“My you are strapping,” she murmured. I let a slow smile move across my face.
“Thank you.”
“Well! Shall we eat?” Father said.
I took the seat next to Georgina. I felt her fingers brush my sleeve as she sat at the table.
I fought to suppress my shudder.
The table stretched the length of the room, covered in platters of roasted meat and expensive wine. The smell of spice hung heavy in the air.
Dominic sat across from me.
“So, Dev. How did you fare when Darkmoor came under attack?”
“You were at Darkmoor?” Georgina asked me, stiffening slightly.
“I was yes. My young exploits got me into a bit of trouble a few years back.”
Father snorted. “If that’s what you call trashing my motorcycle collection.”
The table chuckled. I looked at Father and smiled. “Didn’t you just replace it the next day?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Now Ian,” Mother said. The look she sent me could’ve melted steel. “We don’t need to rehash the past, do we? I’m sure Dominic and Georgina don’t wish to hear about it.”
“So, you’re a bit of a bad boy then,” Georgina said. She kept staring at me, but something in her eyes was calculating. “I do feel like I have seen you somewhere before.”
Dominic was still watching me closely.
“So, what happened to you after the raid at Darkmoor? Where did you go?”
“I have a few apartments around Telluride,” I said lightly. “One of the perks of having money.”
“Which one did you use?”
“Depends on the week,” I said with a shrug.
“Keep him talking, Dev. Sable almost has the files.”
I reached for my wine and forced myself to take a slow sip.
Dominic just kept his gaze on me.
“Did you know many people at Darkmoor?”
“A few,” I said lightly. “Why the interest?”
Dominic smiled over the rim of his glass. “Just curious. I’ve heard some of the inmates are less than savoury.”
“Inmates? You make it sound like a jail. Darkmoor was an opportunity for Dev to learn and change. It’s such a shame what happened to it. But I’ve heard they plan to reopen,” Mother said.
I flicked my eyes her way. “Is that true? There was a lot of damage.”
“Well of course. Darkmoor is a fine institution. They have some of the best minds working there to benefit the Light,” Father said.
I felt the familiar heat of anger crawl up my spine. I leaned back in my chair. “Of course. Why would we ever want to help anyone else.”
