Page 99 of Dance With Death

Holly’s eyes well. “I hate all this.”

“And I am sorry I have disrupted and endangered your life.”

When Holly says nothing, air disappears from my lungs. She does blame me.

This spell has to go, but with Holly’s human frailty, exacerbated by her injuries and the long journey, Eloise decided to delay her exploration of Holly’s mind until tomorrow.

“Would you feel safe if Eloise looks into your mind without me present?” I ask her. “I’d offer, but Leif preferred me to stay away. You may too.”

“Why? Did your magic interfere?” I shake my head. “There won’t be any blood, will there?”

A memory of Leif’s face when I mentioned his bleeding eyes and ears stops me answering for a moment. “No.”

“I’ll be okay, but promise to wait outside the room.”

“You have my word.” I gesture. “Should we return to the house? You look cold.”

“Tell me where Dashiell is.”

I blink at her sudden question. “I believe that my father either placed Dashiell in a room in the old wing, warded by runes, or in the old groundman’s cottage, also warded.”

“Not a dungeon?”

“My house does not have—” I catch her smile and pause.

“But I can see him?”

I sigh. But what Holly said about Dashiell’s actions… Did Dashiell protect Holly and save her life, and I’m about to sacrifice his?

34

VIOLET

My nagging at Dorian during dinner to allow me—and possibly Holly—to visit Dashiell wasn’t welcomed. The act led to an extreme response from Dorian that almost sent Holly crawling beneath the table.

I interrupted his ire with a comment to Holly that the steak we’re enjoying proves that Dorian doesn’t eat children. This did deflect conflict but did not get an enthusiastic reception from anybody, and silence ensued.

As Holly takes time to speak with Eloise post-dinner, my mother no doubt using her soothing mind magic on my friend, Dorian suggests we have ‘a chat’. We retreat to his study, and Dorian sits on the edge of the desk, reminiscent of the time he stood with Eloise and informed me of my move to Thornwood Academy.

“You’re doing what?” I ask, unable to fathom his information.

“I’m done with Dashiell and I’m letting him go,” he says.

I’d vainly hoped the meeting would be a change of heart, but no. Dorian called me here to inform me he’s letting Dashiell go, and I’m convinced this is a euphemism for his demise.

No. I need Dashiell.

“Why?” I say.

“The most specialized witches combed through the shifter’s memories earlier today, as others have daily since we caught him, and they discovered nothing new. I’ve all the information I can extract. Dashiell is useless.”

“Useless because he doesn’t have information or useless to you?” I ask.

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Are you planning to kill Dashiell for his crime against a human?” I ask. “The human authorities want him tried in one of their courts.”

“No. Someone else can kill him.” Dorian meets my eyes. “I’m releasing the shifter in order to watch where he goes. If somebody else wants to eliminate the guy, I’d like to discover who, and catch them in the act. Fingers crossed this is Viktor.”

---