Page 59 of Sacrifice

“Shit. Of course you don’t,” he muttered. “Never mind. I’m sure it’s probably the same.”

With that, he fell silent and pressed a green button on the phone screen. The car filled with a faint ringing sound, followed by the familiar crackle of my father’s voice. “Adam Thorne. Is that really you?”

“Certainly is, old friend,” Adam said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He pressed another button on the phone and spoke up again. “Listen, I have someone with me who I’m sure you’d love to hear from. You’re on speakerphone now.”

“What?” my father said. His voice was much louder and clearer now.

“Papa!” I cried out. “Don’t listen to him!”

“Rosamund?”

“Yes, Papa! Please, don’t listen to anything this man says!”

“Adam, what’s going on?” My father’s voice was rising with panic. “Why on earth do you have my daughter?”

Adam laughed. “A little birdy told me something, Augustus. Apparently, you have a big sacrifice coming up later tonight.”

Papa was silent for a long moment. “We did. But our plans have changed.”

“A forced change, from what I hear. Little Rosie changed her mind, didn’t she?”

“It’s none of your business, Adam.”

“Oh, but it is. See, I have a little proposition for you, old friend.”

“Stop calling me that,” Papa said tersely. “We are not friends.”

“Fine.” Adam’s voice went cold. “I have Sebastian with me. It seems he and his little girlfriend figured everything out. About Miranda, and everything else too.”

My father let out a long, weary sigh. “Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“Then you understand my problem. And as you know, my problems areyourproblems, thanks to the deal we made twenty years ago.”

“The deal my people were forced into, you mean. To coveryourcrime.”

Adam scoffed. “Oh, please. It kept you all out of trouble too. You know the government wouldn’t allow Alderwood to exist anymore if they knew what you were growing up there.”

My father went quiet again for a long moment. “What do you want, Adam?” he finally said.

“Rose has changed her mind about being your sacrifice tonight,” he replied. “She wants to do it.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he reached into the center console, produced a black pistol, and waved it at me in a silent warning. Then he waved it at Sebastian’s still-unconscious form. I clamped my mouth shut, tears welling in my eyes.

“But, as you know, I currently have her in my possession,” Adam went on. “I’m willing to give her back to you so you can have your weird little moon sacrifice tonight. It sounds like it’s important to you. In return for that favor, I need you to carry out a second sacrifice.”

“Sebastian, I presume,” Papa said stiffly.

“Bingo. When the police come sniffing around, as they’re bound to do, we’ll just say he must’ve gotten lost hiking up there in the wilderness. Sad, but not unheard of. People go missing in the High Peaks all the time, don’t they?”

“This is yoursonwe’re discussing, Adam. Not just any person.”

Adam narrowed his eyes, even though my father couldn’t see him. “I’m well aware of that. But he’s going to cause serious problems if he goes to the police with what he knows. That affects you and the Covenant as well as me and my family, so you’re going to need to do us another solid. Do what it takes to maintain the coverup.”

Papa fell silent yet again. After a painstakingly long moment, he uttered two words in a low murmur. “I understand.”

“So you’ll help me?” Adam asked, cocking his head. “You’ll make the necessary sacrifice?”

“Yes.”

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