements. And the dead girl that walked in the room is walking just behind him, watching him, then she glances up at me. Our eyes lock and there’s a silent plea inside them: help me.
“Who is that guy?” I ask as I scratch at the spot burning on my back, but as I say it, recognition clicks. “Wait, is that our new mayor?” Why is he here? Better yet, why is he here when the entire school is possessed? Is it a coincidence? And is the dead girl trying to say he’s the one she’s talking about? That the mayor has their souls trapped?
Hmmm… I bet you’re
“If only things were that easy,” he tells me. “If being the leader meant you never had to worry about anything, but unfortunately for Altarius, he knew the evil within himself and therefore understood the evil that lay in Reapers, all of them. No matter what they tell you.”
What a convenient little story he’s got going on here. The abrupt reappearance of Cameron’s voice startles me so badly that I jump.
Professor Morgan gives me a startled look. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tuck a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, giving myself a moment to get myself together before I speak again. “So, you think this ambulate umbra could protect me from the Reapers killing me? Or is it going to protect me from something else because I thought they couldn’t kill me.” Only drive me crazy. Or if the book I was reading is right, steal my soul.
Not all Reapers want to drive you crazy, Cameron says. I want your mind completely intact. In fact, I find you very fascinating… now stealing your soul on the other hand. Please tell me more about this because I’d love to try.
Like you already don’t know how.
Actually I don’t, he says. It’s supposed to not be possible, so I’m really curious as to what book you’ve been reading.
The one that was stole from me, I say. From my shadow stalker.
“They can’t kill you,” Professor Morgan says, interrupting Cameron’s and mine’s conversation. “But they can make you want to kill yourself.”
Shock soars through me and strikes me in the chest, knocking the breath out of me. “You mean, they can possess me and force me to… to die.”
He wavers with hesitancy, folding his arms. “Not necessarily force you, but get you to that place, enter your thoughts and mess with your mind enough that you want it to all end.”
That’s not what I’m doing, Cameron insists. I want you around, Ember.
Sure you do.
Ember, think about what’s going on here, he says. This guy pretty much just comes out of nowhere and willingly tells you all this stuff. Why would he all of a sudden do that?
I don’t know… because he’s Asher’s uncle. I get what he’s saying, though at the same time, it’s hard to be on the same page as Cameron.
Yeah, on his father’s side.
What the hell’s that supposed to mean?
“Ember, are you sure you’re okay?” Professor Morgan is staring at me like he’s starting to grow concerned with my state of mind. “You seem a little distracted.”
I tear myself away from my internal conversation with Cameron. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a little sick. That’s all.”
“Maybe you should go home and lie down.” He glances out the window at the campus yard and his face pales.
I track his gaze and find that everyone has stopped moving except for one person. As soon as I see the guy everyone’s looking at, my head starts to pound, my lips start to tingle and my back starts to burn. He moves with confidence through the sea of motionless people, taller than most with broad shoulders, a scraggy jawline and blonde hair that reaches his shoulders. He’s wearing a black suit and a red tie. Everyone seems to be drawn to him as he makes his way slowly across the campus yard with heads turning, eyes following his movements. And the dead girl that walked in the room is walking just behind him, watching him, then she glances up at me. Our eyes lock and there’s a silent plea inside them: help me.
“Who is that guy?” I ask as I scratch at the spot burning on my back, but as I say it, recognition clicks. “Wait, is that our new mayor?” Why is he here? Better yet, why is he here when the entire school is possessed? Is it a coincidence? And is the dead girl trying to say he’s the one she’s talking about? That the mayor has their souls trapped?
Hmmm… I bet you’re
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