Page 6 of For Dear Life

As if I’m likely to embellish the story. Although where do I start and what non-essential facts should I leave out?

“I’ve—we’ve—discovered who one of the killers is and things are not straightforward, neither are their motives,” I say.

“One of?” Eloise frowns.

“Rory killed Wesley, and we believe an unidentified shifter under a necromancer’s control killed Rory. Today a witch asked another construct in his thrall to kill Kai. Hopefully this is the same shifter as killed Rory and that there aren’t a large number of undead shifters roaming around.” Eloise takes a sharp breath. “The necromancer involved was associated with Kai’s father—we saw them together at his lakeside lodge. Sawyer has a few supernatural connections.” I moisten my lips as I sense Grayson’s tension. “Sawyer’s attorney is a Petrescu.”

Dorian’s whole body stills, the calm I’ve often seen before his violent storms, but this time something deeper. Controlled, deadly hatred. “Petrescu?”

“The necromancer was associated?” interrupts Eloise and takes Dorian’s hand in both of hers. “What stopped his association?”

“Hmm.” I glance at the others. “The witch died.”

“What the fuck?” asks Zeke from his position in the doorway. “Is that the scene you left?”

“Do you know this witch?” Dorian demands as he switches focus to Rowan, who shakes his head.

“We only know his name as Maxwell,” I say.

Dorian’s expression continues to grow thunderous. “What happened to the shifter? Please do not tell me that he died too. Or that the witch is connected to the town or academy.”

“No, and I don’t know,” I reply.

“How can you be so calm, Violet?” whispers Leif.

“What use is hysterics?” I wrinkle my nose and give my parents a brief background on where we were and why, and an even briefer explanation about the witch’s arrival and his subsequent demise.

I also downplay the fire the guys allowed to burn long enough to partially destroy Maxwell’s body, held in check by Rowan, who then brought rain to end the blaze. Unfortunately, as the weather in town was fine today, that’ll point a finger at an elemental witch creating the fire or storm—or both.

Dorian takes a deep breath and turns away, tipping his head to look at the dripping glass chandelier positioned above him. “Who killed the witch, Violet?” he asks without turning around. “You?”

“As I was temporarily dead at that point, no.”

Eloise’s mouth parts.

“I did.” Dorian slowly turns, and his whole focus switches to Grayson, who spoke. “The witch used a spell to throw Violet over the balcony; I thought she’d died and lost my shit.”

What?

“And the shifter you say is injured. Who caused that?” he continues.

“Again, me,” says Grayson.

This is ludicrous. “No, I—”

“I’m sure you’d respond likewise if Eloise’s or Violet’s life was under threat, Dorian,” he interrupts.

Grayson avoids my eyes, solely focused on my father. Why’s he lying about the shifter? And why is he talking to Dorian in such a direct manner? If he’s attempting to appeal to Dorian’s empathetic side, Grayson’s wasting his time.

“Stand up.” Dorian walks slowly towards Grayson as he swiftly does as commanded. “Are you here to ask for my help in covering up a murder you committed?”

He and Grayson are a similar height and build, but Dorian could be a foot taller with his intimidating energy. Grayson doesn’t look away, face betraying nothing—he’s suffered at the hands of a threatening, powerful vamp before, but surely he understands Dorian is beyond anything he can imagine.

“No, we don’t want a cover-up,” I put in. “But as you know the facts, perhaps you could help us. News might travel your way. Such as if Kai remembers anything. If the shifter construct returned badly injured. Whether Sawyer reports the fire and if authorities look for the missing witch.”

“If that Sawyer kid remembers anything...” Zeke says through clenched teeth.

Dorian’s fixation on Grayson doesn’t waver and I look to Eloise, silently asking her to move them apart before he asks the worst question. His name. “I’m unlikely to find out any of that without making inquiries.”

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