The Hidden - Jessica Verday [39]
“Something’s wrong with Caspian too,” I blurted out. “He won’t wake up.”
She was silent, and it didn’t give me a good feeling.
“So-Sophie?” I asked. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah, sweetie. I’m here.”
“What’s happening to Caspian?”
“I think it would be better if we waited until we could talk in person.”
“No! I think it would be better if you told me right now.”
“I can’t—” She exhaled loudly. “Just wait. We’ll be right over.”
The phone went dead, and I stared at it. It wasn’t a good sign that she didn’t want to tell me what was going on. Was this just normal we-cannot-say Revenant stuff? Or was there something more to it?
Ten minutes later Kame, Uri, and Cacey were in my room.
“Is everything okay?” Kame asked. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “Everything’s fine. Well, as far as me and Mom and Dad go. Caspian, I’m not sure about. Where’s Sophie? And what are you going to tell Mom and Dad?”
“She’s downstairs talking to them,” Cacey said with a grin. “She’s good at making things up.”
Uri moved toward the bed. He pointed to himself, and I nodded. Then he sat down next to Caspian. He laid one hand on Caspian’s arm, and I desperately wanted to trade places with him. To be the one who could touch Caspian, and wake him up.
But I couldn’t.
“This happened once before,” I said. “He was supposed to pick me up from school and he never showed. When I got home, he couldn’t even remember where he was.”
Uri glanced over at Kame. Then shook his head.
“What’s going on?” I cried, dangerously close to tears. “Please. Just tell me.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t take all their secrets and things they wouldn’t say.
“You have to realize that there’s not much we can do,” Kame said. “This is an abnormal situation, and we’re still all learning the best way to deal with it.”
“Abnormal because of Vincent? Because he caused Kristen’s death?”
He inclined his head.
“Or is this the abnormal part? Him hanging around me, stalking me, dressing up like a priest?”
“His … interference … is the abnormal part.”
“So, then, what’s going on with Caspian? Shades don’t sleep, right?”
“It’s not a normal sleep,” he replied.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that we can’t wake him up, Abbey,” Cacey said.
She was standing next to the window, and I looked over at her, stunned. Then I looked at Uri. “She’s making that up, right? Tell me that it’s just her idea of a cruel joke.”
“It’s not a joke. We have no control over this,” he confirmed.
I crossed my arms. “But I thought you guys were these mystical beings who were sent here to help Shades and their other halves. So help us.”
Uri stood up and went to talk to Kame quietly. He kept glancing over at Cacey, and I got the feeling that she was being let in on the conversation too. Eventually Kame said, “Fine. I’m going to let you handle this. I’ll be downstairs.”
He shot them both a final look before he left.
“We think it would be best if we took Caspian with us,” Uri said, turning to face me. “We want to take him someplace safe.”
“That’s fine. Where are we going?”
“Him. Not you,” Cacey said. “You can’t go.”
“Oh, yes, I can.”
“Oh, no, you can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Vincent doesn’t want the two of you to be completed. We haven’t found out why yet, but it’s what he wants. We need to be able to keep an eye on Caspian for as long as he’s like this, and it will make it easier for all of us if you aren’t there with him. Why draw Vincent to us?”
“But … but …” I couldn’t think fast enough. Couldn’t put together my words. They couldn’t take Caspian away from me! “But what if Vincent finds you?”
“He won’t,” Uri said.
“What if Vincent finds me?”
“We’ve got that covered,” Uri replied. “How do you feel about a short road trip?”
“A trip? While Caspian stays here? No.”
Cacey moved closer and stuck her face right into mine. “Look, Uri is trying to say this a hell of a lot nicer than I am, but we’re taking Caspian whether you like it or not. The way I see it, you don’t have much of a choice.” She looked down at her fingernails and picked at one of them. “Besides, if