Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,202

now.

I was so distracted by the Neoprys during that battle, that I can’t even remember seeing Avery.

In fact, most of the night is already a blur, given the magnitude of all the more severe elements going on all at once. Just thinking about it is exhausting.

“Yes…I can’t seem to locate her,” I confess, my eyes darting a look to the drawer that conceals the letter I found. “I’m not even sure I can explain her appearance tonight,” I add, both lying and telling the truth.

Arion said he’d ensure Shera kept quiet about what she saw, in regards to Jasper’s mother turning into Demetria. For one, that’s an embarrassing oversight. For two, I don’t want anyone knowing Jasper’s heritage.

It’d make him a target.

While Avery’s earned more than enough of my trust, I still find myself protecting Jasper’s secret.

The letter Demetria left is addressed to Violet, but considering Demetria is missing, and Jasper was left with Leiza, I can guess what it’s going to say.

Jasper starts fussing, no longer content by the swing’s embrace, so I go lift him from the contraption. With no warning, his mouth latches onto my thumb, and I glare at him, as he bites into me and starts sucking.

He’s tasted Violet’s blood. It’s not all that surprising that he’s able to handle my own alpha blood, since hers has to be even stronger than mine.

It’s going to take a moment to think about that without wanting to laugh, since it still seems ludicrous.

“No casualties,” Avery says as I keep my back to him, concealing the sight of Jasper’s secret. When I say nothing, Avery keeps speaking, “There was a lot of ghost interference, I presume, to make that a possibility. I say that, because one moment I’d see a one of my men almost stabbed, and in the next, the sword would break, the adversary would slip, or they’d be blown back. Honestly, there were a number of bizarrely fortunate anomalies I can’t explain that led to no casualties,” he carries on. “And I also seem to have forgotten certain pieces of the night. I have some suspicions, sir. Please don’t take offense, Sir Van Helsing.”

“I’ll try not to,” I state dryly, prompting him to hurry this along.

“After playing beta for Ms. Carmine for a while, I find her entirely too suspicious, and I also find it incredibly convenient the four of you could finally tear down Idun Neopry and lock her away so confidently, after so many prior centuries of failures. And that’s with all the other Neoprys still above ground.”

I internally groan, wondering why I thought it wise to try and fool Avery. Jasper finishes snacking on my thumb, and I cradle him to me, as I turn to face Avery.

“Trust me, you don’t want to remember,” I assure him, since I sincerely don’t think he’s ready to know the details. “As for the Neoprys, they can’t die. They’ll instead serve a burial sentence for their crimes of last night, and then we’ll have no choice but to accept them back. Shifters won’t accept Idun’s downing so easily. They could end up infecting the whole world with an outbreak if they feel their alpha is eternally bested.”

We both pause for a moment, digesting the weight of that concern.

“Tell me the truth, Sir. For all my years of servitude, please tell me if she’s truly strong enough to keep Idun in this box. Because it doesn’t look as strong as that gravesite you designed to be a tomb for all eternity. It was far more secure than this seems,” he says to me, questioning me for the first time ever, as his eyes move back to the screen to watch Idun.

I slowly nod, even though he can’t see it. “Violet’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” I say, deciding to be honest but vague.

Jasper makes a sigh of content, drawing my attention. Even as I stare down at the very intriguing lad, who has gotten entirely too comfortable in my arms, I continue speaking to Avery.

“But she’d rather no one know that, because she’d prefer to make shampoo and save all the misfits who need a safe place,” I add, battling my own smile, because it all sounds…utterly absurd.

It should be impossible to do everything she did to Idun right before our very eyes, not to mention all we still don’t know about during the times we lost sight of her, yet…she still managed to come across as ridiculous by the end.

All that power, and her biggest