Page 80 of Winterfall Destiny

Wow.

"Yeah, probably good Alaric stays away," says Jamie.

"Because of Andrei?" asks Amelia.

"No. Since Dorian's helping us."

"Dorian Blackwood?" Matt's jaw slackens. "Tell me you're not serious."

Finally, Tobias sits on the arm of the chair that Ash sits in. "I apologise for not keeping you updated on events. You were away from the country, and neither Alaric nor I wanted to worry you."

"Worry us more than when Gabriella took Jamie, Ash, and Andrei?" asks Amelia incredulously.

The First. Nobody's mentioning the First.

"Well, we didn't want to drag you into the problems we've faced recently." Tobias gestures at Andrei. "Our latest attempts to catch Gabriella led to some issues. Maeve's father, Lex, has attempted to help but?—"

"Excuse me, who?" asks Amelia.

"Alexei Blackwood." Amelia's eyes go wide as I knock speech from her again. "I'm half Blackwood."

"What the hell? This gets crazier!"

"Father? Let me get this straight," says Matt. "This Blackwood guy loved a Winterfall girl who Tobias murdered?" I wince, and Amelia kicks his shin. "Why didn't he stop your heart, Tobias? You killed the mother of his child." Matt leans forward, elbows on his knees. "I spent time at the Blackwood house. I know what they're capable of and how their minds work."

Tobias meets my eyes, but says nothing.

"Long story, again," I say.

"Then I guess we're staying longer to hear these stories,” says Amelia pointedly.

"Alaric was hunting the whole family before they died in that fire recently,” puts in Matt. "We've never heard of an Alexei Blackwood."

Every Blackwood died in the First's arson attack on their estate? The creature's thorough. I guess they're lucky she killed them rather than subject the family to her other methods.

"It's complicated. Lex isn't part of witch society," I say.

Amelia rubs her head. "You've hidden so much from us!"

"No," says Tobias firmly. "You left the academy and lived and worked with different people. Ones with different motivations. You're not?—"

"Part of you?" Amelia's voice rises. "And you are? I've known Jamie and Ash for years! And I certainly never killed the family of anybody here."

Tobias doesn't flinch, but I do. "Amelia." I go to her. "The world isn't the same anymore."

"We were trying to protect you," says Tobias quietly.

"And you still are 'protecting’ us," says Matt. "Because there're a lot of secrets in this room. Now we've found you, fill us in on everything."

"How did you know where we were if nobody told you?" asks Tobias. "That's worrying."

"Alaric—we—knew you'd moved to London to find Gabriella, but not where, although we'd narrowed it down to this area," he replies.

I frown. "How?"

"A lot of people from the group are on the streets watching," says Amelia and points at Ash. "Someone thought they'd seen Ash in the park."

"And Alaric doesn't care if he loses some of those people," Matt grits out.

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