Page 107 of Dance With Death

“Only by omission. I hadn’t found Dashiell when we last spoke, so I didn’t have any plans to share with you. Holly inadvertently assisted me in locating him.” Violet drops a look at her friend on the rug. “Holly falsely believed Dorian would kill Dashiell, and I found her attempting to release him from a room. The spell she’s under must’ve drawn Holly to the shifter.”

I gawk as Violet recounts events since we last spoke to her, and a trickle of fear runs along my spine. “You took Dashiell from Dorian without permission?”

“And Holly?” asks Leif.

She blinks. “She is here, so, yes, I did.”

“Why?” asks Grayson.

“Because I wanted to.”

Leif suppresses a laugh. “True Violet reasoning.”

“But we’re not staying here,” she continues, leaning closer to the door to listen. “I can’t keep Holly and Dashiell in the academy, but I won’t allow them to leave, nor allow Dashiell away from my sight.”

Holly now sits, resting against Dash, whose arms wind protectively around her, as he murmurs something into her hair.

“Look at them,” says Violet, face scrunching with disgust. “Holly wanted to abscond with Dashiell. Tonight. And I truly believe she’d go to reckless lengths to achieve this. He appears to share her infatuation.”

“Well, that’s bloody weird,” says Leif.

“Again, a statement of the obvious.”

Dash’s engulfing hold on Holly is more than protective. Defensive. A warning not to touch.

“At least she’s safe with him?” I suggest.

“We cannot be sure since we’ve no idea what magic is at work.” She shoots a look at the back of Holly’s head. “And do not spout your absurd claims about destiny and love, Holly. I’m not in the mood.”

I bite back a smile, and Grayson catches my eye, his glinting with the same thoughts and amusement as mine. Our darling darkling girl isn’t in the mood for love? No change there.

But Holly isn’t paying attention, still weak from her fainting and the blood travel as she presses herself against Dash. I agree with Violet and Leif—the Holly/Dashiell situation is insane.

“What do you mean by ‘we’re not staying’?” says Grayson, perching on the windowsill. “Where are you going and who’s ‘we’?”

“All of us.” She pulls the familiar pendant from beneath her sweater. “Dashiell will direct our group to the correct location.”

“Huh?” he asks.

“Blood rune spells require a member of the party to focus on a location they’ve visited before. You’re taking us back to the house that you imprisoned Holly inside.” Violet unsheathes the blade from the pendant. “And don’t waste breath claiming you didn't help incarcerate her.”

“The house isn't any safer than the academy,” I say. “The place will be under watch.”

“Dorian is ‘done’ with Dashiell and his information. My father combed through the house and moved on after the place revealed nothing of significance.” She smiles, lips thin. “We, however, have not visited the house yet. Hence, needing Dashiell to picture the location.”

“This plan isn’t nice for Holly,” whispers Leif. “You’re taking Holly back to a place that traumatized her.”

Violet’s mouth remains tight. “Watch and listen to this.” She raises her voice. “I’m taking Dashiell back to the house he kept you in, Holly. I’ll leave you with Leif, and he can take you somewhere safe.”

“No! I’m not leaving Dashiell alone with you. I go where he does.” Her weakened voice firms, fingers tightening around his thickly muscled forearm as she looks at Violet.

“See what I mean?” Violet gestures at the pair. “Unless you have a magical crowbar, Holly is joining us while we make our own investigations at the house. We shall remain there overnight while deciding what to do next. Dashiell, release Holly and listen to what you need to do.”

37

VIOLET

The blood rune spell affects most of our group physically, giving me a chance to survey my surroundings before the questions start. Holly particularly struggles after experiencing the spell twice in a matter of minutes: it’s rare for a human to join a witch in manipulating and travelling through the ether. In fact, the spell is rarely used at all since only those with Blackwood magic possess the ability to cast it. Holly’s queasiness around blood doesn’t help matters.

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