Page 94 of Stormhold

I gave him a blank look. “I know the only reason the product is making it into my city is because it doesn’t last more than two days in the warehouse. Isn’t that right, Uncle?”

Kenny’s eyes widened as silence ensued in the room. It was clear from the look on his face that he was trying to formulate the best possible excuse to save the deal.

“Is this true, Kenny?” David asked, narrowing his eyes.

“I don’t know,” Kenny stammered, far less confident now that the truth was out of the bag. A simple check on the product would’ve saved us the visit. But no, my father was still insistent on blindly trusting his twin.

“I’m sure we can make it work. My contact is trustworthy.” Kenny tried for a nonchalant tone, but it came out more like a nervous wreck. “I don’t know where the boy got these baseless rumors.”

But David shook his head, getting up, clearly figuring out that Kenny was trying to extort us. “Unless you have solid proof, we’re going to say no on this one,” he said. And with that, we walked away. I could feel the heat of Kenny’s hostility follow me, but I couldn’t care less.

He must know who the real power was.

As expected, Father was furious when we returned home. He gave me a job, and I did it the way I would have. I possibly saved us the embarrassment. And the money. Even lives, considering what other consequences the drug had.

And what was the worst Father could do? Put me in the fucking tower room? I didn’t mind because these days, I liked it better there anyway.

“You screwed up on your first job,” Father reprimanded, pulling at his tie as he got up in my face. “I told you not to speak a word.”

I simply stood there, inches taller than him, while the angry capillaries in his eyes glared at me.

“Let the boy be, Victor.” David frowned at my father. “It wasn’t his fault. In fact, he helped us not to make a bad deal.”

“He’s in no position to make decisions for the family yet,” Father declared, waving a hand at Adam. “Take him away. I don’t want to see him for a week.”

He walked back to his desk and downed his drink, almost like I was the bane of his existence rather than his brother, who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him in his sleep.

Adam, so used to the routine, slid me an apologetic glance as he escorted me to the tower room.

“I hope to be back soon, Master Arkane,” Adam said, locking the cell door behind him.

I calmly walked in, familiar with the shadows, and dropped down in my favorite corner. The room was no stranger to me. The darkness and the silence were my best friends now.

I didn’t know how long it had been, but I assumed it had at least been four days when I heard footsteps approaching me. I stilled. Father said a week, and that meant exactly a week. This was too early.

A boy who looked a little younger than me appeared through the cell door. I hadn’t seen him before, but he looked oddly familiar.

“You shouldn’t be here.” My voice came out hoarse and dry. By now, I was good at conserving my energy with no water and food, but nothing could save my parched throat.

He simply shrugged, eyeing me curiously. “Why are you here?

“None of your business,” I muttered. “Go back before someone finds you.”

The boy, instead, stepped forward and tried to rattle the door open. “I’ll get you out,” he said in a determined tone as he tried harder, but he only failed.

“It’s no use,” I mumbled. “Trust me, I’ve tried plenty.”

My words didn’t seem to faze him, but he stopped. “But there’s a difference between you and me.”

“Which is?”

“You’re inside, and I’m out,” he said, pulling something out from his pocket and throwing it at me. “Eat. You must be hungry.”

My hand grabbed it, and the faint smell of the apple reawakened my hunger.

“I’ll be back,” he muttered, running away.

I sighed. At least I got an apple.