Breakfast the next morning is…awkward.
Kent serves Daniel and I eggs and sausage, sliding the plates onto the table next to our cups of coffee without a word of acknowledgement.
Daniel and I dig in silently, both intuiting that it’s better to stay off Kent’s radar.
When Kent’s back in the galley, Daniel looks at me curiously, nodding to his dad and shrugging in question, asking me with his gestures whether or not I have any idea what’s going on.
I shrug back, doing my very best to pretend that I don’t. God, I hope he believes me.
Daniel sighs and we continue eating quietly for a few minutes.
I open my mouth to ask Daniel his plans for the day when a guard comes into the room, rushing towards Kent. Distracted, I shut my mouth and we both watch the action instead.
“Sir,” the guard says. “There’s a…visitor at the door.” Oddly, he glancing at me then. “He came without warning – do you want to see him?”
Kent glares at me as well – what the hell did I do? – as he wipes his hands and takes off his apron, following the guard out of the room. Daniel and I gape curiously after him, but he’s back a few moments later, pointing at me and snapping his fingers before disappearing from the room again.
“Um,” Daniel says uncomfortably. “I think you’re being…summoned.”
“Okay,” I say, a little breathless with worry. I give Daniel a little smile and then head out of the room, walking down the hall to Kent’s study.
He’s standing at his desk then, staring at me with a hard expression as I come in.
“Um?” I say, my hands tangling anxiously in my hair. “Did you…want me?”
Kent pauses, looking me over, before answering. “Your father is here,” he says. “He wants a word with you.”
My eyes widen at this and I just stare at Kent, not knowing what to say.
“Well?” Kent says, a little anger or frustration in his voice now – I can’t tell which. “Do you want to see him?”
“Um?” I say again, my eyes darting around. “Do you…want me to see him?”
Kent crosses his arms over his chest, studying my every move. We stand in silence so long I can’t stand it.
“Seriously, Kent,” I burst out, almost frantic with my anxiety now. “I have no idea what’s going on. Do you want me to see him? Do you think I shouldn’t? After what happened at the party – I don’t know –“
“It’s fine, Fay,” Kent says, interrupting me and giving me a little nod. “It’s not a test,” he continues, though something in me tells me that maybe it was. “Your father has come to the house and asked to see you. He’s alone. If you’d like to see him, you may.”
“Oh,” I say again – I’m genuinely unsure of what I want. “I guess? I’ll see him? If you’re okay with it?”
Kent nods to me and then to a guard I didn’t realize was standing behind me.
As the guard heads off, Kent gestures to me to come closer, so I do. I stand by his side and we both watch the door silently, waiting for Alden to show up.
Alden appears a few minutes later, his face worried.
“Fay,” he says, crossing the room to me and wrapping me in a hug I wasn’t expecting. “I’m so glad to see you’re all right.”
He nods to Kent next. “Thank you, Kent, so much. For taking care of my girl.”
I look between them. “You didn’t know? That I was all right?”
Alden shakes his head, glaring at Kent a little. “I just got word this morning. Apparently this house was on lockdown all day yesterday.”
“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” Kent says, his arms crossed. “It was in the best interests of my security. Do you have any word on what happened two nights ago? Who is responsible for the attack?”
Alden shakes his head, apparently unsure. “My men are out there, listening to the word on the street. Our best guess is that it was Ivan.” Alden says, spreading his hands. “He’s had it out for you, Lippert, ever since you went to the Warden.”
I look between them. Ivan? The Warden? What the hell was going on?
Kent nods slowly at Alden, his face giving nothing away.
“I think he was trying to take us both out,” Alden says, shaking his head with regret. “I should have known – shouldn’t have had such a big party –“
Kent says nothing and I frown a little. This was Kent’s very theory – why isn’t he confirming it? The room grows awkwardly quiet.
“Would you mind,” Alden says, breaking the silence and gesturing towards me. “If I had a private moment with my daughter? I still haven’t had a moment alone with her. To reconnect.”
Kent studies me for a moment and then nods slowly. He says nothing as he heads out of the room.
I look at my father then, feeling strange and awkward. My hands go immediately to my hair, starting to braid it.
“Fay,” he says, quite tenderly. “Are you all right? You weren’t hurt?”
“No,” I say to him, genuinely. “Really, I’m fine – Kent got us out unscathed. Are – are you okay? Tristin, the kids?”
“We’re all fine,” he says, relieved, wiping his sweaty hands down the length of his suitcoat. “We got lucky, with the baby needing attention in that moment. We were out of the room and able to get to the car without much fuss.”
“Good,” I say, for lack of any better response.
Alden glances towards the door. “And you’re…happy here?” he asks. “Lippert is good to you?”
“Oh,” I say, following his gaze, surprised by the direction of the conversation. “Yeah, sure, everyone’s really nice.”
“Because you know,” my father says softly. “If you wanted to come home, you are always welcome.”
Home. The word doesn’t sit easy with me, not really. Because his home hasn’t been my home in years.
“That’s okay,” I say, giving him a little smile. “I think I want to stay here, with Daniel. My fiancé.”
It’s not a lie, not really. Of course, I’d rather go home to my real family, but if that’s not an option then I’d certainly rather stay here with Daniel, who at least is my friend, before going to live with Tristin.
“Ah, your fiancé,” Alden says, giving me a fatherly grin. “And how are things going with the two of you?”
“Really well,” I say, raising my eyebrows and lying with ease. It’s not too hard, I guess, when your fake fiancé really is your best friend. I grow awkwardly silent again, though, not really knowing what else to say.
“Do you love him?” He asks.
I blink. “Yes, of course I do.”
“And have you two…”
I blink again, wondering - and then I blush, realizing what he’s asking. I look down at the floor, embarrassed. He just chuckles.
“My Fay,” he says, “such a good girl. I’m sorry – I’m pushing you too far. I just ask because you know,” he says, leaning down to speak conspiratorially with me. “You’re still quite young – perhaps too young to get married. If you ever wanted to explore your options, I could introduce you to quite a few eligible young gentlemen.”
My mouth falls open a little in surprise. What? I thought I had been engaged to Daniel since I was a baby - was it not as much of a done deal as I thought it had been?
I blink and then force myself to laugh a little. “Thank you for the offer,” I say, “but Daniel and I are very happy.”
“Okay,” he says, putting a warm hand on my shoulder. “You let me know if you change your mind.”
Alden glances towards the door again. “I’m going to head out, now that I know that you’re safe. Unless…” he gives me a significant look here. “You have anything to give to me…?”
I blink at him, confused, and then suddenly realize –
Oh my god, does he mean Fiona’s note?
“No,” I say, stepping back a little, my answer coming perhaps a little too fast. I wrap my fingers further in my hair. “Um, no. I don’t have anything to give you. Not…right now. At least.”
“All right, my dear,” he says, leaning forward to give me a kiss on the forehead. Then, with a pat on my cheek, he strides out of the room.
I stand there, perfectly still, watching him go. What the hell was that?
A few minutes later, when Kent comes into the room, I’m still standing there, stricken, thinking deeply about this snarled world. Kent closes the door behind him and closes the distance between us, sitting down at his desk and folding his hands in his lap.
“So, Fay” Kent says, looking at me evenl