Page 100 of Dance With Death

“You’re using Dashiell as bait?” I ask. “That’s unfair.”

Says the girl who’s trading Dashiell’s life for her best friend’s.

“Unfair?” Dorian scoffs. “I don’t do fair. I do what gets results. The shifter created the situation for himself.”

“But I haven’t had a chance to speak to him yet.”

“Dashiell knows nothing,” says Dorian with a sigh. “Every word he told my people is true, and his story complete.”

“He didn’t abduct Holly?” I ask. “Dashiell did save her life?”

“No, and probably yes, but the shifter isn’t innocent in all this, Violet. He conspired to keep Holly rather than inform somebody. The reason? Dashiell is frightened of someone he has never met. I’m hoping that someone is Viktor.”

But Dashiell tried to inform me, albeit uselessly in wolf form.

At this moment, telling Dorian about Viktor’s communication would be the right thing to do but also the very worst. I don’t do fair. I do what gets results. Viktor is correct that if Dorian achieves his aim and locates him, my father wouldn’t care who gets hurt in the process. Dorian would capture or kill the witch in a single breath if they met head-to-head, but Viktor would know Dorian is nearby first. The witch would trigger the spell-bomb in Holly’s mind before my father even reached Viktor.

And I’m not taking the risk that Viktor is lying—hasn’t he already proved his hold on Holly with her episode at the hospital?

“I never said Dashiell is innocent, but you’ve denied me the opportunity to speak to him!” I repeat. “And you’re stupid to let him go.”

“Watch your tongue, Violet,” he snaps. “If there’s a possibility that Josef may be involved, I’ll find him too. The Petrescu threatened me and my council. I’ll take any chance to locate him.”

“Josef still hasn’t contacted the Sawyers?” I ask.

“Nobody has seen him since Kai’s party. I’ve noted Sawyer’s unease about this.” Dorian waves a hand. “I want to know if Josef is involved with Viktor.”

“I’d say Josef is very obviously involved with Viktor since both voiced opposition to your government and their intention to depose you.”

“Depose is a bit strong, Violet.” He crosses his arms. “And no, not obvious. Josef double-crossed witches at the factory that night. I’m exploring the possibility that there’re two factions against me—three if you include shifters, but they never act.”

No, but they threaten Leif. How long until that situation rears its ugly head again?

“If these factions are in opposition too, that will aid me. Josef Petrescu is old school Confederacy. The witches we’ve encountered are much younger, but old enough to have lived under Confederacy rule. Perhaps the witch group doesn’t favor the return of an old regime, even if they hate mine.” He sits and smiles at me. “Whoever controls supernatural society needs to either garner human support or subjugate them. Perhaps the factions have opposing opinions on that too. Viktor especially dislikes humans, and Josef appears to protect the Sawyers.”

Dorian may be piecing this together but he’s missing parts.

“Have you discovered anything else about the Sawyers? Are the connected to the Circle at all?”

Dorian reaches across and pulls out a bundle of papers. “Sawyer has a lot of business dealing with the witches we’re investigating. The man has investments everywhere.”

As I supposed.

“And the tiara and deeds? Connected to Sawyer or not?”

“Again, still looking for a definitive link as to whether somebody planted that or if Sawyer hid the items himself. The deeds do support the shifters’ claim on the land but that takes delicate handling due to the human legalities. Under their laws, Sawyer owns the land.” Dorian sighs. “I agree with the elders that the interference in the shifters’ relationship with the town is an attempt to push them from the land. Hence, I believe different factions are at odds, unless Josef is also double-crossing Sawyer.”

“And shifter constructs? Have Ethan and Zeke found anymore?”

“No.” Dorian’s expression hardens. “The fools still won’t allow us access to their people in order to discover."

“Everything is growing out of control.”

Dorian drops the papers on the desk and moves closer. “I have outsmarted and brought down powerful people in my time and achieved that through more than my physical and magical power. However complex, I solve the puzzles. I outwit. I win. How else would I stand here now as a leader who idiots believe they can usurp, when I was once hunted and exiled?” I narrow my eyes as Dorian attempts to push into my mind and slam down a wall against him. “Do not question my methods or decisions. Dashiell walks away, and I watch. I’d say ‘free’, but the boy never will be. Not now.”

And again, Dorian demonstrates who I forget he is—a stark reminder that Holly could be in danger from my father too. But I can’t hide everything.

“If you allow me to speak with Dashiell, I’ll share something with you,” I say.

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