Elemental Light (Paranormal Public Book 9) (44 page)

Sip, Lisabelle, and I exchanged glances, then we all started to laugh.

“What about your father?” Lisabelle asked me.

I sighed and looked down. “He was killed by the same outlaw elementals that killed my mom,” I said. “It just happened earlier. He wasn’t a ghost, because they released him to the First Elemental. I may have dreamed about him once, but it’s blurry and I think that’s all I’ll get.”

I had wanted to know for so long who my dad’s killer was, I had wanted answers, but I had finally come to accept that I already had the most important answer: my dad loved me more than anything. He loved me enough to protect me and he loved me enough to leave me. The best way I could honor him was to be happy and live a fulfilling life.

“What about your mom?” Lisabelle asked. “The dreams?”

“I don’t know if there are any more of them,” I said, “but I plan on visiting the lake and hoping.” I smiled. It had been wonderful to see Mom. I just wished I could have taken Ricky. Now I would tell him about it, and maybe Mom would have created dreams for him
, too. If she had, there was always a chance he’d tell me about them.

“So, what happens?” Lisabelle demanded.

“We have a tomorrow,” said Sip, smiling broadly. “What happens now is whatever we want.”

“Is that a thing?” Lough asked, his voice dry.

“It’s a thing if I say it’s a thing,” said Sip.

“I don’t get it,” said Lisabelle.

I shook my head. “Don’t try.”

“What’s everyone planning for the immediate future?” Sip asked, looking around.

Dacer had informed us that we would all get honorary degrees from Public, just as soon as they found a new president for the university. Sip had informed him that there was nothing honorary about it.

“Ricky and I are going traveling for the summer,” I said. “I have a lot to explain, and a lot to make up for.”

“Just the two of you?” Sip quirked an eyebrow at me.

I smiled, blushing, and my friends laughed.

“Lough’s coming with me,” said Lisabelle suddenly. We both looked at her in surprise.

“He’s going to the darkness holes?” Sip whispered. “Really?”

Lisabelle nodded. “He tells me I’ll need his help. I’m humoring him, but if that’s what he wants
. . .”

“Will you be able to keep him safe?” Sip asked, her brow creased with worry.

“Like I’m the one of the four of us who needs to be babysat,” Lough mumbled. Just then Keller entered the room and gave me a brilliant smile. He came to wrap his arm around my shoulder, and mine went around his waist. We stood like that, listening attentively to Lisabelle.

Lisabelle gave
Sip an “Oh, please” look. “Bartholem’s also coming, and Lough’s less than happy about that, but there you have it.” The white cat had resumed his attachment to Lisabelle the instant he’d seen her, and he practically hadn’t let her out of his sight since then.

Lough rolled his eyes and we all laughed. “I could definitely do without the cat.”

“Also,” said Lisabelle, “I knew you’d come through and I knew you didn’t really hate me, so I got you a gift.” Smiling mischievously, she searched through her robes, while Sip crossed her arms. I exchanged a confused look with Keller; neither of us had any idea what Lisabelle was up to.

“You didn’t need to do that,” said Sip, getting riled up.
“You knew I’d come through, but I didn’t. I’m sure there’s nothing you could get me that I could possibly want. I have friends, I have my life. My family’s safe . . .”

Out of Lisabelle’s robes she pulled the Kerry teakettle. Sip moved so fast my head spun, darting forward and snatching it from Lisabelle’s grasp with a whoop of delight. As she started dancing around the kitchen, Lisabelle sat down and braced her cheek on her hand. “I could get used to this,” she said dreamily.

I laughed and picked up a cookie. “I already have.”

The End

~

By Maddy Edwards:

One Black Rose Series

One Black Rose

August

Autumn

Susan’s Summer

Paranormal Public Series

Paranormal Public

Elemental Rising

Elemental Shining

Elemental Dawn

Elemental Fire

Elemental Air

Elemental Earth

Elemental Darkness

Elemental Light

Spiral Series

Spiral

Spiral of Silver