Daydreams And Nightshade (DaN #1)

Chapter 21: An engaging conversation

Luna untangled her braided hair, furiously pacing around the Cromwell residence parlor in her nightgown. Vincent stood silent beside a window, eyeing her with a frown as she stomped about.

"This has got to be the worst joke ever," she said through gritted teeth as she turned on her heels to face her father. "And you made people believe it too. What were you thinking?"

"It's not a joke, and can you—Luna, please, sit down." Lucius was seated by a table, failing hard at enjoying his morning tea.

Luna uttered a dead laugh, wide eyed and unable to hide her fury as she pointed at him.

"No, you sit down!"

"I am sitting do—"

"I can't believe this! I can't believe you! You have no—And I don't—I... What the bloody Waste were you thinking!?" Luna threw a decorative pillow at her father, missing his head by an inch.

"Just listen." Lucius placed his cup down and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was put on the spot. I didn't have a lot to argue with."

"Well I'll give you some arguments right here." Luna slammed her hands down on the table in front of him. "One! I decide who I marry if I ever do. You don't have a single Archon-damned say in this."

"Not everyone think—"

"Two! Finn Gashcrow? I don't even know him! And three, why the Waste would you listen to pompous scum before your own daughter? So much for will and a mind of your own!"

Lucius frowned.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"... No! And don't even try turning this on me. You're the one in trouble!"

"Luna, you don't understand. As the town chief I can't argue against society just like that."

"That's exactly what you can do! That's what you're supposed to do!"

Lucius actually averted his gaze, eyebrows knitted into a deep frown.

At that moment Claude took the opportunity to poke his head through the parlor doorway.

"I... I'll be heating tar on the stove just so you know. Should you smell it, I mean."

Lucius irately waved him away and Luna used the interruption as a chance to take a deep breath.

"Fine, explain it then. Walk me through what happened and maybe we can figure out how to reverse this madness."

Lucius hesitated, and then turned to Vincent.

"You're dismissed for now."

Luna's bodyguard obediently left the room and Lucius closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose.

"After the dinner yesterday it seemed your friends had... Well, some complaints about you. Not too bad per se, but their parents weren't thrilled. So they addressed their concerns to me and—Well I think we both know this isn't the first time this has happened. I managed to steer the conversation away as usual but then..." Lucius trailed off. "Then Mr. Gashcrow joined the conversation along with Professor Wilson. The man running the boy's school, you know."

Luna didn't.

"At first they discussed Noah. It was fine and all, though they did bring up his... Uh, well—"

"Oddness," Luna filled in.

"In lack of better words. But Professor Wilson still thinks it'd be good for Noah to attend school, and Adrian—"

"Who?"

"Oh... Uh, Mr. Gashcrow."

"First name basis already, huh? Maybe you two should get married instead. Throw in a third father in the mess."