A Thief of Nightshade(32)

He turned his attention to Jullian.

“You don’t know what it feels like, the grief that ... that has me ... this was my father, too! This was the man I had looked up to my whole life, from whom I’d prayed to inherit even the smallest modicum of greatness. Do you know what I pray for now, Jullian? I pray that whatever sickness lurks in his genes hasn’t been passed on. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t look myself a little closer in the mirror, just to make sure the disgust I felt for what he’d done hasn’t been forgotten. If the man I remember ...

the honorable, intelligent, loving man I knew in my childhood ... could do something so unspeakable, then what does the future hold for me? I’m self-serving? If giving up everything I’d ever wanted is self-serving, then so be it, Jullian. Then I’m an arrogant son of a bitch who cares about no one.”

Grant said once that he wasn’t interested in parenting, but when Aubrey thought about how much he loved Brooke’s children and how great he’d been with her when she was little, it made her wonder if he didn’t fear fatherhood.

Jullian unclenched the hand at his side and asked quietly, “Do you regret it?”

“Care to narrow that down a little?”

“Do you regret not turning in your father? Do you regret hiding all of this and forcing Aubrey and Brooke ... and yourself ... to be in his presence as if nothing ever happened?”

Grant’s eyes, already red from drinking, watered. “I don’t know. I once thought that maybe ... maybe not having to face what Father had done ... that Aubrey would be able to move on with her life, put it behind her. She and Brooke are so different. Brooke is fine. She’s—”

Aubrey interrupted Grant. “Brooke?

He...” She couldn’t say it, couldn’t bring herself to give a name to the act she’d had so many waking nightmares of. Aubrey had assumed that since Brooke always seemed so blithely happy that she’d been spared.

Grant looked sick. “Yes. I don’t know how long it had been going on for.

She’s never told me.”

“No, Brooke isn’t fine.” Jullian took Grant’s glass and held it up. “Neither are you. And the man who tore this family apart is sitting on that porch smoking a cigar, acting like nothing is wrong, when he deserves to be in prison. All you’ve done is take his place.”

Grant narrowed his eyes.

“Do you feel free Grant?” Jullian asked softly. “I know Aubrey isn’t. I’ve known she wasn’t—I just didn’t know why.”

Aubrey looked at Jullian. “Can you give us a minute?”

Jullian hesitated, then touched Grant on the shoulder in something of an apologetic gesture. Grant mutely tolerated it.

Once Jullian had left the room, Grant let go a sob that broke Aubrey’s heart and somehow she knew then that this moment wouldn’t repeat itself, that the next morning would find the Wright family just as outwardly perfect as they always were.

She silently leaned into him, letting him hug her for longer than his normal, casually close embrace. He shook as he wept and neither of them spoke. There wasn’t anything to be said.





Chapter Twelve


Avalar


WHEN AUBREY LOOKED UP, AISLINN WAS

asleep, Lipsey still by his side, but Given was gone. She listened for any sound. She hadn’t heard Given get up, but took a guess and walked to the lakeside, where she found Given sitting quietly.

“Can’t sleep?” Aubrey asked.

“Something like that.”

Aubrey sat down beside her. “I can’t either. I couldn’t remember my sister’s name earlier and just now, I was thinking about her. Her name is Brooke.” The moon was beautiful across the water and the woods around them were truly serene.

Of all the nights she had spent in Avalar, she should have been able to fall asleep the fastest on this one. Had it not been for the gravity of her thoughts, she probably could have. “Where is my iPod when I need it?”

Given looked at her curiously and it dawned on her that the Shade wouldn’t have the slightest idea what she was talking about.

“I’m sorry. You remind me so much of a friend I have back home that I forget you don’t know what I’m talking about sometimes. An iPod is a little device that plays music...” She stopped when she noticed Given’s shivering. It wasn’t cold outside—if anything the air was unusually warm. She reached over tentatively and felt Given’s forehead. Blistering heat met her touch. “You’re feverish.”

“No, though it must feel that way. I promise you it’s all right. And you will remember things on and off—names, places, events. The Lessening comes and goes, but it will get gradually worse as time progresses.” Given’s breath hitched in her throat.

Aubrey dreaded it, but she had to see. She pulled Given’s dress off her back and gasped. Bright red gashes covered her skin, identical to those that marred Aubrey’s back.

“It isn’t what you think it is,” Given said. “I wish I could take all of it for you.

I can only take the effects of the nightshade and the pain of your wounds, nothing more. It will pass for me, but it will give you enough time to do what you’ve come here to do.”

Aubrey was aghast. “The nightshade was poisonous to me, won’t it hurt you?”