Courting Darkness (Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon 10)

“Life’s taken some interesting turns, hasn’t it?” He cleared his throat and then, aware everybody was looking at us, backed away.

I turned to Yugi. “What’s Sharah’s message?”

“Everybody’s moved over to the barrow except for Menolly. She’ll go at sunset, of course. But there’s someone at the house waiting to talk to you. You need to stop there before going back to Smoky’s barrow.” He turned to Chase. “And Sharah said that if they found you . . . please call her the minute you get the chance.” He handed the detective a cell phone.

I accepted mine, flipping it open. A call to the house got hold of Iris. “What are you doing there? Is anybody with you? I know you want to wait until Menolly wakes up, but—”

“Sharah’s out at the barrow with Morio. I’m in Menolly’s lair. No worries that way—I’m safe enough. But up top, there’s somebody waiting to talk to you. He tried to swear me to secrecy, but Camille, you are my family. He . . . well . . . I don’t know if he is or isn’t.”

“Who is it?” I was beginning to hate waiting games and secrets, wanting all the information up top, front and center.

“Your father. Sephreh ob Tanu. He’s sitting up in the parlor, waiting for you right now, and I have no clue what he wants, before you ask. He just showed up today and demanded to see you. I told him to go out to the barrow and wait but he refuses.” Iris tsked a couple of times and then snorted. “He’s a stubborn man. You two are so much alike.”

“Alike, my ass. He disowned me. I have nothing to say to him.” But then I stopped. What could he want? Had he finally seen his way past Tanaquar’s grasping need for control? Or was it something more mundane? “Fine, I’ll stop there on the way home. But I’m not holding hope. And don’t you dare fix him any tea—not until I know what he wants.”

As I flipped my phone shut, I looked up at Delilah. “Father is at the house. He wants to talk to me.” At the sudden look of joy in her eyes, I held up my hand. “I don’t trust this conciliatory gesture. And maybe he just came to deliver the rest of my stuff. Who knows what he wants? I’m not getting my hopes up because the last thing I need is another fucking jerk dragging me through the mud. Emotionally or physically.”

She nodded, wisely biting her tongue, and we piled back into the cars, heading for our home. As the streets sped by, Hyto’s collar chaffed against my neck. I had the feeling he could sense me—wherever he was—and he was just biding his time until he was ready to come destroy my world.

Chapter 18

The house came into view and my heart thudded like a locomotive picking up steam. My father had disowned me around the equinox. He’d cut off ties with me. My sisters had quit the OIA—the Otherworld Intelligence Agency—in protest of my being fired.

As I got out of the car, one look down toward the trail leading to Birchwater Pond told me that Smoky had, indeed, been more than a little upset. Near the mouth of the path, trees had been uprooted and tossed around like a dog might toss a branch. Scorch marks blackened the ground. I swallowed hard, trying to not remember when I’d realized it was Hyto and not Smoky waiting for me.

Smoky stood at my shoulder and gently put his arm around me, glancing into the sky. “Come, let us go in. And whatever you want, just tell us and we’ll make it happen, my love.”

I nodded, slowly, following them up the stairs to the porch. As we entered the house, Trillian and Delilah immediately spread out, searching for any unwanted guests. Iris peeked in from the kitchen and motioned toward the living room. I blew her a kiss, touched by the tears in her eyes when she saw me standing there.

Motioning for the others to remain behind, I silently walked into the living room, afraid to look at my father. Afraid to see that he might be here on business only. It had torn me up to lose his love and support, but he’d forced a choice I couldn’t make in his favor. He’d given me an ultimatum, and I’d responded the only way I could—the only way my conscience would allow.

He was sitting there, his hair a braided mirror of my own, his eyes the same misty lilac color as my own. He glanced up. I couldn’t read his expression. As I approached the sofa where he sat, he stood, holding my gaze.

I nodded. Let him be the first to speak. Let him take the reins so I’d know what I was dealing with.

“Camille . . .” His voice was edgy, unsure.

“Welcome to our home, Ambassador. What can I do for you? Or would you rather speak to Delilah? I know just what you think of me.” My voice took on a raw edge as the words spilled out, unbidden, unplanned.

Father stared at me. First came the challenge—but he’d taught me well, and I said nothing more. Just waited, unwilling to look away or blink. Would he reach out? Would he open his arms to me? Or would he be cold and professional and say what he had to say?

After a moment, he quietly reached inside his pocket and pulled out a folded paper. “I bring you a letter from your Aunt Rythwar. She bade me deliver it—in fact, she insisted. I also make one last plea: You have not yet joined Aeval’s Court. Turn away and you will be welcomed back into Tanaquar’s presence again. And . . . into mine.”

So . . . it was the latter. I slowly picked up the letter and stared at it, then set it back down on the table. With a long look at Father, I walked over to the window and stared out at the snow that was piling up.

“Do you know where I spent the last few days?” When he didn’t answer, I shrugged. “No, of course you wouldn’t. And you wouldn’t care.” Turning around, I touched the collar locked around my throat. “You see this? A dragon captured me. He raped me, he beat me senseless. My body is covered with his bruises and the feel of his hands. His collar is locked on until we can kill him. He’s out there, now, looking for me.”

Sephreh let out a little cry, but I ignored it. I continued on, my voice as hard and cold as I could make it.

“But I escaped. I climbed down a snow-covered mountain, terrified and exhausted. My family was searching for me. I kept hope . . . because, you see, they love me. They stand behind me. I kept hope because I know there’s a demonic war brewing and we’re waiting for Shadow Wing’s next move.”

“Please, stop—”

“No! I will have my say and you will listen. This is my house, not yours. I kept up hope because my goddess offered me strength when the darkness threatened to engulf me. When I was bleeding from the beatings. When Hyto held my head down, forcing me to suck his cock. When my father-in-law kicked me across the rock floor like an abused dog . . . I escaped because I knew what I needed to do. Because people who love me were looking for me. Because I was raised to be the daughter of a soldier, to never give up.”

“Camille—” My father let out a strangled cry, his expression stricken. “Please understand . . .”

“Not anymore. No more. I took over for Mother when she died. I kept my sisters going. You put that responsibility on my shoulders, and I willingly accepted it. But I’m no longer your obedient servant.” I shook my head at him. “I don’t exist to you, do I? I’m no longer your daughter. I’m dead to you. Why should I have expected you to give a fuck? Why did I hope you’d care?”