Read Online The Revolt (The Reapers: Book Two) by Katharine Sadler - Free Book Online

who’s
continuing it, now.”
    “He didn’t mention it, but I’ll ask. He
thinks it’s all ridiculous.”
    I took a deep breath. “So when you came here
this morning, who did you want me to talk to?”
    Silence reigned for several long moments.
“I’m really sorry about that. I know I shouldn’t have asked.”
    “I’m not saying it’s okay or anything, I just
want to know who and why.”
    “Right. Well, I thought if you could talk to
his great-great-great grandmother from two-hundred years ago, maybe
you could get the whole story.”
    I was suddenly glad I’d called her, rather
than going to talk to her in person, so she didn’t have to see me
roll my eyes and shake my head. “Assuming she knew the whole story,
and we could even find her. Briarton was established in the 1890s,
and the curse is 200 years old so the family wasn’t cursed here in
town, and there’s a good possibility she didn’t even die here.” The
only reason I knew when the town was founded was because there was
a marker next to the gondola at the ski slope, and I had to stare
at it when I waited in line to go up the mountain.
    “Oh, okay, I mean I knew it was a long shot,
but… I guess it was a stupid thing to do all the way around.”
    The sound of defeat and sadness in her voice
dampened any anger I had left. “No, it wasn’t…” I couldn’t quite
bring myself to say it wasn’t a stupid idea, because it was, but I
understood why she did it. “You’re scared and you want to help your
boyfriend. I understand that, but trying to talk to someone who’s
been dead for almost 200 years isn’t going to work.”
    “I’m scared, and I broke the one promise I
ever made you. Do you think you can still be my friend?”
    My hard little heart almost split right in
two at that. She sounded so young and… I don’t know what… like she
still believed that the world was basically a safe and a good
place. “Yes, of course I’m still your friend. I just don’t see how
I can help you with this since I’m leaving.” There was no point in
telling her about my list. It would just get her hopes up, and I
probably wouldn’t be around to follow through.
    “No, no, I know you can’t. Thanks, anyway.
Have a safe flight.”
    “Listen,” I said. “I’m not sure the story
matters as much as finding the person who’s actually cursing the
family today. If the curse is real, there’s got to be someone alive
and well carrying it out. If you can find out who it is, maybe you
can convince them to stop. We didn’t make our flight, so I’ll
probably be in town for a little while longer, if you need me.” I
didn’t love the idea of sending her to talk to witches, but Len and
Tucker said witches hated the corporations, not regular people. It
was all I could do for her.
    “How can I find them?”
    “I don’t know, but you were into all that
occult stuff when we lived together. Maybe some of your friends
know some real witches.”
    “Yeah, okay. I’ll try that.”
    I hung up and sank back down onto the bed
feeling like the kind of person who tortures cute puppies for fun.
She was so sweet and good-hearted, and I was sending her to talk to
dangerous people.
    “There’s nothing you can do for her,” Tucker
said.
    I jumped and spun around to face him. “Do you
enjoy scaring the shit out of me?”
    He grinned. “I’m not trying to scare you, I’m
trying to train you. Even in a warded house you should be on
alert.”
    “Right,” I said, dragging the word out nice
and slow. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
    He lay back on my bed and rested his head on
his hands, arms akimbo. “I like you better than that guy out
there.”
    I lay down next to him and he put his hand
over mine. After what happened yesterday, I paused a moment to see
if we’d really touch, but nothing happened. It was just the usual
weird image of a barely visible hand over my own. I tried not to
feel disappointed. I’d always been a toucher myself and I hadn’t
had