Page 68 of Abducting Sarah

Then, she saw Deacon in his alien form and her gaze narrowed on him. “Oh. They’ve contacted you.”

“This is Deacon Ladrang,” I said, introducing him. “We are united, do you know—”

“You got married?” Her voice rose in shock. “To a Ladrian?”

“Mom, focus! I don’t know if I can maintain the connection. Why didn’t you tell us…anythingabout our father, Volatile Bateen?”

She shifted her gaze back to me. “I didn’t tell you about Vol because he begged me not to. He knew it would put all of us in danger, because of his powerful family. He didn’t trust his brother, Justice, not to come after us.”

“That lines up.” I sighed. “But seriously,nothing? Ever? I grew up thinking my dad hated us.”

“I’m sorry, my dear,” she said softly, sadly. “Are you safe? Are you happy? Did youwantto unite with Deacon?”

She shot Deacon another reproving look.

“I’m good, Mom. I promise. God, I have so many questions,” I said, and they started to spill out of me. “What’s the afterlife like? Have you seen Nana and Pop? Are you bored? What do you do all day?”

She laughed. “You were always the curious one.”

“Where do you spend all your time, Mom?”

“It’s hard to explain,” she began, as a serene look passed over her features. “But most of the time, I’m with old friends and some of our family. Sometimes, I can check in on you girls, especially when you think about me. I always feel where you are, or at least I did, until a few weeks ago. I was worried for you. Where is this place?” She glanced around the temple.

“We’re on Halla—”

“Oh my gosh, really?” My mother’s eyes widened as she took in the scenery. “I’ve never been to Halla before. Vol always said it was beautiful here, but this just looks like a fancy cave.”

“We’re inside a conduit temple,” I explained. “That’s how I’m able to contact you.”

My mother’s lips pursed with worry. “You stay away from those women, Sarah. Those conduits are dangerous.”

Deacon stepped closer to my side. “How do you know about that?”

“The dead talk. Conduits, mediums, witches, whatever you want to call them, they are important to us. Without them, we haven’t been able to contact our loved ones the ways we used to.”

Something in my arms weakened, and my mother’s apparition started to fade. “I think I’m losing our connection, Mom. I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, Sarah.”

I swallowed back the emotion clogging my throat. “Is it okay if I call on you like this again?”

“Anytime you want, my dear.” Her ghost-like image flickered, then vanished.

Tears flowed down my face as I glanced at Deacon. “Why can’t she stay here on Halla, like the other ghosts do?”

“I do not know, but I have heard it is hard for ghosts to go from planet to planet, and if she passed on Earth, then Halla would not be a normal resting place for her.”

I pulled my hands from the black liquid, and they were surprisingly dry. I wiped my tears away, but soon Deacon took me in his arms. I let him hold me as I cried. But while we stood there, my sadness faded fast and it was replaced with gratitude.

I looked up at him and said, “Thank you.”

He tipped his head to the side. “What are you thanking me for, Sarah?”

“I haven’t spoken to my mother in years, Deacon,” I said, blinking back a wave of fresh tears. “I am extremely grateful for this gift you’ve given me. I thought I would never see her again.”

He smiled. “It was nothing.”

I fisted my hands in his shirt and used his uniform to pull him down to my mouth for a kiss. “It was everything to me.”

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