I take a deep breath and lean back as my father gnashes his teeth, clearly still trying to figure a way out of this.
“Stop wasting your energy,” I snap. “It’s done. I want you to listen to me, and do as I say, and if you do, then I will give you this.” Very carefully, I lift an even smaller vial from the little pocket I sewed into the side of my dress. Carefully, I place it on the table.
My father’s eyes go immediately to the bottle, knowing that it can only be one thing.
“We don’t have a lot of time, dad,” I say softly, “so I’ll keep this short. But it’s important to me that you realize that it’s your oversight that put you in this position. Because while you thought of the thousand ways that Kent could retaliate against you, and how to keep him under control while you burned his life
