Read Devoted for Free Online Page B

that my soul is in danger.
    â€œCome sit down, everyone,” my dad says. Dad never gets mad in an obvious way. He always keeps the same serious tone in his voice that manages to sound reassuring when things are moving smoothly and frightening when things are not.
    Ruth glances at me, her eyes nervous. She’s seen me reading the book before and knows it’s mine. I offer a quick forced smile then sit down on the couch next to my older brother Matthew. Isaac toddles over to climb in my lap, but Ruth takes him into hers at the last moment.
    â€œRachel, Scripture tells us that the testing of faith produces steadfastness,” my father begins. “With that in mind, I want you to tell us what you’re doing with this book.”
    I swallow. Even the little ones aren’t squirming. They can tell from Dad’s tone, from the way my cheeks are flushing, that this is serious.
    â€œI asked Mom to get it for me at the resale shop a few months ago,” I say, my voice steady, like I’ve known this moment would come. Maybe I have. And I wish for a moment that Mom was here, though I know she wouldn’t defend me. She might try to take some of the blame, but she would defer to Dad. “It was a busy day, and we were buying so many things,” I continue, “and I think I—I know I took advantage of that and at the last moment I asked her to buy this book for me.” With Dad’s eyes on me, I can’t hold anything back. Every word I’m speaking is the truth.
    â€œDid you wonder if that was a godly decision?” Dad asks. He’s staring at me, his brow furrowed with concern.
    â€œYes,” I manage, not able to look back at his eyes, just at the space between them. “I did wonder. But I’ve read about the author. And she was a Christian, Dad. I looked her up in the encyclopedia. I thought she sounded like a godly person.”
    My father nods like he expected this kind of answer from me. “There are many who call themselves Christian and don’t follow the word of the Lord,” he says. “I looked through this book, Rachel, and it troubles me. It involves magic and time travel, among other questionable things.” I feel Ruth’s eyes on me, and when I glance at her, I see her mouth has dropped into a perfect little O of surprise.
    â€œYou know full well that Galatians warns us that those who are involved with sorcery and idolatry will not inherit the kingdom of God,” my father continues.
    â€œYes, Dad, I know,” I say, my cheeks so hot they hurt. I can’t decide where to look, so I choose my feet and stare at my worn-out, black lace-up boots that once belonged to Faith. Perfect Faith who feels and thinks and does everything right. Shame courses through me, and I feel my eyes start to glaze over with tears. I can sense everyone’s eyes looking at me, and Lauren Sullivan’s resolute stare flashes through my mind. I wonder if this was how she felt when she was admonished in front of the entire congregation. That I even think of Lauren in this moment makes me feel more ashamed, and I drop my gaze even lower.
    But there’s another, deeper part of me that wants to jump up and cry out. To tell Dad that in the book, Mrs. Who quotes Scripture, telling the children that the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not . And that Meg saves her brother because she loves him and light wins over darkness, and isn’t that something? Doesn’t love of family count as good? As godly? And doesn’t Proverbs say that the heart of the righteous studieth how to answer? Doesn’t that mean that pondering, wondering, questioning is all right? That books that make us think should be allowed?
    But Dad can’t read my thoughts, and there is no point in expressing them. We must honor and obey our father at all times. And anyway, expressing any other thoughts would only get me into more trouble.
    â€œRachel, I