Page 17 of The Defiant Curse

Now, she was surrounded by them.

The Raven was returning to the Raven’s nest.

‘Ravensmire Castle.’

As she approached, the gate was open, inviting her in, and she didn’t hesitate to do just that. As she sped up the driveway, lined with trees losing their leaves, and going dead, she knew the feeling.

That emptiness had her by the throat.

Why she chose to come here…

She wasn’t sure, but it called to her. When trying to find a place to lay low, this had popped into her mind, and been the choice.

Why it felt safe, and like coming home…?

She didn’t have a clue.

Maybe it was her love of a mystery, or maybe it was because if she was going to be chased by ghosts, they should be ones that haunted her house.

The Devil she knew.

Or was going to know.

As she came to a stop, Elizabeth parked and sat there staring at the monstrosity.

Holy shit.

This place was a spectacle.

Ravensmire was the most ridiculous place she’d ever seen, and Gabby had been right.

It was beautiful.

Honestly, she couldn’t wait to get a tour, and see what made this place tick.

Or what made it go BOO in the night.

That should be her first clue that she was out of her damn mind. No one with a lick of sanity came to a haunted castle to roam around in it for funsies.

Her egg was definitely scrambled.

When the massive wooden door opened, creaking on the wrought-iron hinges, that was when she saw him.

“Hey,” Michael offered. “We got the message. Welcome home,” he said, standing in front of the grand old castle in all of her majestic glory.

Hearing his words…

That’s when she broke down.

The tears came all over again, and hearing ‘home’…it rocked her to her core.

She didn’t know where that was anymore. Never in her life had she felt more lost than she did at that moment. It was like being alone and adrift at sea.

To be here…

That should say it all.

She wasn’t fooling anyone—not even herself. She was in pieces and had no idea how to put herself back together again.