Page 62 of Morning's Light

CHAPTER 13

Twenty minutes later they had a considerable pile started in the middle of the room and little actual substance. It amazed Aisanna how much crap her father saved. In normal company, he appeared fastidious and prim. The rule of life in the Cavaldi household was to present a stoic outer façade to the world. Never let them see you cry was Thorvald’s motto growing up.

Here, in his study, an opposite picture formed.

It made her reconsider her father’s character more than she wanted. Things were not always what they seemed.

Karsia found a box of nearly empty dark chocolate truffles and tossed one to Aisanna, who popped it in her mouth and chewed. Still tasty and fresh, so not everything in here was ancient. That at least was heartening.

The girls moved through a mass of newspaper clippings detailing his illustrious career as a bank manager, and their mother’s humble beginnings when she’d dabbled in a stage career, which had never amounted to anything due to an unfortunate case of no talent.

There were pieces of artwork from their childhood, and scribbled notes of crayon detailing their love for their parents or grandparents or each other. Thorvald saved each one and not exactly with the care they warranted. Some they found stored in file folders, while others were mashed between books or shoved underneath paperweights.

“What are you girls doing?”

All three jumped, turning around at the sound of their mother’s voice. Varvara leaned against the doorjamb with one hip thrust to the side, her small figure clothed in a white sweater and matching pants. Her black hair was swept to the top of her head in an elegant braid, her lips painted pale pink.

She stared at them with an amused sparkle in her gaze. “You know your father killed the last living thing to enter this room besides himself.”

Karsia rolled her eyes. “Rats don’t count, Mom.”

“Still, I repeat, what are you doing? You better get out before he comes in and sees you. Luckily, I have him bringing bags inside through the back. You’re lucky he wanted to go shopping after breakfast.”

Aisanna swept the book behind her back although the jig was up. “We’re going.”

Varvara crooked her finger. “You. Come here.”

“Me?”

“Don’t play coy, Aisanna.”

There was absolutely no way out of the situation. Aisanna hung her head and moved toward her mother. Chastised. With the other girls waiting behind her, trying not to look like they were snooping, she began, “Look, I know this is about the other night.”

“I told you to take care of the problem,” Varvara hissed, her voice low and her tone an odd mixture of compassion and frustration. “First, let me say I told you so. Working that closely with humans is bound to cause trouble. Do you understand now?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Second, I’m going to assume you’ve taken care of the problem. One way or another. I don’t need to tell you it will be trouble for us if this man opens his mouth.”

“I’ve taken care of it. He won’t say a word. He’s kind and caring,” Aisanna said deliberately. “A decent man.”

“Is he your…” The word seemed to stick in her throat. “Boyfriend? Are you and—”

“Elon.”

“Are you and Elon involved?”

“Mom, no! I’m just trying to tell you he’s a good man. And if you try to turn him in to the Claddium, I’ll—” She didn’t have a plausible threat or a thought beyond warning her mother to drop the subject.

“If, for some reason, there is something going on between the two of you…you’ll need to end it. You need to cut things off with this man before you drag him any further down the merry primrose path.”

Even though Aisanna knew her mother was right, she resented the statement. “That is awfully closed-minded of you.”

Varvara shook her head. “It has nothing to do with being closed-minded. Which I’m not, by the way. I’m trying to give you a good piece of advice. The same one my mother gave me. You need to break things off with your human before it gets too serious. There are too many balls up in the air to involve him. And even if there weren’t, I would still warn you to back away.”

“I’m not sure how many times I have to tell you,” Aisanna said through clenched teeth, “but there’s nothing going on. I swear it.”

“I’m not questioning you. You’re an adult. I’m simply saying that to continue with him is to curse him. Darkness is not rising, sweetheart, it’s here. And you’re a witch. A powerful witch.”

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