Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“Both,” he replied. “But she makes that arrogant crow that’s always in the garden jealous. So there’s that.”
Pandora broke into a knowing smile just as the knocker sounded, making her brows scrunch. It was still morning. Her entire family was upstairs sleeping. Including, of course, Henrietta’s dogs, who she’d somehow trained to be mostly nocturnal as well.
“Probably another package,” Pandora said, waving toward the tower about to topple over in the foyer.
Once Cody had introduced Ravenna and Reginald to the wonders of online shopping, it had been a steady stream of boxes showing up at the door.
Some contained things Ravenna insisted were “vital” to the wedding planning. Others had replicas of things that Reginald missed about the “old days”. Mostly, though, he liked to order costumes meant for Renaissance fairs or cosplay. Then spend hours telling everyone what was, and was not, historically accurate. From the design to the threads used in the stitching.
Pandora reached for the knob, expecting to just find a retreating parcel carrier and a box on the front steps.
Instead, Victor was standing there, backlit by the sun, making her notice flecks of gold and red in his dark hair that she’d never noticed before.
“Oh, hello,” she said, giving him a surprised smile.
“Sorry to just pop by. I figured it would be smarter to discuss things in person than try to answer …” He looked at his mobile. “Seventeen separate texts.”
“Sorry about that. My family has been a bit overbearing about some of the planning details,” Pandora said, moving back so he could step inside, glad for the opportunity to have him inside without worrying about her family saying or doing something absurd.
“I imagine they just want it to be nice for you.”
“For us,” she said. “Which is why they want me to consult you on all of these things. I am practically expecting Aunt Ravenna to require your actual signature on all these decisions.”
“I like Ravenna,” Victor said, taking off his backpack as they sat down at the dining table.
“She’s the best. OK, so, for the meal …” she said, ready to get down to business.
But it was right then she heard footsteps making their way down the staircase. Given that everyone else had just gone to bed, there was only one person it could be.
Dante.
Pandora put her finger to her lips.
Victor’s brows drew down but he didn’t say a peep as she slowly rose to her feet, making her way to the doorway to see, just as she’d expected, Dante making a beeline for the front door.
He paused, reaching to grab a coat from the hanger, pulling up the large hood, then reaching into the pockets to produce gloves.
Then he pulled open the door … and moved out into the daylight.
“Hey,” Pandora whispered, rushing back toward Victor, picking up his backpack. “Come on. We have a little mission today.”
With that, she rushed to the door, grabbing her own coat and gloves, then reaching for an umbrella.
“Oh, it’s not supposed to rain,” Victor said.
“It’s for the sun,” Pandora said, pulling open the door, then opening the umbrella. “I get burned very easily. Even on a cloudy day, I can get a little burn.” She made her way down the front path, trying not to run, while keeping an eye on her quickly moving brother.
“What are we doing?” Victor asked.
“Following Dante,” Pandora said in a whisper, not wanting Dante, who had super-hearing just as she did, to overhear.
“For what reason?”
“He’s been acting strange lately,” she told Victor. “Sneaking off, not telling anyone where he is going.” In the daytime, she added silently. “He’s looking more and more run-down, so I just want to make sure he’s OK.”
Victor’s gaze softened at that.
He might not have siblings of his own, but he clearly understood her concern as they followed Dante down the streets of London, then to the Underground, where they stood at the train car at the furthest end, their backs to Dante.
Not that he seemed to notice them. Or even seem worried about being followed.
Why would he?
None of his family went out during the day.
They could, of course. There were many times Pandora had needed to go out in the daylight over the years. Precautions had to be taken. Long sleeves, gloves, oversized hats, and umbrellas or parasols. Sometimes, especially in the summer, you could still feel the threatening burn of the sun through your protective measures, but Pandora had never been singed, let alone caught fire, before.
That said, Dante had no reason to think their family would even want to be out in the daylight. They took pride in being creatures of the night. Of being the shadows lurking in dark corners. Of being the whispered sounds that haunted humans as they walked down alleys or alone on the pavement at night.
“Going quite far out there, aren’t we?” Victor asked as Pandora admired a particularly gorgeous garden, still alive with late-blooming dahlias and asters.