Page 60 of Abducting Sarah

“I am not sure. Perhaps it is part of being a conduit—maybe they know each other on sight. All I know is, if Predict knew it, the others will, too, at some point. Jacaranda is trying to put together some kind of security for Sarah—”

“I will not allow harm to come to Sarah, Deacon,” my father vowed.

I smiled. “I thank you, but you areoneman, and a ghost. One with new children. Sarah is supposed to be here to helpyou—not the other way around. You and Silence need to focus on your children. Sarah needs to focus on the ghosts. SoIwill take care of security.”

“Deacon, I am your father,” he huffed. “You will listen to me—”

I laughed angrily. “Youare the man who screwed over my entire family. I am doing what I can to keep our family together, despite all of that.Youdo not get to make demands of me anymore. That part of our relationship is over, Father. I respect you for what you have done in the past, but do not push me on this. We are doing thismyway.”

My father stiffened at my tone. “You dare speak to me in this manner?”

“You took my future from me,” I hissed, fury lowering my voice.

His jaw tightened in anger. But then it loosened as he took a breath. “You are right, of course. I…my love for Silence is the greatest shame of my life. Yet, I feel none for it. Nothing could ever change my love for her. I regret taking your future, my son. For this, I apologize. I thank you for everything you have done for her and for our family.”

I nodded once, gratified. “You are welcome. Once security has been settled here on Halla, I will go back to Orhon and pretend like nothing has happened for a time. I had Sarah mog to meet the family—they know her as Star Qvia from Yesanol.When I come to visit here, I will tell them I am going to Yesanol to see her.”

“How is your mother doing?” my father asked.

“You are not watching the family?”

He glanced away. “The single time she prayed to me, she asked menotto watch the family.”

I blew out a deep breath. “That’s rough.”

“It is understandable. In her position. I deserve her disdain.” He glanced my way once more. “So, after you get back to Orhon, what then?”

“I am amassing a group of like-minded people to help me take down the Bateens.”

He closed his eyes in frustration. “Has everyone lost their minds? First Justice, then the conduits, and now my son.”

I had known he would hate my plan. But his disapproval did not change it. “I will not let your murder go unavenged, and I will not stand by and watch that maniac, Justice Bateen, go unchallenged.”

“You think I want that life for you?”

“What you want does not matter anymore.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “My plan is in motion—”

“Nothing you can’t undo—”

“Jac stole Silence from the royal prison on my orders,” I pointed out. “You think I can undo that? And I united with Sarah,a human. There is no going back. There is only going forward!”

He sat next me, and because of his ghostly form, the bed did not move. Father’s voice lowered. “You could stop now, could you not?”

“I have contacted some old friends from the war, Father. They want in. No one is happy on Orhon anymore. Only Bateen loyalists want them to stay in control. Now that Thunder runs Yesanol, they have made things worse for anyone who is not aloyalist. Another war is coming, and this time, I plan to be the one to declare it.”

“I do not want this for you, but I can see it in your eyes—you will not be dissuaded from this course of action.”

I shook my head adamantly. “No, I will not.”

He sighed in resignation. “Then, how can I help?”

“I need you to raise the twins as warriors here on Halla. I will need all the allies I can get. They will be the children of Silence, the people’s most favored princess. That will carry weight.”

My father’s brows furrowed skeptically. “It will be five years before they could be considered warriors of value, Deacon, you know this.”

“Not with Sarah’s help.”

He half-smiled, but there was a hopeful light in his eyes. “You think she can do it?”

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