Page 124 of For Dear Life

A panting girl with flushed cheeks stands partway along the hall and her shriek bounces through the quiet. She runs over when she sees us, almost tripping in her heels. Human. One of the girls Grayson insulted earlier? She’s spilled something down the front of her teal dress, and her brown hair’s no longer perfectly straight.

“You knew Sienna took your crown!” says the girl hoarsely. “What did you do to her?”

“I did not know; it’s a tiara; and I haven’t touched the girl.” Violet looks down at Sienna’s flustered friend. “What’s wrong with her, and does she still have my tiara?”

“You know!” she blurts.

Violet’s chest heaves. “No. I do not know. Unless you’d rather I read your mind.”

“And what did you do to her mind?” The girl stupidly jabs at Violet’s chest, and I close one eye, waiting for the bone to break when Violet catches hold.

“You’re a little distressed… I don’t know your name,” she says evenly.

“Cassie.”

“Cassie.” Violet releases her wrist. “I haven’t touched anybody’s mind, and I was unaware Sienna thieved the tiara.”

“What’s happened?” I finally interrupt.

“And don’t say ‘she knows’,” warns Violet. “As I don’t. Is the girl injured?”

Nobody needs vamp hearing to notice the scream from further along the hall, towards the bathrooms. Violet shoves past Cassie and darts towards the noise. Throwing Cassie a confused look, I follow.

“I can’t get it off my head,” shrieks a voice.

A group gathers around Sienna who’s sitting on the floor, in the open bathroom doorway, pulling at the tiara lodged in her brown curls. Beside her, Mrs. Lorcan crouches and attempts to prise the thing away. Sienna squeals as if the headmistress is pulling her head off, and she violently shoves Mrs. Lorcan before curling her fingers around either side of the tiara.

Bleeding hands.

Violet’s in front of Sienna in seconds, halting to stare. If Violet hadn’t used mind magic before, she’s definitely trying to find her way into Sienna’s thoughts now. Another banshee wail comes from Sienna as she focuses panicked eyes on Violet.

“Make it stop! Get her out of my head,” Sienna gasps, eyes glazed by tears.

“Is she possessed by a ghost?” asks a third girl, sitting on the floor beside Sienna and rubbing her back in comfort. Black streaks her face where kohl ran from teary eyes. “That’s what I think!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no such thing,” says Violet.

“There’re vampires and witches! And shifters!” she shouts.

“Is the tiara really stuck?” Violet asks Mrs. Lorcan, ignoring her.

“Perhaps tangled in Sienna’s hair?” the headmistress suggests.

“No! It’s stuck.” Sienna sobs and pulls again with bloodied fingers. The thing won’t budge. This is insane. Someone must’ve messed with this human’s mind.

“Why’s she bleeding?” asks Violet.

“Show her,” Cassie says to the blonde girl, attempting to comfort Sienna. Nodding, she stands, pale-faced and thin-lipped.

“What’s happening?” asks a voice. Well, we found Holly, who dashes over, then pulls up short when she spots Sienna. Color drains from her cheeks. “Omigod!”

“Rowan!” calls Violet from the bathroom.

Holly’s brow pinches. “What happened to your hands, Sienna?”

Girls bathrooms or not, I’m walking in after Violet. As I pass, I startle when Sienna’s fingers snatch my ankle.

“Find her.”

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