Chapter 29: Elodie

"You've been... " Dad couldn't even finish the sentence. He collapsed into the chair. Even now he was doing everything in his power not to look at me.

"You can say all you want about helping me survive, Dad, but you won't let me live. So yes, I lied to you about my job. I lied to you about a lot of things. We've both been lying. To each other. To ourselves. This year has been borrowed time. I should be dead already."

It was strangely liberating to say all of this out loud.

"Oh God, Ellie," he moaned.

"I should have turned last year. We both know that." I stood again, squaring my shoulders. I was going to be honest about all this for the first time in my life. No more deception. "I think a hunter knows it, too."

What little color had returned to my father's face drained out again. "What?"