Balthazar Read Free Page B

pleasant memories. The scent of hay took him back.
    As they approached, he said, “Will your parents come outside? Do we need to cover who I am, what I’m doing here, anything like that?”
    â€œThey’re in Albany. Lobbyists, and their bill is under discussion, so—I’ve hardly seen them for more than ten minutes a day since Christmas.”
    â€œThat’s not much.”
    â€œThey have their reasons.” There was humor in Skye’s gaze as she glanced back at him. “And why wouldn’t I tell them the truth? You’re an old friend from school who’s come to say hi.”
    â€œDo they know about Evernight? What it really was?”
    â€œNope. I figured I’d rather close out my senior year at my hometown school than a mental institution. Though I’m not sure I see any difference.” She sighed as she dismounted.
    â€œIs anyone else at home? Do you have a sister or brother?”
    Skye stiffened at the question, and he hesitated before getting off the horse, unsure why this was such a sore subject. Then she said, shortly, “My brother died last year. It’s just me.”
    â€œI’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
    â€œIt’s okay. I’m on my own, but I can take care of myself.”
    Clearly, this wasn’t something she wanted to discuss. So he dismounted without another word.
    Balthazar led Eb into the warm stable and began unsaddling him. One other horse, a mare with a reddish coat, whickered as if welcoming them inside. Skye didn’t interfere, just watched him put up the tack and brush Eb down. Only when she appeared satisfied that Balthazar really understood how to care for a horse did she speak. “Okay, so, how did you know to show up in the woods like that? Do you just go around finding people in trouble like… Vampire Batman or something?”
    He had to smile. “I wish. No, Lucas told me you were having some trouble and asked me to drop in on you, check things out. He didn’t mention any vampire attacks, though.”
    â€œThere haven’t been any. Not before today, I mean. I only wrote him about—” Clearly this was difficult for her to talk about. “About the visions. The deaths.”
    â€œSo, you’re still seeing them.” Lucas had said that she was being overcome by what appeared to be wraiths; instead of being haunted, however, Skye was witnessing deaths in vivid, graphic detail—constantly. First they needed to find a pattern. “Is it happening more frequently now? Does it happen at night, during the day, after you’ve done something or not done something…”
    Skye shook her head. The lantern light burnished her dark hair, bringing out the hint of auburn beneath the brown. He’d hardly ever allowed himself to notice before, but she was a strikingly beautiful girl. “It’s not about anything I do or don’t do. It’s only about where I am. If I’m in a place where somebody died, I see it. But it’s more than seeing—I know how everyone felt. The victim and the killer, if it was a murder.”
    â€œThey aren’t all murders?” Wraiths were created only by homicide; if she was seeing other kinds of deaths, then wraiths had nothing to do with it.
    â€œSometimes they are. But sometimes they’re just—sudden. Violent. None of them are peaceful.” Skye folded her arms in front of her, unconsciously shielding herself. “The first one I saw was on the drive home from Evernight. We got caught in traffic on the interstate, and while we were idling there I saw this car crash—the aftermath of one—and this crumpled body… I thought I must be going crazy. Or that all that weird stuff at Evernight had me, I don’t know, not in my right mind. But when I watched that crash over and over—watched that guy die, heard it, even smelled it—I knew it had to be real.” A shudder rippled through