“And what plans do you and your father have for Thanksgiving this year, Alaric?” Tiffany continued to prattle, seemingly oblivious to the tension at the table. I stabbed my fork into my sliced strawberries, stuffing them into my mouth and chewing without tasting.
“We usually go upstate to our mountain cabin,” Alaric supplied with ease. “In fact, I was going to ask if it would be alright for Mari to come up too. The colors of the trees this time of year are spectacular.”
Both Dan and I choked on our food, coughing loudly enough for other restaurant patrons to look our way. Alaric didn’t miss a beat, keeping his smiling face on Tiffany as he gently patted my back as I continued to choke and gape at him.Go away with him? And his dad? For Thanksgiving?
Even Tiffany had the decency to look taken aback. “Well, that is a kind offer, but I’m not so sure. This is her first Thanksgiving with us, and I was looking forward to it as a family.” She eyed me sympathetically.
“Oh, of course,” Alaric responded easily, ignoring the death glare Dan was sending his way. Hopefully, that wasn’t a Bloodwright ability. “I didn’t mean for the whole week. Just for the weekend after. Friday to Sunday.”
Didn’t I get a say in this?
Before Tiffany could reply, her cell phone rang. She checked the caller ID and rolled her eyes as she stood.
“I’m so sorry, but I have to take this. It’s about the church renovation.” She excused herself as Alaric and Dan stood, watching her walk away before slowly sitting down again.
“Really?” Dan spat, his voice low but tense. “You want to take her away already?”
“If you knew or read anything about the Twinflame bond, then you know we won’t be able to be apart for more than a few days. At least in the beginning, while she is still training,” Alaric retorted, his easy-going smile gone as a look of disdain came across his face. “Plus, it would be an excellent opportunity for her toget some relief from the city and train without the constant threat of Stonebounds or death echoes.”
“As a matter of fact, I have been doing research into this Twinflame bond. That’s why I was late.” Dan turned to me, his eyes softening. “I tried, Mari. I know you are much too young for a bond like this, but there was nothing in the archives. Elias and I both stayed up all night researching.”
“What about your own secret little library?” Alaric asked, sitting back in his chair casually. “The Pollard Red Lexicon was it?”
Dan’s face blanched, the color draining from it, as he turned his gaze from me to Alaric.
“You know about that?”
“She told me,” Alaric responded, his arm draping over the back of my chair in a weird sort of act of possession. I tried to scoot my chair away, but he just pulled it back.
“Too late to get away from me now,” he tsked. “After tonight, you’re not going to be able to stand being away from me for more than a few days.”
“I could change my mind,” I mumbled dryly.
Both Alaric and Dan tensed, their obvious need to protect me being the one thing they seemed to have in common.
“Seeing as that particular option leads to death, no,” Alaric mumbled as Dan nodded, his stern gaze fixated on Alaric. “And just for the record, weare the only ones who know about your secret library. For now.”
“Why are you keeping those books away from the Council?” I asked, turning my attention back to Dan, attempting to put my upcoming blood ritual initiation out of my mind for now.
He ran his fingers through his thinning brown hair, lifting his glasses to his head as he glanced around the restaurant.
“I just wanted to keep some things in the family.” He tried to explain.
Alaric simply raised an eyebrow. “If they found out you were hiding critical information and research, they could exile you. Even execute you if they felt so inclined.”
“Execute?” I exclaimed.
“So why are you keeping it to yourself?” Dan countered, both ignoring me.
“I have my reasons,” Alaric spoke in a cryptic tone. “Maybe I’m not completely against keeping some information away from the council. Or more specifically, my father.”
Before Uncle Dan or I could press him further, his hard expression softened as he stood. “Everything alright, Mrs. Pollard?”
“Oh, please.” She blushed as she sat down. “Call me Tiffany.”
“Of course, Tiffany.” He winked, making Dan roll his eyes out of view of Tiffany. “Is everything all right?”
“Oh,yes.” She shook her cloth napkin before putting it back in her lap. “Just issues with the contractor at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Apparently, certain tools are going missing or being moved. They are also hearing strange noises when it gets closer to night, and the workers have convinced themselves the place is haunted.” She laughed, rolling her eyes as she took another sip of her coffee. “Can you believe that?”
