Page 76 of Dance With Death

“Hurt? What happened?” I sit upright. “Where is he?”

Another glance at me before Dale looks at Leif. “Kai can’t leave the Sawyer property. Not even to meet up with his mates at the café. No school. Nothing. He’s pissed about that.”

“Kai isn’t dead?” I ask. “That’s positive news considering events of late.”

“Yeah.” Dale really does not like meeting my eyes. “I’ve seen him a couple of times at his place.”

“Could you hurry up whatever this conversation is for?” I ask.

“Kai wants to see you.”

“Me?” I ask. “I highly doubt that.”

“Nah. I mean, yeah. Whoever.”

Good grief. Are any of these teenagers capable of coherent speech?

“Kai wants us to visit him?” asks Grayson. “Why?”

“Is he home?” I ask, and stand.

“Uh. Yeah. Obviously.” Dale rubs the back of his neck. “Kai asked us to keep a look out because he doesn’t have your numbers. I just messaged to tell him you’re at the café, and he replied.”

“He’s home now?” I press. Dale nods. “Then inform Kai to expect our visit presently.”

“You what?” he asks, forced to step aside as I leave the booth.

I sigh. “Tell Kai that we’ve accepted his invitation and will visit him today. Soon. Now.”

The fortuitous news buoys me after the earlier disappointment at the hospital. Kai wants to speak to us and not through Dorian. I finally have the chance to ask Kai something that has played on my mind since the day I discovered the tiara.

The Sawyer house. One place I never thought I’d return to unless under cover of darkness and during covert investigation. Certainly not via invitation from Kai. Kai asked us not to inform others of our visit, so I’m keener yet to meet up.

Since the Sawyers, and their home and business, remain under surveillance by my father’s witches for the family’s safety, Kai can’t slip out without an explanation. Although, I’m intrigued as to what explanation he gave for Violet Blackwood’s visit since we’re hardly friendly. That my father sent me?

On the night of the fateful party, we entered the main premises by the rear, past the swimming pool, and through the terrace and plethora of fruit trees. This afternoon, Grayson takes us to a separate, single-story building on a part of the property reached by an alternative driveway.

Kai’s part of the Sawyer home. Interesting. Why did he hold his party in the main house and risk the damage that occurred? Once I step inside, I discover why. The detached building is smaller.

With false pleasantries exchanged, Kai mutters at us to follow him into a room. A wide sofa is covered in crumbs and an oversize TV displays a fake war zone. Game controllers sit on the table beside beer cans and an empty bowl . Kai’s stained gray trackpants and unshaven appearance, along with the sullen mood, suggests the place he’s living isn’t the Nirvana that’s written on his scruffy T-shirt.

Leif engages in enthusiastic questions about Kai’s prowess within the game, so I take in the environment, looking for runes.

Kai crosses to a bar fridge tucked into a corner of the room. “Beer?”

I raise a brow at Leif as he almost accepts. This is not the time for a drinking session. Rowan stands in the doorway to the area, eyes slightly narrowed as he takes a slow look around the room too, whereas Grayson flops onto the sofa.

“Can you see any runes?” I ask Rowan.

Kai inclines his head. “You’ll find them under the rugs. Etched into the door frames. I wouldn’t sleep at night without them.”

This time I raise both eyebrows. “Yet you denied your pendant held any protective magical properties the night we spoke at the party.”

He regards me, then grabs a beer before closing the fridge. “I’m not supposed to talk about magic and I denied a lot to myself, too.”

“Why talk to us now?” asks Rowan, now examining beneath a rug, where he finds tiny runes in a color to match the pale wooden floor. “These are basic protection runes, Violet,” he adds.

I crane my neck. The same as the ones beneath the Sawyers’ nightstands that I saw at the party.

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