Gran’s expression hardens. “I wish that were the case, but I suspect Kaden hasn’t just been gathering wraiths to bolster the ranks. As King of the Dead, Fin can absorb the life forces of others to sustain himself, as he did when he killed Colin’s parents. I believe the other wraiths are possessing their host bodies so that when Fin crosses over to our world, he’ll be able to absorb their life forces enough to finish healing.”

A sense of growing dread creeps up my neck. “Which will make them permanent residents, same as Kaden.” But why did Fin care about giving these spirits new bodies? Unless…“You said Fin wants to free his people’s spirits, and that a wraith’s motivations are tied to who they were in life. Then Kaden and the others—they aren’t random spirits! They’re the spirits of Fin’s people. When he breaks the Shield, they’ll possess new hosts, and Fin will absorb their hosts’ life forces, giving them new bodies.”

Gran nods, looking troubled. “The question is whether they’ve removed enough Ravens to weaken the Shield enough to destroy it.”

Cold realization descends on me. “This was all a trick to get Colin out of the house. They’re going to kill him!”

Chapter 21: Colin

Rain pelts our motel room window hard enough to make it rattle. My cup of lobby tea went cold on my nightstand hours ago, and the heat is busted, but I don’t mind the cold. It keeps me awake.

Roy alternates between walking the perimeter and doing work on his laptop, and I spend the day flipping through static-filled TV channels and making my way through my forgotten dictionary. For a moment, it almost felt like old times. As though my parents were going to walk through that door exhausted but smiling with takeout from whatever local place was still open past nine.

But as the evening set in and the storm worsened, no one came.

Some part of me knows that I need to come up with a plan. I can’t just lie here forever hoping Liam will show and waiting for news from Ravenfall. Even if they defeat Fin tomorrow night, and it’s safe for me to leave, my reasons for staying there will be gone. I’ll have to move on.

It hurts to think.

Ravenfall had started to feel like home, and I’d forgotten that I couldn’t just stay there forever and expect them to take care of me.

Still, I hate that I can’t be there to help them. I hate that there’s so much happening outside of my control, that I’m a danger to people I care about, and that even if it was only for a moment, they’d looked afraid of me.