Page 94 of Live To Tell

Does anybody else in Josef's group know that the vampire informed Dorian of their plans and who exactly is in the group against Dorian? The witches who killed? Interrogating Adam never established a connection between Josef, the killers, or necromancers, but the Petrescu holds a lot of power both physically and mentally that he could be using over them.

I turn my attention to the other issue—Madison and the tiara. They're related to all this somehow, otherwise why would the box of magic items exist beneath floorboards in a human's factory?

I caught up with Leif briefly this morning, and we arrange to meet for breakfast but as I refuse to spend time in the cafeteria, I agree to meet him and the others on the lawns. Rowan arranged to speak with Julius to pass on selective information about our investigation, but that isn’t what’s at the forefront of my mind.

Leif’s future.

Grayson arrives before Leif and sits on the lawn beside me, where I give him an account of yesterday’s events. He’s quiet at first, before lying back on the grass and staring into the sky.

The ‘here comes summer’ disgustingly cloudless sky.

“That sucks. Poor guy.”

“You sound as empathetic as I can fail to be. Nothing will happen to Leif,” I say firmly.

“Ah. Yes.” Grayson rolls onto his side and props his head up on a hand, elbow on the grass. “Consort, huh?”

I didn’t relay the last part of the day in detail, only that Leif and I had straightened out our misunderstandings on the issue. “Don’t say that to his face. I’m unsure Leif likes the word.”

“Mmm.” A smile plays on Grayson’s lips, and he flops onto his back again. “Leif’s lucky he has your father in his corner.”

Unlike Grayson. “What do you think about the shifter’s theory that Sawyer has other offspring?” I ask.

“Possibly. But well-hidden, and ones he doesn’t know about, otherwise Dorian’s people investigating would know.”

“I think it’s a fanciful theory. If witches had a spare heir and wanted to kill Kai, why wait until now? They must’ve had years to act,” I say.

“Don’t witches protect Sawyer’s family from supes too? Maybe they have a bargain?”

Hmm. “I do not enjoy the extra complications.”

He turns his head. “Have you spoken to Dorian about all this?”

“Briefly. Dorian will demand more information from Sawyer about his panicked insistence that Kai takes on the land and business the day he turned eighteen. This relates to the contract with the elders, the missing deeds, and the witches and deaths.”

“But how?” asks Grayson. “What’s significant about Kai turning eighteen?”

“I’m unsure. The elders mentioned heirs but nothing age specific.”

“Yeah, sounds to me like a bargain with a time limit,” says Grayson.

Leif’s distinctive figure strides across the lawn from the entrance that leads to the cafeteria. “Don’t mention all this in front of Leif,” I whisper to Grayson.

“Sure.” Grayson looks back to the sky.

I smile when I spot the three takeaway coffee cups Leif’s carrying in a cardboard tray, and Grayson sits up as Leif places the cups down. The tension wound inside Leif has lessened, but there’s an edge to his smile—Leif, but not quite Leif.

But whatever thoughts and worries cloud his eyes dissipate as he strokes my hair and smiles. His large fingers link with mine as he sits close.

“Three coffees?” I ask him.

“Rowan isn’t coming, right?” he asks with a frown. “Didn’t I get enough?”

“Oh. Uh. One’s for me?” asks Grayson. “I don’t drink coffee.”

“Right. Forgot.” Leif takes one and passes the cup to me.

“S’okay. Not like we spent much time together before Violet.”

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