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Alek looked up from the driveway and met my eyes in the dark car. “Let’s just say you’re not the only one with parental issues,” he half-whispered. Alek’s eyes searched mine for a few seconds before he cleared his throat. “But everything will be fine. Remember the plan.”
I nodded and pulled down the hem to my black skirt. Alek slid out of his seat and walked around the car to open my door. I stepped outside and grabbed his arm, letting him lead me inside.
The inside of the house was just as fitting as the outside. Dark walls with red-velvet rugs littered the interior. Old, wooden furniture sat perfectly arranged around a large fireplace in the middle of the room. Although the tall ceilings seemed to go on forever, the home held a strange coziness that threw me off-guard.
“This way,” Alek whispered.
I followed him down the long hallway ahead of us. I couldn’t help but imagine Alek growing up in a place like this…livingin a place like this. It seemed so… so…formal.
Yet somehow, it made a lot of sense. Alek’s all-black outfits would fit perfectly in this house, blending right in. Maybe that’s what he wanted to do all along: blend in. I know I did.
“Father,” Alek announced as we stepped into the dining room.
The space was massive. A long, wooden table sat in the middle of the room with a dozen or more chairs surrounding it. The center of the table held a row of lit candles, and art of all forms hung from the walls around us.
I tried not to stare.
My attention was pulled away as soon as Alek’s father entered the room. Similar to Alek, he wore all black. Only instead of sleek, slim-fitting clothes, he wore a large black velvet robe that covered his entire body. A line of worry creased his forehead, and his dark eyes held something even more cruel than Alek’s… if that were possible.
“Welcome,” he said. I bit my cheek to hide the shock that he even addressed me at all. “It’s nice to see you again, Lyra. Please, let’s sit.”
I smiled as Alek led me to the table, pulling my chair out as I took my seat. Alek moved to sit across from me, and his father between us at the head of the table.
Uncomfortable silence filled the room as servants rushed in, filling each of our glasses. Clinking porcelain echoed through the room.
Stay calm, Lyra. There’s nothing to worry about.
“This is a beautiful home,” I said, breaking the silence.
Alek’s father’s green eyes slid to mine. For a second, I didn’t think he would respond. But he leaned back and placed his arms on the dining table as he said, “Built eons ago by our ancestors. Every family member has lived in this house for centuries now. It holds many memories.”
“Wow,” I breathed. “I’m sure it does.”
I found myself holding my breath. Why was I so nervous? This was Alek’s dad. He wasn’t my mother. He couldn’t hurt me.
Right?
“So, Lyra,” he began again. I flashed a look at Alek, but he seemed just as nervous as I was. “You’ve been spending quite some time with my son.”
The servants returned, this time bringing with them a plate of cheeses and assorted meats.
I swallowed. “Yes, I suppose I have.”
Alek’s father grabbed his fork and pierced a piece of meat, dragging it onto his own plate. “Alek is my son. And as my son, I find it is in my best interest to get to know the people he spends his time with. Don’t you agree, Alek?”
Alek looked up for the first time. “Yes, Father.”
“So tell me, Lyra, what do you find so interesting about my son?”
I froze. Alek had prepared me for a lot, but not this. Not this question. “Well,” I started. I could feel Alek’s eyes blazing into me from across the table. “I have to say that I find your son particularly… adventurous.”
His father let out a harsh laugh. “Yes, I suppose he is. Although, I find myself surprised that someone as quiet as yourself is attracted to such a quality.”
I took a deep breath and picked at a piece of cheese on my plate. “It can be refreshing at times,” I admitted.
“How so?” he pushed.
“Alek has been showing me things I haven’t had the pleasure to experience myself. I haven’t really gotten out that much recently.”
