Endlessly (Paranormalcy 3)

"Will she get her voice back when you leave?" I asked Reth.

"I may have accidentally made that permanent. "

"Well darn. Too late now!"

Raquel moved to give me a hug but then jerked back. "You're burning up!"

"Yup. So I'm told. "

"I want you to know how proud I am. You're doing the right thing, and I don't want you to worry about what's going to happen after. We'll figure it out. " She looked back at David and beamed, as happy as I'd ever seen her.

"I have no doubt of that. Although I do have one serious concern. "

"Yes?"

"UPARG? It doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way IPCA did. "

&nbs

p; Raquel heaved a why must you joke at inappropriate times sigh, then lifted her chin haughtily. "Well, maybe we won't invite you to be a part of it, then. "

I laughed. "Please, by all means, leave me out. I think it's high time I retire. "

"Even if we issue you your own custom companion Taser for Tasey?"

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "We'll talk when I'm done here. "

"Umm, Evie?" Vivian said behind me, her voice strained. "This is. . . really not a good place for me to be right now. We need to hurry. "

I turned to her, worried. If I could feel the pull of the souls, how much worse must it be for her? "Okay, we're only waiting on-"

"Hey-oh. " Jack skipped up next to Arianna with Carlee. They were holding hands, and I had a sneaking suspicion it wasn't because they'd just come out of the Faerie Paths. He waved and shouted, "All clear on our front! Also, to my fabulous faerie friends, good-bye and good riddance!" He let go of Carlee's hand, turned around, and dropped his pants.

Jack's brilliantly white, moonlit mooning of the unearthly crowd was strangely beautiful. Lend was less amused, rolling his eyes and muttering, "My mom's right there. Can't we send Jack, too?"

"Not today. Raquel, go to the house and take everyone not going through the gate with you. I don't know what's going to happen, and I want you all where I know you'll be safe. " She nodded and ran back to the others, who waved and, when Jack had pulled up his pants, disappeared back toward the house. "Vivian? You ready?"

She nodded, but she seemed distinctly nervous.

"Okay," I said, looking up to find the gate in the stars. I lifted a hand, only to have it jerked violently down.

"What are you doing?" Reth hissed.

"I'm making the gate!"

"Not that one. " His eyes were wide with-fear?

"Why are you so scared of that gate?"

He looked to the side, deliberately avoiding staring at the stars. "Because that is. . . that is another part of eternity. It's not ours. "

I frowned. "But I sent the other souls there. "

"Yes, and without bodies they were ready to go there. But I am not, nor will I ever be. "

I couldn't help smiling. "Ooh, poor little Reth, are you scared of what happens after you die?"

His voice and face were shockingly sincere, his skin pallid and his lips nearly blue. "More than anything. I have no desire to discover that realm of eternity. None of us do, which is why we need that gate. Myself most desperately. Now, please. "