The Inner Circle: The Knowing Read Free Page B

right,
then.’ Gifn squeezed her shoulder and headed toward the sink, where
he resumed drying the dishes. ‘You’d tell me if anything was the
matter, wouldn’t you?’
    ‘ At the moment . . .’
Seteal half-smiled. ‘I can guarantee that you’re the only thing
bothering me.’
    ‘ There it is.’ Gifn’s
face split into a broad smile in recognition of Seteal’s. ‘I
haven’t seen one of those in a while.’
    ‘ Didn’t you say you
had some breakfast for me?’ Seteal asked. She often found herself
feeling awkward when her father behaved affectionately. She didn’t
know how to respond. It was just a smile. Why did parents get so
excited over such expressions? Everyone smiled. It was nothing
special.
    ‘ Oh dear,’ Gifn
teased, ‘did I embarrass you?’
    ‘ Just give me my
breakfast.’ Seteal grinned wryly. Having spotted it on the counter,
she pushed past her father, snatched up the plate, and took it to
the table. ‘Thanks,’ she said through a mouthful of bread, sending
crumbs spraying everywhere.
    ‘ You’re going to
clean that up.’ Gifn nodded at the breadcrumb explosion.
    ‘ Yesh,’ Seteal tried
to say, but only succeeded in sending more crumbs spraying across
the table.
    ‘ You just focus on
eating.’ Gifn gestured patiently. ‘We chew, swallow, and then talk.
Maker, it’s moments like these that I really miss your mother. She
would’ve taught you some manners.’
    Silence filled the room and Seteal lost
her appetite. She put down the bread and dusted off her hands. Gifn
occasionally reminisced over Jillian, but aside from a few dusty
memories, Seteal had nothing to add to the conversation. And for
that she was bitterly resentful.
    ‘ I’m sorry, darling,’
Gifn began to apologise, only to be interrupted by a knock at the
door. ‘I wonder who that could be?’ He marched over and pulled it
open. ‘You,’ he gasped.
    ‘ Mister Eltari,’ a
deep, commanding voice intoned.
    Gifn slammed the door and put his
weight against it. ‘Get out of here,’ he hissed at Seteal.
    ‘ What’s going on?’
She moved around the table, curiosity driving her
forward.
    ‘ Listen very
carefully.’ Gifn’s tone was one of disbelief and his eyes showed
greater fear than Seteal had ever seen in them. ‘Go through the
back. Don’t let anyone see you and run as fast as you can. I’ll try
to keep them occupied.’
    ‘ Come now, Gifn,’ the
strong, elderly voice called through the door. ‘Must it really be
this way?’
    ‘ What do you
want?’
    ‘ I simply wish to
speak to Miss Eltari,’ the voice replied.
    ‘ No,’ Gifn responded
without hesitation. ‘You can’t have her. You should
leave.’
    ‘ Father,’ Seteal
gasped. ‘You’re being rude.’
    ‘ Must you be so
difficult?’ the voice enquired regretfully. ‘You well know that I
needn’t be so courteous in getting my way. And you are beginning to test my patience.’
    ‘ No . . . no,’ Gifn’s
breaths became ragged. ‘Seteal . . . please, if you’re going to
listen to me just once in your life, you need to get out of here
now!’
    ‘ I’m going.’ Seteal
snapped out of her shock and swept toward the back door. She’d
never seen her father in such a state, but knew that anyone capable
of inducing such fear in a man so strong could only be incredibly
dangerous. ‘Be careful,’ she called.
    Seteal yanked open the back door as the
one in the front swung open behind her. ‘Father!’ She spun and
froze at the sight before her.
    Gifn stood calmly beside the door with
a disturbingly large smile plastered across his face. ‘Come back,
darling,’ he said woodenly. ‘It’s safe now.’
    ‘ Father?’ Seteal
murmured, tentatively releasing the handle to take a step in his
direction.
    An elderly man stepped inside followed
closely by a woman of similar age to Seteal. The strangers were the
definition of contrast. The old man was dressed in a white robe
with a dark blue collar and cuffs. The young woman was dressed in