Page 48 of Dance With Death

“How long until Holly can move and speak?” I ask. “She appears tied down by these contraptions.”

The nurse touches my hand, and I snatch it away in horror. “Holly woke briefly, but the pain medication is keeping her sedated. There’s no serious internal damage, fortunately, but we want to monitor the wounds. A wolf shifter’s claws could be as infectious as any animal’s.”

I sneak a look at Holly’s hand resting on top of the white sheet. The nurses stuck something unpleasant into the back of that hand, below the defensive scratch marks poking from under bandages on her arm.

“I should like to visit again once Holly regains consciousness,” I say stiffly as Rowan wraps his fingers around mine. “Do you have an approximate time this will happen?”

The nurse smiles. “Your sort never understand how the human body works. That academy should teach you human biology too.”

“I don’t agree,” says Harding from behind me. “Knowing all our weaknesses would give the supes an advantage.”

I pivot to face him. “Every supernatural is well aware of human weaknesses. Hence, the state my friend is in.”

The detective doesn’t share his thoughts, and I don’t need to read them—supernaturals will always exploit that weakness.

Our broader society has no intention of assimilating with humans. Who made the decision to reveal ourselves to the world fifteen years ago? Because I’m increasingly aware that was a very, very bad idea.

17

VIOLET

Rowan’s relief that I don’t intend to break into the mortuary and inspect the dead body is short-lived—I inform the guys I’m visiting the place where the shifter attacked Holly.

During our hospital visit, we couldn’t get a hold of anything Holly wore last night for Rowan to use psychometry on; the detectives would’ve spotted us stealing her belongings. Therefore, we could discover something in the crime scene’s vicinity that Rowan could use.

Following some pointless attempts by the guys to dissuade me, including a large list of reasons why I shouldn’t visit the attack location, the guys relent, perfectly aware I’ll go with or without them.

Leif will accompany us. Eloise isn’t a hundred percent certain that she’s broken the hold on Leif’s mind in only one session, but does hope that she’s blocked the channel. If Viktor is still able to locate Leif’s whereabouts, I want him to know where I am. The sooner I meet Viktor face to face again, the better. For me. Not him.

Before we do anything else, we must find Marci. She will have heard about Holly by now and needs reminding why she can’t mention my presence in the woods last night. Marci is aware it’s illegal to use witchcraft against humans for financial gain or otherwise, so the witch can’t risk us telling anybody the reason for her presence in the woods either. We must ensure that we’re in complete understanding that neither party should mention the other’s visit to the woods last night.

If the fooled humans discover they’re not protected from magical harm, and the talismans are fake, mass hysteria and exodus will occur. Not to mention violence against the witches—Marci requires our silence.

“Did you think Marci is the one who called the ambulance?” I ask Rowan as we head towards the greenhouse together.

“No. When the police interviewed me, they thought I was the one who made the call, and that I used a fake accent to hide who I am.”

“What accent?” I frown. “Definitely not a girl’s voice?”

“Nobody told me, but, yeah, definitely a guy.”

How curious. A third member involved in the attack on Holly?

“Have you told Dorian about Holly since we returned to the academy, Violet?”

“Unnecessary. The detectives plan to tell him later this morning.”

Rowan halts. “Unnecessary? How pissed will Dorian be when he finds out you already knew?”

“I don’t need to answer that rhetorical question, and I’m prepared for the consequences in order to keep my father away from Holly as long as possible.”

“You believe Dorian would hurt Holly?”

“Not deliberately.” I hope. “But there’s never a way to predict Dorian’s actions or the consequences.”

“Bloody hell,” mutters Rowan and starts walking again.

The weather matches the atmosphere of the day, dark clouds threatening to burst at any moment and deluge the world. Everybody who chooses to live in this part of the world is accustomed to perpetual rain, yet they always complain—apart from me.

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