The True One

Chapter 25

Verity

Norvin came with us willingly.

Too willingly, in my opinion.

I knew it would come to no good, but after he claimed Alek's sole purpose for his presence in my life was to murder me, I had to get out of Aurum Venari's basement. I wasn't done milking the bastard for information, but here we were on his turf when I needed home court advantage.

Still... I expected him to put up some sort of resistance rather than leave willingly with a woman he thought might maul him to death at any moment.

After a nearly silent car ride in which Norvin had the audacity to point out several of his favorite eateries like we were on a road trip instead of dragging the architect of my demise out to the burbs, we arrived at my father's house.

"Think your father will recognize him?" Alek asked me as we made our way up the front walkway.

"I'm not taking to you," I said, even though I was wondering the same thing. "Guess it's a good thing I didn't change your name in my contacts list, Mr. Douchbag."

"Verity, please hear me out."

He tried to pull me aside, but I yanked my arm from his grasp. "Let's focus on the task at hand. The sooner we get this sorted, the sooner I can hire a new bodyguard and change my alarm code."

His face fell. "I would never hurt you."

I turned away from his puppy dog face. He smelled like desperation and remorse, but I wasn't in the headspace to sort out my feelings for him or decide whether he'd fully cast off his prior convictions. It was a little hard to think ahead when I couldn't help playing Norvin's words on repeat. He was planning on killing you.

How does one get over that, especially if the threat might not be in the past?

I let myself in, pushing Norvin ahead of me. "Dad?"

The house was as silent as Val's had been.

"Did they take him too?" Flora asked me.

She poked at Norvin's shoulder. "Did you kidnap Verity's father? Are you holding our parents together until you can use them as sacrifices in one of your cult rituals?"

Norvin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You are truly clueless, aren't you?"

Not sure if Flora's cluelessness might have some merit or not, I sent my dad a quick text letting him know we were at his house. His response came immediately.

"He's at the grocery store," I told everyone. "Not being held hostage. We can expect him home soon."

"Is your father a good cook?" Norvin asked.

It took me a while to process such a mundane question. If he'd asked me if my dad consorted with witches in a forest clearing at half past midnight, I somehow would have been less surprised by it.

"Why do you want to know?"

Norvin shrugged. "I'm feeling peckish. Since the three of you have disrupted my dinner plans, the least you can do is feed me a decent meal. Is it too late to call your father and ask if he'll pick up a nice tenderloin?"

I was beginning to see where Alek got his exasperating asshole tendencies.

"You're really lucky we're being nice to you," Flora said in a more restrained version of what I was thinking myself. "If I didn't need you conscious to tell me where my mom is, I'd punch you senseless."

"That went dark quickly," Norvin said. "As for your mom..."

"As for my mom...what?"

He paused, chest puffing up like he was a chickadee announcing himself to his fellow bird brethren. "I feel strongly that you are worrying needlessly."