Page 47 of Demons and Darlings


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This time, I couldn’t stop the panic from flooding my body. He had to have known something. He wouldn’t be pushing the topic unless he did.

“I think that’s enough about Lyra’s mother for now,” Alek jumped in. “Why don’t we let her enjoy some food?”

His dark eyes met mine in a silent message.

I had to get my act together. I was only making him more suspicious.

“Fine,” his father agreed. “Let’s talk about you. I assume business is continuing as usual?”

Alek stiffened, finally under his father’s full attention. “Yes, Father,” he responded. “The interception went well. Lyra came with me, actually. Night Raven has been profitable. Nothing new to report.”

His father stared at him, unmoving. I took another bite of food.

“Lyra went with you to intercept?”

Alek stared at his father now, almost in a challenging way. “Yes, Father.”

His father’s nostrils flared. “And you thought that was a good idea?”

Alek swallowed. “Lyra’s a big girl, Father. She can take care of herself. She was in no danger.”

The energy in the room shifted. I focused on my food, not daring to speak up.

His father laughed again, but this time, there was no humor in it. “You’ve always been reckless, son,” he muttered, “but that draws a line.”

“She was perfectly safe. Besides, if Lyra is going to be part of this family, she needs to see what it is we do.”

“Families have secrets,” his father muttered.

“Yes,” Alek retorted. “They do.”

Alek didn’t look away from his father. What had changed? Why was Alek standing up to him now, when he backed down so easily before?

I set my fork down. “It was fun, really. Alek protected me. We were in no trouble.”

His father huffed, finally breaking their intense stare. “Yeah,” he started. “I somehow find that hard to believe. When Alek is involved, there’s always trouble.”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not sitting right here,” Alek spoke up. “You asked me to intercept, and I did. End of story.”

“Except you brought Lyra with you. You know how that could have ended, Alek. What if she got hurt?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks once more. Alek’s father’s concern about my wellbeing was… strange.

“She didn’t,” he stated.

“It won’t happen again,” his father declared. “Understood?”

Alek’s jaw tightened. “Yes, Father.”

“Good. Now eat.”

Alek stared at his father for one beat longer before he finally let out a breath and began eating.

The two of them confused the hell out of me.

We ate in silence for a few minutes. The servants came in and out without a sound, bringing more and more food to the table.

“So Lyra, I assume you’re coming to the lake house this weekend? It’s going to be a full moon.”

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