Chapter 22: Purple Lilac, Part 3

His father had not simply known about his mother's struggle to free Pets - he had been part of it.

No, he refused to accept that. His strict, unbending, unreasonable father could not have been involved in a struggle to free Pets. He had not even had a Pet back then.

Shoving the thoughts aside, absolutely refusing to solve the infuriating riddle that his father was proving to be, Aubrey returned to the books about Pet care, hoping vainly that one of them would provide the answer he sought.

He read until it began to strain his eyes, and finally stood up to stretch and light the lamps, and ring for food.

When the food came, he ate in bed, too impatient and in need of distraction to even think of stopping for longer than he already had.