Page 28 of Dance With Death

“Well, I guess the spell is a tumor,” says Violet.

“Please shut up.”

“Excuse me?” Violet’s jaw slackens at my terse words.

“You’re not helping at all, Violet,” says Eloise, expression growing more displeased by the moment.

“You haven’t started looking into Leif’s mind yet. How do you know I'm not helping?” Violet asks.

That glare from her. Telling Violet to shut up wasn’t smart.

“I’ve changed my mind,” I say and step closer to the door and towards a world with more oxygen than this room.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Leif. You don’t have the ability to change your mind. Viktor inflicted you with a serious spell.”

I turn my eyes to the ceiling and take a steady breath. “That isn’t what I meant, Violet.”

Eloise takes one of my hands between hers, and a subtle warmth comes from her soft skin. “Leif. Ignore my daughter’s unnecessary comments. I have the ability to calm minds too. I’ll remove you from the situation in a way human anesthetic would. You won’t feel anything.”

“Yes, but if his nose and eyes start bleeding—” Violet begins before Eloise’s slicing look hits her.

“Bloody hell,” I mutter. “Violet. Please leave, otherwise I’m walking out of here.”

I’ve seen that expression before. Under all Violet’s spikiness and acerbic words, her mother’s side of the hybrid exists. The girl who once had no clue about social niceties or emotions now connects with them. Well, the emotions—Violet still can’t get a handle on how speaking every word that enters her mind can hurt people.

Now I’ve hurt her.

“I’m concerned for your welfare and voicing such concern,” she says stiffly. “Don’t you wish for me to care?”

Sighing, I crouch down in front of where Violet still sits and take her hands. “You need a better bedside manner.” She looks at me blankly. “Thank you for caring and wanting to help, but your… Violet-ness is scaring me, and I’m already freaked out.”

“Very well.” Violet stands abruptly. “I shall leave.”

I stand too and catch her hand before she can move. “Sorry.”

Tiptoeing, Violet places both hands on my cheeks, earnest eyes on mine. “I do try, Leif.”

I smile. “I could make a comment about how trying you are, but I might regret that.”

I’m stunned when Violet’s mouth touches mine for a moment. She kissed me in front of her mother?

“I’ll wait outside in case you need me to…” She pauses. “Need me.”

Violet stiffly leaves the room and the abstract picture on the wall shakes as she closes the door.

Eloise looks vaguely amused but says nothing.

“Will you be able to fix my memories too?” I ask her.

“I’d rather not use my magic on your mind for a long period of time, just in case.” Eloise smiles tightly but doesn’t elaborate.

Just in case? Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Violet to leave.

10

ROWAN

No more clues. Violet is increasingly on the verge of losing her shit, and Dorian has no answers either. A sweep of the address connected to Joe the Builder revealed nothing apart from a house with traces of residual magic. Psychometrists went through the place, touching the few strewn items left behind, but sensed nothing from the empty water bottles and beer cans.

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