Gregory shook his head with disgust and frowned at Avesta. “What the hell do you want from me?”

  Avesta lowered the bolt to his throat. “Careful.”

  “I’ve seen you before. You’re the one stalking our house!” Gregory took a deep breath. “Petyr, just take her! You don’t need anything—she’s a girl for god’s sake!”

  Petyr raised his eyes Avesta who gave him a knowing look back. Something told him it wouldn’t be the best idea to intervene at this point. He took a breath, then said, “I can’t. I can barely move… She must have done something to me.”

  “Done something?!” Gregory repeated, enranged spittle flying from his mouth with each word. “What did you do to him, you bitch?”

  Avesta punched him in the stomach and wrapped her hands around his neck as he struggled against the ropes tying him down. “There’s little need for any of this. As I said, all I am in need of is information. Let’s begin. Do you know who you’re working for?”

  For a moment, his father appeared ready to lash out again. He glanced back at him, then took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. “Is that what this is about?”

  Avesta pursed her lips calmly. “In a manner of speaking, though perhaps not as you imagine.”

  She crossed her arms, turned for a moment, offering both a glimpse of her curves, then said, “Are you aware where the drugs you make are shipped?”

  Gregory took another deep breath and tossed his head back. His eyes were searching for Petyr. “Can we have this conversation without my son?”

  “Why? Are you ashamed of what you do?”

  “Because he doesn’t need to be involved. He’s not involved in any of it! Please, just let him go, then we’ll talk.”

  For a moment, a pang of regret passed through Petyr. On a purely selfish level, it was nice to see that his father did care about him, apparently enough to be willing to risk another punch to spare him mental anguish. Though you’ve already involved me in this by proxy, which I must say I don’t appreciate.

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  Avesta’s eyes flickered over to Petyr and then back to Gregory. “Your son probably knows more than you think.” Then she raised her arm in Petyr’s direction, bolt pointed at his heart. “Decide whether you want to spare his innocence or his life.”

  Gregory shook violently in the chair, but more out of frustration than anything else. “Fine! Fine!… To think that I’m being talked down to by a kid. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, little lady.”

  Avesta gave him a backhanded slap. “How did you get into this?”

  Gregory spoke through gritted teeth, hissing, “Years ago, back in Astra, I was kicked out of my guild. When it became difficult to make a living, I started making things on the side. Soon enough, my name began to circulate. I was approached by a man who needed someone to brew for him full-time. Nik.”

  Avesta tilted her head. “Nik is the leader of this operation?” Of course, she knew the answer to that.

  Don’t lie and fuck up, Dad, thought Petyr.

  “I have no idea who the leader is,” said Gregory dismissively. “And more importantly, I don’t want to know. And neither should you. In this type of business, the less you know, the better off you are.”

  “I’’m not a coward. Unlike some. What do you know?”

  “There’s a man above Nik, of course,” said Gregory. “His name is Anders. I’ve only ever met him twice. And above him… who knows.”

  A silence descended upon the basement as Avesta did a mental analysis of all that was said. “What makes you so sure it doesn’t stop at Anders?”

  Gregory scoffed. “Because every reliable business venture starts with a man—or woman, of course—with a good head on his shoulders. That Anders is a goddamned freak. He’s someone’s attack dog.”

  Was it over?

  There were plenty of questions Petyr himself wanted to ask, questions that were important for his own life history, given that everything he knew about his father had been upended over the last few days. But Avesta must’ve been disappointed.

  “Doesn’t it bother you?” she said, her voice low, soft, almost hesitant. “To know how much harm you’re causing?”

  “I’m not harming anybody,” Gregory said, not even flinching at the question. On the contrary, he seemed to gain strength and confidence as he spoke. “I don’t sell the stuff, and as far as I know, no one’s forced to buy it.”

  “So that’s it?…” said Avesta, face expressionless. “That is the limit of your moral understanding?”

  “Little lady, I have a kid. A woman, too. I’ve got real things to care about. I’m not going to spend my time worrying about people who want to ruin their lives willing.”

  The shadow that passed across Avesta’s face showed that she was appalled; but there was nothing she could even think to respond to something she must’ve perceived as utterly callous and thoughtless.

  She took a moment to think, drumming her fingers against her thigh.

  “Let my son go,” said Gregory. “Please.”

  Avesta offered a mirthless smile. “I will. But first, you will help me capture this Anders.”