Page 88 of Captured in Love
“No!” Fear washes through me, acrid and instantaneous. “You can’t get involved, it’s too dangerous.”
I entered this fucking competition to protect my family, not bring them closer to danger. It looks like another one of my fabulous plans has gone up in smoke.
“I’ve been involved with the Ballendial Coven since before you even heard about them,” he says, suddenly grave. “I know Levi told you about his father’s involvement in your mom’s death. But he didn’t give you the whole story because he had nothing to do with it.”
“What?” I shoot to my feet. “Did youknowabout this?”
“Oh, Nora. I wish we were having this conversation in person,” he says. “I’ve been wanting to tell you, but your mother made me promise to keep you far away from all of this. I thought I was doing such a great job, but you’re clearly more cunning than I gave you credit for.”
I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not, coming from him. “Uh, thanks? What do you mean Mom made you promise?”
With a deep sigh, my father spills the story about how he and Mom worked on tracing the deadly spell that had been killing her back to Levi’s father. How they realized who was really behind it all, and why.
“They wanted your mother on their side, you see. She was one of the strongest witches of her generation, of course they coveted her. But your mom didn’t even consider their request. She said she wanted nothing to do with elitists who hoard knowledge for their own gain.” He chuckles softly. “You got your sense of justice from her, you know.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Yeah. I remember.”
“We didn’t want any of you kids to know this. You’re incredibly powerful, and so is Lily, she just hasn’t figured it out yet. Elliot’s powers are still growing, I feel it in every circle we do together. There’s no way the Ballendial witches would leave you alone if they knew. So your mother and I decided to keep you in the dark. Where you were safe.”
“And completely oblivious!” I exclaim, suddenly angry. “You let us blunder out into the world without telling us about the monsters we would meet.”
“I know,” my dad says. “And I’m sorry. I thought I could keep you safe, but after your mother’s death, I wasn’t myself for a very long time.”
And just like that, the anger evaporates from me. I remember Dad in the weeks and months after Mom passed away, trying so hard to keep it together for Elliot and Lily, who were in high school then, almost adults but still so godsdamned vulnerable. And I wasn’t even there to support them all because I’d been dealing with the fallout of my relationship with Raphaël and my own grief. Dad had lost the love of his life and was left with all of Mom’s stuff, as well as the Moss Shop they’d run together.
“I’m here now, though,” Dad adds softly, “so I’m going to do whatever I can to help.”
I don’t know what to say. On one hand, I want him as far away from this as possible. On the other, I could really use someone who’s completely on my side.
“Okay,” I say. “But promise me you’ll be careful?”
He hums in response. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to quit the Games, huh?”
“Not really,” I say. “There’s so much at stake. But I’ll take care not to get maimed or worse.”
“That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear from you,” he grumbles. “You know what would make me sleep better at night?”
“Hmm?” I ask, thinking of everything I need to do next.
Booking my plane ticket is the least of the issues I’ll need to tackle tomorrow. I’ll need to do a full power circle, but performing magic in the middle of a sea dragon village might not be the best idea.
Dad clears his throat. “I think it would be good if you called Levi and Raphaël and stuck with them for the last task, too.”
“Dad!” I jerk to a stop and put my hand on my hip. “I don’t think—”
“Darling, listen to me,” he says, his voice urgent. “None of what happened to your mother was that poor boy’s fault. The son shouldn’t be judged for the crimes of his father, if you know what I mean. Especially not when his father is and has always been a nasty tyrant.”
I bite back a frustrated sigh. “I see your point, but he’s known formonths, Dad, and he never told me. And Raphaël, too. I just hate that they kept secrets from me. Secrets that concernme, after promising me that we wouldn’t hide things from each other anymore.”
I can’t believe I’m talking about our relationship with my father, but sadly, this isn’t the strangest thing that has happened to me this week by a long stretch.
“Well, you’ll decide what’s best. But I think those boys love you very much. It took some guts to come clean about this whole debacle, but Levi called and told me everything.”
I wonder whateverythingentails, exactly. Clearly, Dad knows that I’ve been with both Levi and Raphaël, which is awkward enough. I can’t imagine the guys also spilled the truth about Isak’s or Raphaël’s true nature.
Then Dad adds, “Though I shouldn’t really be calling Raphaël aboy, should I? How old is he, exactly?”
Words get stuck in my throat. “What? Oh! He’s, um, he’s twenty-nine.”
