Chapter 13

"It was unbelievable!" Mr. Perry said as they sat around the dining room table eating supper. "The boy fell to the ground and his power poured out of into those three boys. Four other lines came out, one went into the house, and three others went different directions. Who were those boys anyhow?"

"The Downings," Pogue said. "I found out a few days ago they were my cousins."

Mr. Perry started. "Meredith!" he said in a soft whisper.

"Why didn't you ever tell me father?" I've gone to school with them my whole life. It would have saved a lot of heartache!" Pogue said sadly.

"I'm sorry son. I guess I just thought you knew."

Caleb wondered about the other three lines of power and where they went. "Mr. Perry did you say seven strands of power came out of Ridge?"

"Yes Caleb."

"There are only four Downings left though, and Marcus said his power was split evenly between the remaining siblings."

Mr. Perry's thoughts went back into time. It was awhile before he answered. "That is a story better not told. Only Ridge knew the truth I think. You will find out from the Downings when they want you to know."

Reid let his mind wander from the conversation wondering how Tyler was doing upstairs with his father. What had happened to Shane and Adam? Mr. Perry had told them the two boys disappeared after Ridge's death.

'They won't be back for awhile Reid. I can feel it. Shane knows his own brothers will retaliate against him now. Tyler will be fine Reid.'

'Damn it Caleb. How long is this going to last? You hearing every thought? I have a date with Lizzie Sackett Friday night. I don't want you in my head then!' Reid projected at Caleb.

Caleb chuckled out loud. 'I definitely hope it's gone by then! Lizzie huh?'

'Yea she's hot, but yet she's different from all the other girls I've gone out with. I really like her!'

'Pogue's the one your going to have to convince not me Reid,' Caleb told him. 'She's his cousin after all.'

Reid sighed looking at Pogue. Pogue looked at his friends wondering why they were both looking at him, and Caleb had been laughing.

The Masters of Ipswich sat in Ridge Downing's office. By unspoken law of the covenant the next eldest was now de facto leader. Sloan Archer was two days older than Trey Knight, both of them being twenty-two the same age Ridge had been. Sloan sat in an arm chair leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. No one blamed Shane's older brothers for Ridge's death. They though blamed themselves.

"Sloan?" Trey said.

Sloan looked up at the rest of the covenant members. His eyes fell on Raven, who his brother had been so hell bent on destroying. To him his family had betrayed the convent.

"I cannot do it! Not after what happened! I decline it. You're the leader now Trey." He rubbed his eyes, willing back the tears that were threatening to come.

"Ridge wanted you to take over." Raven spoke up.

"Our family broke the covenant, betrayed it. I can't and I won't!"

"We're forgetting something here." Trey spoke up. "By all rights Rowan should be de facto leader."

Raven shivered.

"Rowan won't come back you all know that!" Ryder said.

"It's yours Trey! I've made my decision." Sloan looked at his brothers Matthew and Michael, who he had spoken to earlier that day on his decision. They had agreed with him. "My brothers and I aren't going to leave the convent, but we are leaving for awhile. Michael is transferring schools. Do you all even know how are it is for us to face all of you?"

Marcus and Rayne looked at their best friend. Rayne never blamed Michael for his brother's death and he never would.

"No!" Chandler said. "Our power is stronger with you all here with us! What if Shane and Adam come back? We'll need your power! Hell you know that isn't the reason we don't want you to leave! You're our brothers! We need you; don't let this split us up! Don't let history repeat itself! Or have you forgotten about Storm?"

Sloan started. He had forgotten. He looked at his own brothers.

"On one condition Trey."

"Yes?"

"We make the decisions together! We both take over." Sloan said.

"It's never been done before!" Trey said.

"You don't think we can do it?" Sloan asked.

"I'm in." Trey said shaking Sloan's hand. "As long as there are no objections."

Everyone shook their head in agreement.

Raven went to her room leaving the others to do whatever they did when she wasn't around. She lay down on her bed, and willed back the tears that threatened to pour. Hadn't she'd cried enough? It had been three days. The funeral would be tomorrow. She hadn't talked to Tyler since. He hadn't even tried to call, but he had been traumatized as well as she had. She remembered his sobs in the sanctuary and wished she could have done something for him. She reached for her cell and punched 8 on her speed dial for Tyler. She got his voice mail. She called Pogue then.

Pogue looked at his phone eyes in shock when he saw it was Raven calling him. He hadn't seen any of the Master's of Ipswich since the day Ridge was killed.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hi Pogue." She said.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I've been better."

A silence stretched out for awhile.

"How is he?" She whispered.

"Not very good." He said knowing who she was asking about.

"I tried calling him, he wouldn't answer."

"I know." He said looking across the fire at Tyler who was staring into it.

"He's with you?" She asked.

"Yes."

"So are the others I suppose."

"Of course."

"Trey and Sloan are both taking de facto leader." She said out of the blue.

"What? How can they do that?" Pogue asked raising his voice a little, and drawing the attention of his brothers.

"It's never been done before, but we agreed on it. I miss them Pogue!"

He heard her start to cry. He looked across the fire at Tyler again who was watching him. He heard the door open above them, and saw his own father and Mr. Sims coming down the stairway.

"I'm sorry but I got to go." Pogue said.

"Are you all coming to the funeral?"

"Of course."

"I…." She started

"Raven?"

"What are you doing here?" He heard her say to someone. Pogue ignored the probing from Caleb and Reid. He heard a male voice in the background.

"I've told you no! Now leave!" Pogue heard her cry.

He heard a curse in the background. Then heard Raven cry out in pain, and the phone go dead. "RAVEN!" he cried.

"What's going on Pogue?" Caleb asked.

"I don't know. Someone's hurting Raven." He saw Tyler go pale.

'Rayne!' He cried.

'What?'

'I was on the phone with Raven, someone interrupted us and I heard her cry out in pain after she told them to leave.'

'Oh god.'

Rayne jumped up and ran to Raven's room, where he found her on the floor bleeding. He looked around the room, and felt the cool breeze coming into the room. He ran to the window and looked out. He froze when he saw him, at the edge of the trees looking up with him grinning. He turned and disappeared into the trees. He turned back to Raven to find Ryder healing her.

"Was it him?"

"Yes." He said his face pale.

Just when they thought there troubles were over. He was back again. Raven had just turned thirteen the last time he had come back. She being the only one with the powers to help him, and she had refused. He wouldn't kill her, but he would break her down little by little till she did. She was stronger now though, but his time was near. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.