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For a split second, everything feels like it’s going to be all right. Then another message pings through.
Ayden: I have some bad news, though. The police made a lot of arrests, but as of now, they haven’t found my dad.
My fingers constrict around the phone. “Dammit.”
Me: What are they going to do?
Ayden: Keep looking for him. And I have to be watched by an officer at all times until they find him.
My head slumps forward. I was so hopeful this was coming to an end, that Ayden was finally safe. But he’ll never be until his dad’s behind bars.
Me: I’m sorry, Ay. I really am.
Ayden: I hate this.
Me: So do I. But they have to be closer to finding him, right? If they’ve found all those other people.
Ayden: I hope so . . . I just really want this to all be over.
Me: Me too.
Ayden: I have to go. The detective just showed up. Call u when I’m headed home. I love u.
Me: I love u too.
With a heavy heart, I tuck the phone away and walk into the kitchen. Most of the plates and cups have been picked up and the air smells of lemon cleaner. Kale, Everson, and my dad have wandered off somewhere, but Fiona is at the table, munching on a cupcake.
“He’s still sad,” she remarks as I join her at the table.
I grab a cupcake off a platter and lick off a bite of frosting. “Who’s still sad?”
She plucks a candy off the top of the cupcake and pops it into her mouth. “Ayden.”
I peel the wrapper down and take a bite of the cake. “I don’t think he’s sad. Just stressed out.”
“No, he’s sad.” She sets the cupcake on the table. “He’s sad over his sister. And over you.”
I freeze, mid bite. “Over me?”
She nods. “He’s sad because he thinks he’s going to lose you because he can’t do stuff with you.”
“Did you hear him say that?” I ask, trying not to get wigged out by her matter-of-fact attitude.
She simply shakes her head. “Nope, I felt it.”
“You say that a lot. But I’m still not sure what you mean.”
“It’s hard to explain. And you probably wouldn’t believe me if I tried.” She sits back in her chair and picks up the cupcake again. “My mom knew about me, though. It’s why she gave me up. Because I was a weirdo.”
Her words make me pause. I know Fiona’s story. Know her mother was a drug addict and Fiona was taken away from her, so I have no idea why she just said what she did.
“Do you want to watch a movie or something?” I ask, hoping to get her mind off stuff.
“Nah, movies are lame.” Her mood abruptly lifts. “You want to help me with this art project I’m working on? Maybe we could even get your mom to help with it.”
“Sure.” I scoot back from the table and stand up. “Just let me go change into my pajamas and then I’ll meet you in the living room, okay?’
“Thanks, Lyric. You’re the best.” She heads for the living room, but stops in the doorway. “You’re kind of like the sister I never had. And just think, when you and Ayden get married, you’ll be my sister-in-law.”
She skips out of the room, leaving me shaking my head.
Marriage. I’m so not ready for that yet. Maybe a ways down the road, in like five or six years. Still, just thinking about the future, the possibilities, gets me excited. I just need Ayden here with me.
When I reach my bedroom. I’m extremely distracted as I slip off my sandals and turn on the light, and it takes me a second to notice something’s different about my room. At first, I can’t place a finger on what it is, only that I have an uneasy feeling. I glance at the floor, at the window, then the walls. That’s when I spot the circular symbol painted just above my bed. The same symbol that the Soulless Mileas tattooed on Ayden’s side.
I spin for the door to run downstairs, but crash into a hard, solid object. I trip backwards and open my mouth to scream, but the man I ran into quickly bends down and slaps a hand over my mouth.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Lyric.” A grin spreads across his face.
Terror whips through me as I note the knife in his other hand, and I mentally calculate what I should do. There’s no way I’m just going to give in to whatever he’s planning on doing to me; no way I’m going down without a fight. So, I lift my leg to kick him right in the stomach, putting every ounce of strength I have in it.
He curses, falling down on me, and crushing me with his weight. But he recovers quickly and wrestles me to the floor. His hand slips from my mouth as he works to pin me down. I start to scream again, but he moves the knife to my throat.
“Don’t give me a reason to kill you,” he warns, his eyes darkening. “It would really make me angry, especially since I’m not the one who’s supposed to kill you.”
I swallow hard and the movement causes the blade to graze my skin.
He assesses me, then stands up, yanking me to my feet with him. Gripping me by the arm, he drags me to the dresser and cranks up the stereo so loudly I can’t hear myself think—so loud no one can hear me scream.
“M-my parents are going to hear the music and come up here,” I stammer as he grabs me by the hair.
He shakes his head. “You do this enough that they won’t even give it a second thought.”
Vomit burns at my throat. He’s right. I’ve blasted my music for as long as I can remember, and my parents are so used to it by now that it hardly bothers them. What I don’t get, though, is how he knows this.
“We need to get Ayden here,” he says loudly over the music. “He’s the one who’s supposed to be doing this. He’s the one who needs his soul cleansed.”
I’m not quite sure what he’s talking about, but I’m guessing it has to do with the Soulless Mileas and their ritual. My adrenaline skyrockets as panic sets in. I need to get out of here. Now! Figure out a way, Lyric!
“I have an idea,” the man says thoughtfully as he backs me into the wall and lines the knife with my throat again. “Do you have your phone on you?”
Every instinct I have tells me to lie, so I shake my head.
His eyes darken and he roughly sticks his hand into my pocket and grabs my phone. A smile curls at his lips as he scrolls through my contacts and presses a few buttons.
While he’s not paying attention, I seize the opportunity, bring my leg up, and knee him in the balls. He hunches over, gasping for air.
I bolt for the door, opening my mouth, “Help—”
I’m slammed from behind and shoved to the floor. I land hard on my face, but promptly flip over onto my back. The man jumps on me, his knee connecting with my stomach.
I gasp as the wind is knocked out of me.
“I guess it’s going to be me, then.” He pins my arms to the floor then raises his knife above his head.
I kick
him again, refusing to give in, as I open my mouth to scream, praying someone will hear me.
I’M STANDING IN THE BUSY waiting room of the hospital, waiting for my sister to get out of surgery while listening to Detective Rannali give me an update on what they’re doing to find my father, when I get a text.
Lyric: I have her. It’s time to cleanse your soul, Ayden. And u better be a good son and come alone.
It feels like a knife has been gashed into my heart, and I’m bleeding out from the inside. I can’t breathe. Can’t get oxygen into my lungs as I painfully realize what the note left in Lyric’s locker meant.
“Ayden, what’s wrong?” Lila jumps up from the chair she’s sitting in and rushes to me.
“My dad . . . He has Lyric,” I croak as I hand her my phone.
She reads the message and her skin drains of color. “Oh God. This can’t be happening. No . . . no . . . no . . .”
Detective Rannali grabs the phone from Lila. “What’s going . . .” He trails off as he reads the message. “Shit.”
I spin around, pushing people out of my way as I run for the exit doors.
“Ayden! Wait!” Lila chases after me with Ethan tailing at her heels. “You can’t go anywhere by yourself!”
I whirl around. “They have Lyric, Lila. I have to find her.” I start to turn around, heading for the parking lot.
Her fingers fold around my arm and she forces me to stop. “We don’t even know where she is.”
“Then we have to find out—we have to find her.” Reality crashes over me and I almost collapse to the ground.
God, please don’t let him hurt her.
I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.
I’d crumple into dirt.
Disappear into an eternity of darkness.
Fade away into nothing.
I don’t care if it makes me seem weak.
Just thinking about living without her.
It’s killing me.
“We’ll find her.” Lila guides me back toward the doors. “But we need to be safe about it.”
Ethan walks on the other side, staying close, like he’s afraid I’m going to try to run off again. I want to. Want to get the hell out of here and find Lyric. No, not want. Need.
