46. Opening up

|| Lilac’s POV || The hum of the car’s engine filled the silence as we drove away from the house, the city lights fading into the distance. My mind, however, slowly filled up with multiple thoughts which were anything but quiet. I tried to push it aside and focus on Alaric, but it was too late. “Okay, what’s bothering you?” Alaric’s stern voice cut through my thoughts, making me jump. “Nothing,” I replied quickly, my voice a little too high-pitched to be convincing. “It’s not nothing. You were fine just a second ago. Don’t lie, Dove,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind. He glanced at me briefly before turning his attention back to the road. I sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding it. “Well, a lot has happened lately,” I admitted, my voice soft. “And?” he prompted, raising an eyebrow. “There’s been an incident I didn’t tell you about,” I said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. “Unexpectedly, the Nightshades covered our bill at Moon Garden. And then again in the mall t