My Crazy Corner

Intangible (The Aerling Series, #2) by DelSheree Gladden

Mason is not imaginary.
 
He's not a ghost, either.
And he's most definitely not a hallucination.

Mason is an Aerling, and the Sentinels' number one target. 

Meet the Cast of Intangible:

Excerpt:  

Chapter 14

Waking up feeling nauseous is a terrible way to start the day. All I want to do is pull my blankets back up over my head and shut my eyes. I don’t want to move a single part of my body, not even my eyelids, but my alarm is blaring in my ear and I am likely to scream if it doesn’t shut up. Forcefully, I slap my alarm as I wish it would spontaneously combust. 

Sighing when I don’t smell burning plastic, I roll up to sitting and contemplate putting my feet on the floor. Given how just sitting up made my head swim, walking to the bathroom seems likely to end me, but know I can’t stay in bed. 

The least of my reasons for punishing myself are that I have homework that needs to be turned in today. Higher on my list is that moment on the porch with Hayden yesterday. I still don’t know what to do about that, but I do know that if I don’t show up at school today, not only will Hayden think something terrible has happened, he’ll want to stay here and nurse me back to health. Or he’ll assume I’m avoiding him and I’d end up with him here badgering me. The only possible way to avoid a repeat of yesterday seems to be dragging myself out of bed and suffering through school. 

I groan when I finally stand up and my stomach rolls. By the time I make it to the bathroom and step into the shower, I feel like giving up. Let Hayden think whatever he wants. I’ll just lock the door so he can’t get in. I press my head against the cool tiles on the far side of the shower. Blinking as a drop of water slides into my eye, I try to clear the blurriness. I blink again when it doesn’t go away. And again.

A strange sense of panic builds in my chest as I can’t clear my vision. I rub my eyes and drag my hands down my face to get the water off of me. My breathing escalates as my vision continues to worsen. I gasp, but I can’t get any air. I am reaching for my towel when everything around me freezes. I stare through blurry eyes at the water drops hanging suspended. Mason’s face flashes in front of my eyes and a sharp stinging pain stabs into my middle, dropping me to my knees. 

“Mason,” I whisper, “Mason.” I cry his name over and over again as the pain and nausea slowly lessens. Water pours over my body once again, but it can’t wash away the sense of impending danger clinging to every inch of my skin. 

By the time I feel well enough to stand, I am frantic to know what is happening to Mason. I speed through toweling off and throw on whatever I grab from my closet. I am rushing down the stairs, trying not to fall only a few minutes after leaving the bathroom. Mom tries to offer me some breakfast, but the mere mention of food brings on another wave of nausea. I press my hand to my stomach and try to resist the urge to vomit. 

“Olivia, honey, are you okay?” Mom asks. 

“Yeah, you look like crap,” Evie chimes in. 

My eyes snap over to hers. “Shut up. I’m still mad at you for yesterday.” 

“What happened yesterday?” Mom asks. Her eyes immediately go to Evie with a warning look.

Evie smirks. “Olivia can’t handle competition, that’s what.”