Yes
With the shifter only
Yes
6AM don’t be late
I wait a while longer, but there’s no response. “However, Rowan, one of you must stay here with Holly or take her somewhere safe.”
“Leif can?” he suggests. “Since Viktor would detect him straightaway if he joined us.”
“Leif could take Holly to the academy. I’d rather not contact Eloise until after the deed is done. Once I have Viktor, I shall meet you at Witch Rocks.”
“You’re bringing his dead body?” Rowan pales, and I regard him, unblinking. “Omigod Violet. Do you still intend to try necromancy on him?”
“I haven’t 100% decided.”
Through the night, I’ve continued toying with the necromancy idea, but a worry niggles at me that Viktor’s magic may not be snuffed out, even if his mind belongs to me. There’s only one certainty—if he does injure Holly further, I’ll explode his mind into a black void. A mind that will belong to me.
I’ve relented by allowing the guys to know when and where, with the agreement that they will give me time to contain Viktor. I won’t approach the meeting location if I sense he has others nearby and will dispatch his followers first.
But even that agreement sits heavily in my stomach. Every moment Viktor stands in those woods is another wasted second in trying to save Holly, or for Dashiell to attempt an escape. One simple mistake and the spell connected to Holly’s mind could destroy her.
41
VIOLET
The next issue: persuade Dashiell to leave with me. I’ve abducted him once already, although I argued that I freed him. Currently, he believes that staying with Dorian would’ve been the worst of the two options, even if he doesn’t trust us. Why would he? I’m aggressive about his role in Holly’s abduction and mental injuries. I haven’t attacked the shifter, even though the sight of his face provokes me, so he can be grateful for that.
While Holly sleeps, Rowan calls in Leif and Grayson, and we talk with Holly still in our view. We have the time and location of the meeting, and the guys will follow, but there’s some conflict as to how soon. Rowan doesn’t know how to create the runes used in the travel spell but does now contain Blackwood magic and can use them once painted. I’ve argued that the three should wait, and we agreed on ten minutes, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Rowan and Grayson will ambush me while I’m using the spell. No. They need to delay.
Persuading Leif to help Holly return to the academy and wait for us takes the longest time, but we can’t bring Holly with us to Viktor. The closer she is to the witch, the easier he’ll be able to manipulate or harm her. The same applies to Leif.
What is Viktor planning? His own demise?
Decision made, we send Leif and Rowan to talk to Dashiell in the basement, and explain our plan: Leif takes Holly, the remaining four of us will travel to take care of the witch we’ve located for Holly’s sake. The shifter agrees a little too readily. Does he think he’ll escape us the moment he’s out in the open? Run when we’re distracted by our battle with Viktor? Or perhaps Dashiell wants Viktor dead before the witch reveals too much about his true involvement.
Holly wakes and demands proof that we haven’t harmed Dashiell by allowing her to see him. We warn the shifter not to explain our plans to Holly, because she won’t cooperate. Fortunately for him, Dashiell stands by his opinion that Holly is safer without him and doesn’t tell her the truth.
I can’t go anywhere without speaking to Holly first, but I’m loath to because doubt sneaks in about my actions whenever I picture her response to me taking Dashiell. Grayson’s comments haven’t helped. No. I can’t worry about causing emotional trauma because, once Viktor is dead and the spell broken, Holly will relinquish this obsession.
I take Holly a milk-free coffee prepared by Rowan, which she sips and then grimaces. “What are you planning to do with Dashiell?” she asks when I sit opposite her.
“I will let him go.” Not a total lie.
Holly’s mouth parts. “Allow him to walk away? Not take him back to Dorian?”
I shrug. “Dorian planned for Dashiell to leave already. But I will only release Dashiell if you promise not to go with him.”
“But—”
“Removing this spell from your head is paramount, Holly,” I interrupt firmly. “And if Dashiell does share this great love, he will return to you.”
“Not if coming back could get him into trouble, Violet,” she whispers. “I might never see Dashiell again.”
Holly’s familiar change in voice pitch and her glistening eyes nudge in that annoying guilt again, the worst of all the emotions I’ve encountered recently.
Is Holly waiting for reassurance from me? I smile and pat her leg. “The spell, Holly. Unless that’s removed, you won’t be safe, especially if you abscond with Dashiell, and nobody knows where you are. Viktor could catch you again.”