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I settled next to him in the corner, but to my surprise, as soon as I sat down, he scooted away fro a distance of a few feet

I tried to maintain steady eye contact with him First, I needed to try to jolt his memory But to do that would require soh what I think happened to you," I began "Try to rehost after Aiden shot you with a hunter’s bullet Then you passed so our family live their lives" As I reached this part of the story, I realized that perhaps he had been around to witness Gregor’s death after all, and that hy he hadn’t bothered asking about his father… I paused, wondering if he would interject

He remained quiet, but at least his eyes were fixed on s around the island," I went on "Disasters and celebrations alike Then your soul grew tired of waiting around and watching others live You felt the urge, the desire for soo soed You then cahosts They told you about theportals, and you believed it You went to one such portal at ht by the fae" I paused again He was still listening "They looked like angels, but instead they brought you here and you’ve been here ever since In the realns of talking, I couldn’t help but ask hiht you were in Hell all this time?"

I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how nobody could have told hiotten

The sentience in Lucas’ eyes grew as I asked the question He nodded slightly, but then the nod was immediately followed by a shake of his head

"I… think I reing his orously

He continued to squint "The light, I reels or… fae, as you say And then… white coffins There was more than one of us"

It was a relief how even his voice was beginning to sound--so o

Perhaps he wasn’t quite as far gone as I’d feared Perhaps all it took was a little nudging for the cobwebs of his memory to clear, to jolt hi to encourage him

"Yes," he said slowly "Yes, I ah he’d just solved an ancient mystery "Then… I was taken to a pool, and thrust there with other ghosts Soers, as you tellthe way"

"Did you ever try to escape?" I asked "Surely you lint in his eyes di the question He wasn’t ready for it yet I was certain that he was sinking back into his shell, but then he whispered, "Yes I did Too… many… times"

His answer

"What did the ghouls do to you when they caught you?"

At this, he pursed his lips, his eyes darkening "I don’t want to talk about it," he breathed "I don’t want to," he added,to escape ainst"

Lucas’ eyes narrowed on oing to escape," I said, my voice a little louder than I had intended it to be--more of a correction and reassurance to myself than a state at all you can tell me would really help"

"I have told you," he said faintly This tilazing over Then he drew up his knees again, closing hi about the ghouls That much was clear I should not have pushed so far inyet I just couldn’t help it I was desperate for any infor I could say to lure hiain My s he’d said to me That I wasn’t his son

"I know your son," I blurted, before even considering how he ht react

It worked His eyes snapped up toto kno he even had a clue that he had a son--for everybody, including even Jeramiah, seemed to be under the inated the local e to ask him now "Yes, your son I’ve seen him And he… He very much wishes to see you His name is Jeramiah Jeramiah Novak"

Lucas’s eyes widened in wonderment "Jeramiah Novak," he repeated softly Then a look of anxiety played across his face "Is he still alive?" he asked in a strained whisper

"Yes," I said "He is a vampire He is alive" Granted, I didn’t actually knohere Jeraht now--but I assumed that he was alive Why wouldn’t he be? He would’ve left with Arandfather