The room went quiet.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. The words tasted bitter.
“Father has no clue either,” Darian added. “Probably never did.”
And just like that, we hit a wall—hard and cold. My mother’s death was a mystery buried with her, and the only man who might hold the answers had lied to me too many times to trust.
“We’ll have to put the investigation on hold,” I said.
Darian spun toward me. “What about Alaric Moongrove?”
I gave him a faint smile. “We’re still going to Goldenpeak. I’m not done asking questions. But I’m not flying your grandparents in on my dime, Darian.”
His face fell.
“I don’t have a problem with you, but let’s be clear—my father let my mother’s family rot. There’s no universe where I’m going to turn around and spoil Martha’s.”
He opened his mouth like he mig
