the week.”
“The week?” I said, not sure if that was good news or bad news with all that was going on.
“I can’t get out of it, but Miss Akin said she was happy to stay here with you two.”
The slight smirk of Shane’s lips told me that he was thrilled by the news. He didn’t make eye contact with Dad as he said good-night and bee-lined it up the stairs.
I followed behind him when Dad asked,
“Are you doing okay, Riley?”
If he only knew the truth…
I smiled to put him at ease. “Yeah.”
“Are you making friends?”
“A few.” One being a ghost who has been dead for over two-hundred years.
He looked so relieved by the news, I almost laughed. “Good night, Dad. Have an awesome trip. Make sure you call and check in every once in a while, okay?”
“Thanks,” he said, sounding happy I appeared concerned. “I’ll check in every night.”
I continued upstairs and held my breath in anticipation as I approached my bedroom door. I desperately wanted Ian to be there.
I opened the door and my heart plummeted to my toes.
The room was empty.
Chapter 15
I had a tough time sleeping. Turning on my bedside lamp, I stared at the welts on my leg from where I’d scratched myself in the mausoleum. Since meeting Ian, I’d thought of little else but him, even cutting…which was a good thing. I just wish the craving to cut would go away completely. I hated the fact it seemed to linger in the back of mind, especially when life wasn’t going my way.
I reached into my nightstand and pulled out my iPod, put my earbuds on and cranked the volume as high as it would go. The playlist was a compilation of all my favorite songs that I’d downloaded right after I’d learned we were moving to Scotland.
The music flowed through me, instantly putting me at ease. I wished I could scream the words at the top of my lungs. If it wasn’t the dead of night, I’d head out the back door and run. Run until my legs felt ready to fall
off. Run until the emotions welling up in me released and I felt like I could breathe again.
My heart raced, and I glanced over at the dresser where I stashed my razor. I rubbed the tiny scar near the inside of my elbow, remembering how bad the pain had been when I’d cut on my arm before. It had hurt more than anywhere else on my body, which meant the release had been that much greater. It had also bled like crazy. Maybe I should make just a small cut…but not on my arm where everyone could see it. Maybe just on the inside of my calf again… small enough to take away the frustration I was feeling.
I slid off the bed and walked toward the dresser.
The song abruptly skipped to another and I glanced down at my iPod.
Oasis’s Wonderwall blared through the speakers.
I stopped in my tracks. I don’t remember the song being on my playlist.
As the chorus repeated, a feeling of comfort and serenity came over me, and Ian appeared. He was so transparent I could see right through him, but I didn’t care. He was here with me when I needed him.
I took my earbuds out, set the iPod aside.
“I’ve missed you.”
He smiled and the hair on my arms stood on end. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“I think I know how to end the curse,” I said, rushing on to tell him about the vision, terrified he would disappear before I finished.
“You believe the journal holds the secret to the curse?” His image flickered in and out.
“I do. Why else would your mom show me those things?
At the mention of his mom, his brows furrowed.
“You don’t speak with your family?” I asked.
“No, they’ve moved on. I have no contact with the other side.”
Once again I was reminded of how lonely it must have been for him all these years––and how desperately I wanted to help him find peace. “Well, we just need a way into the castle.”
“I can get you in whenever you’d like.”
I nodded, ignoring the strange emotions rushing through me. If we found the journal and discovered a way to end the
“The week?” I said, not sure if that was good news or bad news with all that was going on.
“I can’t get out of it, but Miss Akin said she was happy to stay here with you two.”
The slight smirk of Shane’s lips told me that he was thrilled by the news. He didn’t make eye contact with Dad as he said good-night and bee-lined it up the stairs.
I followed behind him when Dad asked,
“Are you doing okay, Riley?”
If he only knew the truth…
I smiled to put him at ease. “Yeah.”
“Are you making friends?”
“A few.” One being a ghost who has been dead for over two-hundred years.
He looked so relieved by the news, I almost laughed. “Good night, Dad. Have an awesome trip. Make sure you call and check in every once in a while, okay?”
“Thanks,” he said, sounding happy I appeared concerned. “I’ll check in every night.”
I continued upstairs and held my breath in anticipation as I approached my bedroom door. I desperately wanted Ian to be there.
I opened the door and my heart plummeted to my toes.
The room was empty.
Chapter 15
I had a tough time sleeping. Turning on my bedside lamp, I stared at the welts on my leg from where I’d scratched myself in the mausoleum. Since meeting Ian, I’d thought of little else but him, even cutting…which was a good thing. I just wish the craving to cut would go away completely. I hated the fact it seemed to linger in the back of mind, especially when life wasn’t going my way.
I reached into my nightstand and pulled out my iPod, put my earbuds on and cranked the volume as high as it would go. The playlist was a compilation of all my favorite songs that I’d downloaded right after I’d learned we were moving to Scotland.
The music flowed through me, instantly putting me at ease. I wished I could scream the words at the top of my lungs. If it wasn’t the dead of night, I’d head out the back door and run. Run until my legs felt ready to fall
off. Run until the emotions welling up in me released and I felt like I could breathe again.
My heart raced, and I glanced over at the dresser where I stashed my razor. I rubbed the tiny scar near the inside of my elbow, remembering how bad the pain had been when I’d cut on my arm before. It had hurt more than anywhere else on my body, which meant the release had been that much greater. It had also bled like crazy. Maybe I should make just a small cut…but not on my arm where everyone could see it. Maybe just on the inside of my calf again… small enough to take away the frustration I was feeling.
I slid off the bed and walked toward the dresser.
The song abruptly skipped to another and I glanced down at my iPod.
Oasis’s Wonderwall blared through the speakers.
I stopped in my tracks. I don’t remember the song being on my playlist.
As the chorus repeated, a feeling of comfort and serenity came over me, and Ian appeared. He was so transparent I could see right through him, but I didn’t care. He was here with me when I needed him.
I took my earbuds out, set the iPod aside.
“I’ve missed you.”
He smiled and the hair on my arms stood on end. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“I think I know how to end the curse,” I said, rushing on to tell him about the vision, terrified he would disappear before I finished.
“You believe the journal holds the secret to the curse?” His image flickered in and out.
“I do. Why else would your mom show me those things?
At the mention of his mom, his brows furrowed.
“You don’t speak with your family?” I asked.
“No, they’ve moved on. I have no contact with the other side.”
Once again I was reminded of how lonely it must have been for him all these years––and how desperately I wanted to help him find peace. “Well, we just need a way into the castle.”
“I can get you in whenever you’d like.”
I nodded, ignoring the strange emotions rushing through me. If we found the journal and discovered a way to end the
Similar Books
