Page 59 of Truth Revealed

“We can’t just find a hotel, not this late at night, and not for this many people,” Daria explained. “I would really, really appreciate if you would ward the house so we can… have somewhere to stay.”

Everything she’d said was true, but just the thought of leaving her house—the one they’d made into a home—just because of that bitch, made her blood boil. It would feel like giving up in a way, and Daria refused to entertain such a notion.

Daria was prepared to beg her father, but it seemed his pride was at stake, and no man could resist—

“Consider it done. Give me a few hours and I’ll have the entire property warded.”

He turned to her and crossed the distance between them. Daria glanced behind her in confusion, but there was nothing there. When she faced him again, he was already too close and then his arms wrapped around her in a hug. It was awkward at first, but she relaxed into it. For the first time that night, when she took a deep breath, the thorns on the vines of her chaos settled down.

“I’ll take care of this, promise.”

Then, he was gone in a cloud of smoke before she could even argue or voice her appreciation.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be,” Daria commented.

With that taken care of, all the energy—more like adrenaline—seeped from her body, and her shoulders sagged.

Pandora attacked her home.

Taking in demon after demon, taking note of every scratch, every cut, every injury and exhale of relief, Daria’s outrage grew.

Pandora had attacked much more than her home. She’d come for Daria’s family. Her sister. Her friends.

She’d come for the men she was falling in love with.

And right then, even with the beginnings of fury running through her, Daria was relieved. They were okay, for now.

If she had lost one of them…

Her throat tightened and she swallowed against it. “Alright. I guess we can start cleaning up, and then…”

And then what?

“Then, I’ll make some hot chocolate for everyone,” Truth finished, filling the silence with a kind, easy smile.

“And we can relax,” Hope added.

“And we’ll enjoy it. Because once this house is warded, we’ve got planning to do,” Betrayal growled out.

Daria nodded, her chest puffing up with pride for her demons. No matter what came their way, they’d keep rolling with the punches.

* * *

TRUTH

With the house finally back in order and gold shimmers reflecting in the windows every few seconds, Truth breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t have a couch anymore, but the cushions brought down from the bedrooms made enough of a pile that they could all spread out together in the living room.

Something about having their home threatened made them want to band together tighter than ever.

It was perfect.

The moment Truth had laid eyes on Daria waiting inside the car, her gaze searching the water for them, he’d finally been able to take a deep breath. She was safe.

Once he’d pulled Sofia from the water, along with Persy, they’d stumbled and shivered their way to the vehicle. He’d painted surprise on his face when he’d seen the state of her. As if he hadn’t known about the fire, he’d asked about the soot marks on her clothes and face. The worry he’d projected had been one-hundred-percent natural. But he’d still had to act shocked with the other two when she’d told them what had happened. Which… had promptly sent him into a coughing fit as the barbed wire wrapped around his lungs tightened. Blaming it on the cold water and the colder air, he’d wiped the blood on his black pants and helped the others into the car as if nothing was wrong.

And still he pretended as if everything was fine, but the cramps in his gut and chest were so tight and painful, he wanted to double over.

Instead, he stirred enough hot chocolate for a small army.