“Together, you could potentially be able to burn through more elaborate lies or illusions, revealing another’s true nature or intentions.” Richard folded his hands, resting his chin there. “You’ve already shown how capable you are when it comes to breaking down illusions. Now imagine if you were to harness Alaric’s power in that same way. It could reveal hidden secrets, liars, traitors amongst us.”
I physically had to stop myself from rolling my eyes when he mentioned liars and traitors, as it felt like I was currently sitting at a dinner table, alone in the woods, with the only two liars and traitors I knew.
“But that will take time,” Alaric interrupted. “And there is no rush. Just some things to potentially look forward to.”
Richard glanced at his son, his gaze intense and sharp. “And yet time is not something we can afford to waste.”
“What does that mean?” I snapped, looking between father and son as they stared one another down.
Before either of them could reply, Richard’s phone buzzed on the table, the vibration making me jump in my seat.
Richard sighed irritated as he picked up the phone, noting the caller ID. “What could your uncle possibly want?”
“Uncle Dan?” I questioned.
Richard held his hand up to silence me as he took the phone call.
“Yes, Daniel?” His voice was curt and sharp.
There was mumbling on the other end; whatever Uncle Dan was telling Richard did not make him happy. Richard’s other hand folded into a fist, tightening so hard I could see the white in his knuckles. His eyes gazed forward, narrowing as a vein in his neck pulsed with barely bridled rage.
I glanced at Alaric, who looked pale and nauseous as he waited for the conversation to end.
“I see,” Richard finally replied, his voice clipped. “Yes. I understand. I’ll be there in about five hours.”
He ended the call roughly, slamming the phone down on the table. “Damn it!”
“What?” Alaric stood, hovering by his father’s side. I couldn’t decide if it was in an effort to help his father or if he were trying to keep his attention on him and not on me.
“It appears that Elias has done an inventory of our current texts and has found a few missing,” Richard spoke slowly, his eyes on Alaric alone. “They need the Council to come together to do a thorough search and investigation.”
I tried to hide the relief that flooded through me. I knew Dan did this on purpose, getting Elias to do an inventory knowing there was at least one book missing that Alaric had taken. It was a test and Richard had clearly fallen into it. And now it would just be Alaric and me. I could finally talk to him openly without Richard’sdomineering presence.
“Should we pack our things?” Alaric asked, and I suddenly realized how quickly this could backfire. I internally groaned at the thought of another miserable five-hour car ride with Richard.
“No.” Richard stood, pocketing his phone as he threw his napkin on his unfinished plate. “You two stay here and work on your training. I will see what the fuss is about and will send a car to pick you up on Sunday afternoon.” His words felt less like advice and more like a threat—there was clearly pressure on both Alaric and me to deliver whatever it was that Richard wanted from our bond.
I followed quietly behind as Alaric walked with Richard to the garage where two Range Rovers sat, shiny, new, and unused. Richard grabbed one set of keys hanging on a hook by the door. Alaric watched as his father got into the SUV, the garage door opening after he pressed a button in the car.
“I can always drive us back to the city on Sunday. No need to make Thomas come all the way back up here,” Alaric replied easily, his hands in his pockets. He was already looking more at ease at his father’s departure. Maybe it would be easy to talk to him, to get him to open up to me.
“No,” Richard snapped. “Thomas will be here with the car at 1pm on Sunday. You focus on training until then. There is plenty of food in the fridge. Do not,” he directed his next command to me. “let youraunt know that I’ve left you two alone here. She’d have my head.”
I saluted in response. “Aye-aye, Captain.”
Alaric smirked, but the smile fell away as Richard gazed at us with an intense, unspoken emotion.
“Charming,” he muttered, slamming his door closed and reversing out of the garage at high speed. As soon as his taillights disappeared beyond the wards, Alaric pushed a button beside the door to the kitchen, which closed the garage door. He led me back inside, the air already feeling warmer and more comfortable without Richard’s icy, domineering presence.
Alaric went straight to the dining room table, beginning to clear away the remains of dinner. I stepped in to help and in a less prickly silence; we cleared away the table and cleaned the kitchen. It felt so domestic and normal, making me wonder what life would be like if we really were just normal teenagers who had just scored a cabin to ourselves for the weekend.
But we weren’t normal. We were Bloodwrights, Twinflames, and there was so much that needed to be discussed, explained before we did anything else.
“Why’d you hide that book in the library?” I asked, just as Alaric finished loading the dishwasher and I had come from the dining room after wiping down the table.
His back tensed, the muscles in his neck straining. He slowly turned to face me, his dark green eyes swimming with distance.
“Why did you go looking for it without asking me?” He countered.
