Verum (The Nocte Trilogy 2)

ind answers, I might lose my sanity.

The answers are at Whitley.

I exhale, realizing that I’d been holding my breath.

“Ok. I’ll go.”

For answers, and for my father. Because he’s been through enough already. He shouldn’t have to watch me fall apart.

Dare’s beautiful eyes shutter closed. “I love you, Calla.”

Pain ripples through me to the point of being physical, to the point of stopping my aching heart.

“I know.”

But I don’t think that’s enough.

I don’t say it.

Because he already knows. I see it on his tortured face.

I ache to reach out and touch it, to sooth him, to hold him.

But I can’t.

There’s something to fear here.

And until I know what it is, I have to distance myself.

It’s the only way I’ll survive.

Chapter 3

The plane ride is long, even though we’re in first class.

A flight attendant pays personal attention to me, bringing me blankets and warm cloths and icy drinks, and the whole flight, I’m on pins and needles with Dare.

Because I love him.

Because he’s a stranger to me now.

Seated next to me, in the wide leather seat, he tries to engage me in conversation, tries to pull me out of my shell, but I avoid every effort.

It’s so painfully, impossibly hard, but I have to.

I have to until I know what he’s hiding.

He’s hurt, I can tell. Because my actions are painful. They’re painful to us both. But there’s something giant and black and scary hanging over my head, and I can’t let it fall on us.

Everything depends on me. I know that much is true.

But what is everything? I don’t know.

The perfectly made-up flight attendant bends next to me. “Only a few minutes until our descent into Heathrow. Is there anything you need?”

My sanity, please.

I shake my head and she’s gone, and before long, we’re walking into the busy airport. Dare’s hand is on my elbow, and even though I don’t want to, I shake it away.