Free Destined for Dreams: Book One by Ginna Moran

complicated, Lys. I accidentally caught Jacqueline sleeping last night, but when I invaded her dreams, there was a boy there. He was real. A soul trapped in her head. You’re right about her not being a necromancer. She’s a sin-eater.”
    She tugs on her braid. “We have to tell the council she’s lying.”
    I press my lips together and turn away. Alyssa doesn’t even think twice about the wrong I’ve done to Jacqueline. “No. We can’t. You don’t understand. Hunter needs me.”
    Her forehead crinkles. “Is that the soul? They can help him.”
    I sigh. “Please, let me figure this out on my own. You don’t know that the council will help him. They don’t always intervene in this kind of thing.”
    “You like him,” Alyssa says.
    “I don’t know. I’m trying not to. I’ve only visited him twice.”
    “Twice? You know you can’t have a life with a dream boy.”
    I lift up my hand to stop her. “Just forget about it.”
    She looks away. “What if Jacqueline is dangerous? She’s lying to everyone for a reason. I want you to be careful.”
    I purse my lips. “Let’s just get through the day. Maybe she’ll tell us the truth and then I’ll decide what I’m going to do about Hunter.”
    She stares at me in surprise before turning to face the perimeter wall. “I don’t like this, Nadia. I don’t trust her. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to take her with us.”
    I touch her arm and she turns to meet my gaze again. “You said it’ll be fine.”
    She sighs. “For now it is.”
     
     
    HUNTER
     
    The council’s meeting room is a small auditorium. Three people sit behind a table for four draped in a navy blue table cloth. A chair is placed to their right with a small table positioned next to it and a pitcher of water and an empty glass sits on top the table.
    The size of the Creature Council is underwhelming considering it’s three times smaller than the board. Mr. Soto guides Jacqueline on stage and I chuckle. This is less of a meeting and more of a performance, and I can’t help but find Jacqueline’s awkwardness hilarious.
    She glances at the few random supers in the audience before she takes the single seat, facing the council. I bet she’s freaking out and wished she had begged Nadia to tag along with her.
    “Please state your name,” Mr. Soto says, drawing Jacqueline’s attention to the council.
    “Jacqueline Matthews.” Her voice is a notch louder than a whisper. She stares at a woman in a black pantsuit with straight, blond hair and rimless glasses. “I don’t believe it,” she thinks to me. “That woman is human.”
    I’m just as surprised that there is a human on the council. I thought they were here to protect and act as a governing body for supers. Next to the woman is a young man with a shaved head and clean face. He’s much more casual than the others, in basketball shorts and a tank top, and he looks ready to leave. Beside him is a young girl with jet black hair and electric blue eyes. She’s wearing a flower-patterned dress and giant beaded earrings that peek through her hair.
    “Please state the desired length of residency,” Mr. Soto says.
    “Permanently,” Jacqueline rests her hands in her lap.
    Mr. Soto thumbs through a stack of papers. “Please confirm your species.”
    “Necromancer.” Jacqueline is still holding onto the dead people whisperer façade. I wonder what would happen if someone found out she was lying or if they happen to have another necromancer here that asks too many questions.
    Mr. Soto smiles and turns his head toward the audience. “The floor is open for questions.”
    Jacqueline glances at the almost empty audience again before staring back at her hands. I’m seriously dying to talk to her, but I’m scared she’ll toss me into the void. She plays with the hem of her dress and shifts, crossing her legs at her knees instead of her ankles.
    Jacqueline clears her throat when no one raises their hand. “Can I ask questions?”
    Mr.