Page 12 of Shadow Scorching

The food was exquisitely prepared. Even the lamb melted in my mouth. I ate the first few bites in haste, my stomach rumbling. Then I slowed down and settled in to enjoy the meal. I decided to table the whole Jet-discussion for a bit, and try to win her trust back.

“This is delish,” I said.

“Thank you. Charlotte’s such a brilliant cook that I’m afraid I’m going to lose her to a restaurant.” She paused, then added, “So, how are you doing? Dante told me you found out which demon clan you come from.”

Tilly knew about my background—she’d helped Dante when he took care of me. She kept out of our business, but I knew—even then—that she had helped fund my care. She never asked for anything, she never even owned up to helping him. But Iknew that she had always kept watch over him and made sure he always had a roof over his head and food on the table.

“Yes, actually. My father comes from the Arosien Clan.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of them,” she said.

“They’re a strong clan. My powers are coming to the surface and I’m working with an expert in demonology who’s helping me learn how to use and control them.” I sighed. “So far, I don’t have a lot of information on the Arosiens. My trainers want me to take things slow. It’s hard, but I suspect that the nature of my father’s people may be more than I can handle, if I find out everything at once.”

My frustration must have shone through my words, because Dante reached across the table to pat my hand.

“I know you want to know everything, now that you’ve found out the truth, but Seton is right,” he said. “You might not be able to handle the truth about your heritage all at once. Remember what happened…”

Dante paused, but I knew what he was referring to. Deep inside, a low rumble reminded me of two times my inner demon had broken through. The fear over what I’d become—even for a short time—was always there. If I learned about everything I might be capable of without being prepared, it might trigger off a bad episode.

I held his hand for a moment, then went back to my dinner.

Tilly watched us, then smiled. “Sometimes, your family may not be the one you hoped for.” She flickered her gaze toward Dante. “I’m afraid Dante knows that all too well.”

A wash of sadness filled his eyes. “I know all too well how disappointed my parents are in me.”

We’d had these discussions before, but never when anybody else was around. Especially Tilly, the one member of Dante’s family who accepted him. Even though she’d married into the Franco clan, nobody dared cross the matriarch’s will.

I turned to Tilly. “If I’m not overstepping my place, what made you take Dante’s side?”

She paused, then asked, “Dante, do you mind if I answer that question?”

“Of course not,” he said. “You know Kyann’s like my sister.”

“Yes, I know,” Tilly said, regarding me quietly. “When Dante decided to walk away from the expectations his parents set on him, I understood why. Since we didn’t have children, my husband passed part of his fortune down to Philip, Dante’s father. Philip and his wife expect to take my place when I die. They live a lifestyle that the Pack views as traditional and proper.”

“A social standing thing?” I asked.

“Definitely. The Francos might as well belong to nobility, for what matters. My husband and his brother, Kelson—Dante’s grandfather and my brother-in-law—chose to accept their places on the Council of Elders. Kelson wanted Dante to follow in his footsteps. But that requires conforming to North Seattle Wolf Pack standards and that means being married to a person of proper standing. So, Philip and his wife chose to arrange a marriage for Dante, as per Kelson’s decree. Things fell apart.”

I blinked. Arranged marriages were still a thing among some shifter communities, but I had no idea that Dante had been in line for the altar.

“What happened?”

“I didn’t love her. It was that simple,” Dante said. “And I’m not interested in getting married. I’m not responsible enough for a family?—”

“I beg to differ,” I said, laughing. “You tookmein. I’d probably be dead if you hadn’t taken me home that night in the park. You gave me a home, you provided safety. I wouldn’t say you were a father figure, given your age. But you provideda foundation for me. I grew into an adult with your help. And I never had to walk on eggshells. I wasn’t afraid of you.”

“That was mychoice. I wasn’t your father, and I didn’t try to be. But to be paired off with someone I never met, to marry a woman solely for politics? Nope. Not my jam. I’d resent her and I’d resent any children we had,” Dante countered.

“Andthat’swhat made me support Dante.” Tilly said. “Gino—my husband—and I were an arranged marriage. I met him at the altar. I lucked out in the fact that Gino was, at heart, a good man. But the truth is, we never fell in love. He respected me, treated me well, and I reciprocated. But we lived separate lives under the same roof. I fulfilled my duties as a society wife and rose to power because I played by the rules.”

“You always were good at that,” Dante said. “I never could manage. I tried, but I couldn’t be the son my father wanted.”

“Gino and I agreed to terms on our wedding night,” Tilly said. “A year later, we decided we got along well enough, so we renewed our vows with a blood oath. We had already found out I couldn’t have children. Gino had the right to nullify the marriage and take another wife, but he refused. He stood by his oath, and so, we carried on. After all, it’s better to have a kind husband who you don’t fully love, than a volatile man you’re passionate about. Especially when you have to live a lifetime with them.”

I personally thought it was better to have nobody if you had to choose between the two extremes, but Tilly was from a different generation, and a different culture.

“Uncle Gino was a wonderful man,” Dante said. “He died way too soon.”

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