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“Rayven-?” Conrad cut through my waking nightmare. I shook my head and surfaced from my dark thoughts, watching the lights on the highway flash as we sped by.
“Have you ever been across The Veil?” I asked softly, hoping that he would be able to quell my fears. Conrad shook his head.
“No mortal alive has crossed The Veil. Centuries ago, when The Origin still walked, daemons would carry magick folk, and sometimes shifters across The Veil to join their armies.” He glanced over at me apologetically, “Mi know that’s not what yuh wanted to hear, but mi don't want to lie to yuh either.” He turned onto the next off-ramp. We were almost home.
“What do you think it’s like?” I asked. My question had been so quiet and he had taken so long to answer that at first, I wasn’t sure he had heard me.
“Let’s figure out what we gonna tell yuh parents. Yuh don’t need to worry about what’s on the other side of The Veil, Rayven. Mi noh let him take yuh dere.”
I wanted to believe him. But the worried pinch in his tone was enough to convince me that all my nightmares were about to come true.
I stared at our family's electric blue door. The lights were on, and I hesitated, before going inside.
Of course, they were still awake. I don’t know why I even bothered hoping that they would have gone to sleep.
“So yuh have di story down?” Conrad asked quietly. I nodded. We had decided to tell them that I had fallen asleep in the stacks and no one had noticed while closing up. It was a bit of a stretch but realistically, what else was I going to tell them? Conrad put a hand on my shoulder.
“Yuh can do this.” I nodded and held my breath before finally opening the door.
As soon as I stepped over the threshold, I heard chairs scrape back from the kitchen table.
“Raven?! Raven is that you!?” Both Jeremy and Clair came running down the hall. Jeremy brushed against some of our family pictures in his hurry and they tumbled to the ground. I watched them shatter on the floor and tried not to see symbolism in the destruction.
Jeremy seized me by the shoulders and frantically checked me over. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
“No dad, I’m fine.” I said, shame and guilt welling into my chest. Clair pushed forward and held my face in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Raven…” Was all she said and pulled me into her. I wrapped my arms around her narrow waist, and she buried her face in my hair, her shoulders shaking with relief. “I’m fine, I just fell asleep at the library,” I lied.
Jeremy pulled both Clair and I into him and kissed the top of my head. He held us for a heartbeat before stepping away. I watched as relief drained from his features and was replaced with a hot and suspicious rage.
“Why didn’t you call?” He demanded. I resisted the urge to glance back at Conrad.
“I forgot my phone at home. I didn’t expect to be out that late.” Jeremy narrowed his eyes on me.
“The library has been closed for hours now. How did nobody notice you sleeping there?” I shrugged.
“I was all the way back in the stacks, no one ever really goes back there so I guess they assumed it was empty.” Jeremy did not look convinced, and I could hear his thoughts as clear as day. He didn’t believe a word I was saying. He thought I had been out with Conrad at a party or something ridiculous like that. I was spared having to come up with a rebuttal for his next question by Clair.
“Well thank goodness you’re safe.” She said, giving me and Conrad a watery smile. “Thank you, Conrad, for finding her and bringing her back all in one piece.”
“Nuh problem Mrs. Fisha,” Conrad said. “I’ll let you guys get to bed, it’s late. Night Rayven, mi talk to yuh tomorrow.” He gave us his usual two finger salute and left. As soon as the door closed, Jeremy whirled back to me.
“You’re hiding something from me Raven, and I don’t like it.” He snapped. I raised my eyebrows at him. I understood that he was upset but he had never raised his voice at me like that before.
“Excuse me?” I gaped. “You’re the one that’s been hiding what’s been going on from me for months now!” I shot back, unable to keep my own sense of indignation from bubbling up.
“What are you talking about? You’ve been acting differently ever since you brought that delinquent home.” Jeremy retorted.
“You don’t know what I’m talking about? You didn’t think it was worth mentioning that I match the vic profile of a major serial killer?” Jeremy looked as if I had slapped him.
“How did you find out about that?” He asked, his voice much lower.
“Not from you.” I snapped. I knew I wasn’t being fair, but I couldn’t help it. I was hurt that I had heard about it from my kidnapper, and not my own father. Clair was watching me carefully, her brows pinched together. I thought she would interject, but Jeremy beat her to the punch.
“That’s it.” He snarled. “You’re grounded. You’re not to leave the house. No more Conrad, no more going to the library. You’re staying right here where I can keep an eye on you.” My eyes widened. Stay here? That was impossible. There was no way I could stay here. Not with all that was happening. How was I supposed to train? How was I supposed to get out of the life debt with Amon?
“Dad- that’s not fair...” My tongue nearly tripped over my words.
