Chapter 12

Neaera-

Having decided not to let it worry me about if I was found out or not, I returned to my room to get a few hours of sleep. When I woke up, I was surprised to find an array of dishes on the dining room table. All my old favorite foods were scattered around the table, as well as some other types.

Stryker was sitting at the head of the table, where our father used to sit. I had to remind myself that it was Stryker’s father and not mine. Expecting that his parents would be joining us for breakfast, I felt a moment of panic.

Since I arrived, I haven’t run into them, even though I knew it would be a matter of time before I did. I was tempted to turn around and wait until later to come downstairs. Taking a step back I thought I could get away without being spotted.

Before I could take another step, Stryker looked up and a smile spread across his face. Oddly, I felt strange with the way he was looking at me. An image of him from when he was younger flashed in my head, and I nearly forg