Page 63 of Avaritia

For my own sanity, I had to believe that I meant as much to Theon as he meant to me.

Sebastian headed around the front of the vehicle to open my door for me, standing back while I unbuckled and climbed out on my own. When we’d been together, I hated how little he seemed to want to touch me outside of sex, it had always made me feel so unwanted. I couldn’t be more glad for it now.

“What am I meant to say to them?” I asked, giving Sebastian my best Bambi eyes again. “I’ve never gone in front of the Council before.”

That much was true. I’d been a pretty mediocre Hunter before I’d been booted out, with no kills to my name. I doubted any of the higher-ups had ever heard my name before Deb had dragged it through the mud.

Sebastian grabbed my good hand, giving it an unwanted squeeze. “Just whatever you can remember, Eri. I’ll be right beside you the whole time, okay?”

Lucky me.

But this was better than facing them alone, I reminded myself. This was the reason I’d wanted Sebastian here in the first place. Those assholes actually respected him.

Fortunately, there was only one step up to the expansive porch that led to the front door, because even that was enough to jostle my already aching bones. The front door swung open before we could knock, a portly, balding man ushering us inside with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Welcome, welcome. So good to see you up and about, Verity. My name is Samuel Winston, I’m a member of the Utah branch of the Hunters Council, and this is my home. I’m so glad you could come by.”

“Thank you.” I didn’t have to fake shrinking in on myself this time. I was flailing around way out of my depth.

“Come, come, let’s join the others.” Samuel led us into an absurdly large beige living room, dominated by a red velvet sectional and a grand piano. There were people everywhere, some whom I vaguely recognized, and others I didn’t.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Maybe I’d overestimated my ability to handle this.

My gaze settled on Lucas from the hospital, standing half-concealed behind the piano and looking wildly uncomfortable. Good. It was his fault all these people knew where I was in the first place, I hoped both sides of his pillow were warm for the rest of his life.

“Verity.” A woman stepped forward who I did recognize—Moriah Nash, a member of the Colorado Council. She’d always intimidated me, and not just because of prestigious position. It was probably the severe silvery-black bob that did it. Combined with the black turtleneck, she was really embracing the kids-movie-villain aesthetic. “You look tired. Come, let’s go sit in the kitchen, it’s very crowded in here, isn’t it? Sebastian, why don’t you stay here?”

His hand tightened around mine. “I think it would be best if I stayed with her.”

Huh. That was more spine than he’d shown in our entire five-year relationship.

Moriah’s eyes narrowed, though her plastic smile stayed fixed in place. “Of course. Come through this way. Samuel has been very kind to let us use his home as a meeting place for the past few days.”

It’s not like he can’t spare the space, I thought wryly as we entered the kitchen, noting that there were seven heavy wooden barstools arranged around the kitchen island and it didn’t feel crowded.

Sebastian helped me up onto the corner stool, taking the one beside me and draping his arm along the back of my seat. Moriah watched every movement with hawklike intensity as she took her own seat, angling herself to face me.

“First, tell me how you’re feeling, Verity?” she began, folding her hands in her lap. “We’ve all been so worried since you’ve been away.”

“On my hiking trip?” I asked, blinking heavily.

Moriah gave me an unsettling smile. “Now, you mustn’t be mad at Sebastian, but he did tell you a little white lie on that front. We felt it was for your own good as you were in the hospital and dealing with human medical professionals, we didn’t want you to get confused and say something that may alarm them.”

“Oh?” I glanced back at Sebastian, who was staring guiltily at the granite countertop. Maybe this terrible pit stop would have its uses after all. Maybe I could learn something valuable to take back with me.

Moriah touched my hand, drawing my attention back to her, and I did my best not to flinch.

“In truth,” she began with a sigh. “You were kidnapped by the Shades, and held in the shadow realm for some months against your will.”

I gasped quietly at this. Maybe I should faint? Swoon off the barstool?

Moriah nodded gravely. “We believe they assaulted you, and left you in the desert for dead.”

Fuck, it was hard not to object to that. On the plus side, I could finally let the tears I’d been holding back for days fall in earnest.

Fortunately, Sebastian was immensely out of his element when it came to crying women, and made no attempt to comfort me.