Page 19 of Dance With Death

Taking a can of soda, Leif cracks it open and drinks deeply, and I patiently wait. He wipes his mouth. “Viktor knows where I am all of the time. He could find us.”

“Good, because I’d like to see him.” I place a hand over Leif’s. “We’ll break whatever influence Viktor has on you. I promise.”

Troubled amber eyes meet mine. “How?”

“As I said, a counterspell by a more skilled witch. And don’t look doubtful; Dorian’s looking for a solution to your problem.”

The ring pull on the can clicks as Leif flicks it with his fingers. “A Dorian solution to my problem?”

“Leif! You are not a construct or any threat to me. Dorian will not touch you.” His jaw remains hard. “If he tries to harm you—any of you—I’ll?—”

“Do what?” he interrupts. “Who’s more powerful than Dorian Blackwood and can stop him?”

I half-smile. “Eloise.” Leif throws me a doubtful look. “People’s tendency to underestimate my mother has led to their downfalls. She matched Dorian in magical and mental strength even before she became a hybrid, which I imagine came as a rude shock to my father. Nobody challenged Dorian before Eloise did, and she didn’t stop until she’d broken down the walls nobody else could.”

“Eloise influences him that much?” asks Leif doubtfully.

“I don’t know every story from the past, but I do know my father wanted to burn the world threatening them, and that Eloise’s magic literally did set fire to parts.” I relent and take one of Leif’s crisps then bite, half-gagging at the vinegary taste. “Dorian learned not to underestimate Eloise, or ignore her opinions, a long time ago.”

“Huh.” Leif chews thoughtfully. “Eloise seems so... I dunno... calm and nice, and opposite to Dorian.”

Nice. “Isn’t that what makes Eloise powerful? People miscalculate her capabilities and her readiness to use them if under threat.” I touch his cheek. “Eloise fought to protect those she loved and would prevent Dorian from touching those I do.”

Leif’s eyes soften and he brushes salt from my lips. “That’s the closest you’ve come to saying that you love me.”

I’ve no chance to respond as Leif kisses me softly and briefly, then brushes my face, sending a shiver across my cheek.

“If Viktor knows where I am, he’ll know where you are, Violet. He’ll track your movements. I’ll need to stay away from any locations you visit when looking for Holly.”

“This is perhaps true. But you have other issues to attend to.” I pause and nibble at the edge of a pastry. “If Viktor locates you visiting the shifter elders, that might panic him. Do that?”

“Why?”

“Because that’ll show him we haven’t abandoned looking into the necromancy part of whatever this plot is and are looking for more constructs amongst the shifters.” I face him again. “Ethan is attempting to arrange another meeting, but the elders have put the residents on lockdown. Last I heard, they intend to ‘purge’ their community.”

“What the hell does that mean?” asks Leif.

“I’ve no idea, but it doesn’t sound pleasant for any shifter with even a tenuous link to witches. The necromancy has smashed apart the accords between shifters and us. Add in the trouble with the town, and the shifters are exiling themselves further, becoming more vulnerable, not less.”

“And you want me to go to them?” he chokes out. “I might never leave again.”

“The elders have more sense than to interfere with your autonomy now,” I say and take a bottle of water.

“Because I’m Dorian’s daughter’s consort?” Leif raises a brow at me.

“Yes. And, even so, Ethan would not allow anything to happen against your will. He never would. You know that.”

We lapse into silence, and Leif pulls on his lip as I drink. “Any ulterior motive for this picnic excursion, Violet?”

“Excuse me?”

“Something connected to your investigations. You normally like to combine downtime with investigative duties for your assistants.”

“No. This is all about you.”

“Not to look for clues to covens?” he teases.

“Pointless. I would need to follow Marci,” I reply. “And we’re not in the woods.”