Page 89 of Black Reign

Who's the real ghost now?

A smile threatens.

I suppress it.

Somewhere on this estate, Ghost is about to realize Vesper has arrived.

4

Wedding day has arrived. By ten-thirty in the morning, Travers has asked me if I’m nervous six times.

By eleven, he’s started taking bets on whether I’ll crack before the ceremony.

By eleven-fifteen, I consider having him removed from.

Not from the wedding.

From California.

“Thirty says Miss London Bridge ghosts him again,” Drew announces from the terrace behind me.

I ignore him.

My attention stays on the security display projected across the inside of my lenses.

South perimeter clear.

Ocean patrol holding.

Private road locked.

Airspace clean.

No unauthorized drones.

No cellular transmissions inside the inner perimeter.

No press boats within the offshore restriction zone.

Guest intake is moving exactly as designed.

It should be enough to make me relax.

It isn’t.

I roll my neck until something cracks.

Drew hears it.

“Forty now.”

I turn.

He’s leaning against one of the stone columns in a black tuxedo, sunglasses on despite the shade, drinking something that absolutely contains alcohol despite the fact that the ceremony is hours away.

Isa is going to kill him.

I may help.