Page 104 of Winterfall Destiny

Natalie sat beside the dead vamp holding his hand and staring forward, unable to speak as we sat in the small storeroom she took us to. Not that she needed to speak. I rested against the uneven wall in silence most of the night, carefully peeling away layers of magic in her mind until I unveiled the information I wanted.

I never touched Natalie, but as I'm a companion of murderous Dorian, she grew more and more convinced I'd finish her once I discovered everything she knew. She thought I was worse than Dorian and killed women? I have in the past; I guess I am.

Each time I found a useful fact, I forced Natalie to explain in detail, warning her against lying.

Everything she said backed up what I'd gleaned from her thoughts.

As I searched her mind, I came across Natalie's past too and veered away, not wanting to know more about the girl's life. Natalie. Twenty years old. Parents were Confederacy. A friend went to Ravenhold for a minor incident. She never returned and Natalie has hated the Confederacy since.

Some clever bastard brainwashed her into joining the so-called glorious Dominion.

Is Gabriella creating these pawns because she thinks our group is too 'good' to kill innocents? But they're not innocent; their initiation involves killing a shifter, hunter, witch or—for bonus points—Confederacy. Natalie murdered a witch who said no to the recruitment because he's loyal to the Confederacy. Is that what would've happened to the two spies tonight?

I couldn't let Natalie go until her partner returned to the living, because I couldn't leave without wiping both their minds, so I stayed in the catacombs longer than I'd planned. Occasionally, other voices echoed, but at a distance, as the space Natalie took us to was tucked away from the larger tunnel.

Now that I've heard everything from Natalie, I'm glad I made the decision not to go alone into the bowels of the place.

But, fuck, we're onto something. Finally.

Now I've everything I need; I've erased the last year of the Natalie and Karl's lives—back to a time long before they joined the Dominion—and I'm returning them to the club.

* * *

I don't approach the club, remaining across the street in the shadows, eyes flicking to where I had the awful conversation with Maeve as I watch them loiter outside in confusion. Maybe I should've dumped them elsewhere? Other Dominion might recognise the pair.

If the two kids are picked up and questioned, they won't survive. However hard the pair tries, neither they nor their interrogators will find one glimmer of a memory, and they'd die at a frustrated Dominion member's hands. I turn away. Is that why I returned them here? Because I didn't want their blood directly on my hands, even though I'll indirectly cause their death?

My phone sounds and I drag it from my jacket. Andrei.

you're not back

on my way.

I pause.

is everybody there?

yeah how long til you're here?

I glance at the sky. How much has Maeve told the others?

soon

Before Andrei can ask any questions, I click the phone off and shove it into my back pocket.

The vamps wander away instead of entering the club, then pause at a nearby bus stop. I check the time. Five thirty.

I walk in the opposite direction from the house. I'll return by nine.

38

JAMIE

Something happened. What other reason could there be for Tobias not knowing the information he and Maeve collected last night? When the pair returned, Tobias relayed information about the growing army and recruitment but admitted he'd no further details about what Gabriella's planning. Then Maeve added that she did—an initiation for new recruits.

What stopped Maeve and Tobias talking about this before they returned?

Maeve brushed me off, so I asked Ash if something happened to her. Ash nodded but was cagey as to exactly what. Pointless of the pair to hide what—I'll find out. Still, I'm glad Maeve spent time with and then stayed the night with Ash. Whatever happened, sleeping with him away from reminders of magic and blood should recharge Maeve.

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