Page 65 of For Dear Life

“Rory,” says Marci.

“Excuse me?”

“Nita and Rory. And that was secret,” explains Holly.

Finally sucked in enough to discover more, I join their circle. This changes everything—there is a connection between the murders and the academy.

“Nita and Rory were romantically involved?” I ask for confirmation.

The witch couldn’t be more opposite to him—the diminutive girl with her long black braid and pretty face compared to his huge bulk, and a nose broken several times. Neither can I imagine the guy who attacked me at the memorial would ever talk to a witch, never mind... whatever else they did together.

“Yes. We dated the last few months,” says Nita.

Dated after he died? Died the first time. “And was he friends with any other witches?” I ask.

“Marci knew him—she chaperoned me at first in case...” Nita waves an arm. “Shifters have a reputation and most hate witches and humans. We first met at—”

“Don’t care. Please keep to the point.”

“Violet,” whispers Holly and gives me a familiar stern look.

Holly’s still staring. Good grief, why does this happen all the time? I watch Nita wring her hands together again and sigh. “I’m sorry that you lost Rory in such a shocking and undoubtedly painful—” I begin.

“So, about the witches,” interrupts Holly as Nita’s eyes well.

“He worked for some other witches. Odd jobs. Laboring. Cash in hand,” says Nita.

“Oh? Who?” I ask.

“One of the families over in the next town. Grangeton. They’re demolishing an old house on their land to build a new one. Some shifters work there,” says Nita. “Rory didn’t know that the owners were witches at first or would never have answered the ad, but they paid well. Work’s hard to get in this town.”

Oh. Oh. “Do you know the family?” I ask.

“No. Only their name. Brightgrove.”

“Minor family,” puts in Marci. “Older couple.”

“What magic do they practice?”

“The woman’s elemental, according to Rory. Not sure about her husband. They didn’t see him much,” says Nita.

“I’m guessing you’re not mental magic skilled,” I say as much to myself as Nita. Because if she were, Nita would know Rory lost his mind. Literally.

She shakes her head. “Mine’s fairly weak. Humans bred into our line and my parents are elemental born.”

“And you?” I ask Marci.

“I’m best with alchemy, but also have elemental magic skills,” she says stiffly, as if I should know.

Again, no mental magic. “Who else worked at this house?”

Finally. A shifter link to witches. “Oz and Trent,” says Nita.

Oz. Oz.

“Not Viggo?”

Marci snorts. “No way. Viggo never knew or he would’ve lost his shit with them all. At first we thought Viggo killed Rory—he’s vicious.”

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