Page 80 of Dance With Death

“What makes you ask that?” Rowan frowns.

“Mum reckons a witch killed my uncle. That’s why she’s scared of them. She gets pissed when Dad has dealings with them.”

“Witches are female and male, Kai,” I say. “Why have you never told us this?”

He scoffs at me. “Humans hating witches isn't unusual. Neither are accusations against them. And why would I tell you that I have a dead uncle unless the death happened recently?”

Research into Kai’s mother’s background did reveal a dead brother, but the death happened years before Dorian’s council existed, so nobody deemed the incident relevant. Dorian must’ve interviewed Kai’s mother but, as Kai says, a dislike of witches isn’t unusual amongst humans. Mrs. Sawyer’s attitude to them wouldn’t appear untoward considering the threats against her son.

“This is significant,” I announce. “Kai. You must discover everything you can about your uncle. Find more photos. The montage from your mother’s birthday. Would she talk to me?”

“Violet.” Rowan touches my arm. “Don’t overwhelm the guy.”

“Yeah. What do you want? Things from Dad’s office or info on my uncle?”

“Both,” I shoot back. “You have to find us the names of all the witches he deals with that Dorian might not know about.”

“How do I know if the names I find are witches’?”

“Important families all have names like me and Violet—Willowbrook, Blackwood, Thornwood?—”

“Whitegrove,” I interrupt but no recognition flickers on Kai’s face. “Do you know the names of any of your counsellors? Why would your mother allow the sessions if she dislikes witches?”

“Only the witches’ first names. And how would I know why? Mum and Dad have hidden a lot, otherwise why would a necromancer send zombies after me?”

Leif suppresses a smile as I suppress a retort.

“Yeah, there’re a lot of secrets,” says Grayson. “My uncle is mixed up in this.”

How much does Kai know about what happened after he fled the warehouse the night Viggo died? If his family keeps secrets, and Dorian doesn’t like to share his findings widely, Kai might not know anything precise.

“Please contact us with information as soon as possible,” I inform him.

“And you promise to help me get the hell away from here?” he asks.

I smile. “At some point, yes.”

I’ve learned a lot about the guys’ body language over the last few weeks, and although I can only detect Rowan’s unimpressed feelings through our link, I’m not unfamiliar with Leif and Grayson’s expressions. Wary and slightly despairing.

“We should go,” I say.

I’ve enough information—and lack of—to deal with for now. The guys and I must investigate what we can and leave Kai to uncover more. Starting with everything on record about Robert Sawyer and Kai’s mother. We’ve a new person to put under surveillance.

“One thing,” says Kai as we’re about to step through the door. “Rory’s wake. The DUI, and my memory blank. Was that witches? Dad ignored the damage at the lodge and hasn’t visited the place since, but weird that the fire happened the same day, right?”

“Were you at the lodge that afternoon?” I ask him innocently.

“I don't know. I’ve no memories, but this is different to alcohol blanks.” He grips the doorframe. “Do you see what I mean? People are always screwing with my mind.”

Leif stares at the ground, and a surge of sympathy for Kai rises, surprising me. I dislike humans. A lot. And that’s a mutual distaste built on distrust. But a life of supernatural interference? However unpleasant and objectionable Kai may be, he doesn’t deserve that—or the target on his back.

Rowan speaks. “Your father always protected you. Maybe he needed to that day.”

And failed miserably.

“Yeah, well, I never asked for any of this.”

“You can’t choose your family,” says Grayson. “Being a Petrescu isn’t much fun either.”

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