Page 136 of Live To Tell

I chuckle at him. “You did the deed; you suffer the consequences.” He darts a look between me and Violet, and he stumbles slightly when I slap his shoulder. “At least her nails and teeth aren't sharp anymore.”

Nobody smiles at my making light of the situation when we don’t know what we’re facing next. I rub my neck again as I regard the unconscious hybrid.

Holly. Academy. Now.

Chapter 46

VIOLET

At the lodge, the moment the post impaled my heart passed suddenly, a split second before death overcame me. This time, nothing impaled my heart, but when Rowan stopped it beating, I had time to look into his dark eyes before I lost consciousness.

He choked me with shadows, arresting me before I could catch Viktor. I couldn’t fight back, and not because we’re bonded, but the magic he chose. Rowan could never harm me but in his mind what he did would stop worse from happening.

I don’t know what to do about the shadows. Nothing I do or say stops Rowan from using the magic when provoked. Rowan claims he doesn’t call on them, but if he’s truthful then that’s worse—they come without him summoning the spell.

The aftereffects from the heart-stopping are milder than heart-piercing, and I blood runed myself back into mine and Holly’s room the moment I regained consciousness. I’ve never been so relieved to hear her shriek, or happier to hear her scold me for waking her.

And equally grateful Chase wasn’t in the room.

Where do we start with dealing with last night’s events?

I’d left the guys at the scene to wait for Dorian, who’d been alerted. Later, he called to tell me he arrived before human authorities, and I relayed some of what happened, our conversation brief, but we came to an agreement.

I’m to leave Thornwood and bring Holly home with me, along with Leif, Rowan, and Grayson. Persuading Holly to come was harder than persuading Dorian to allow Grayson.

At least a dozen outfits lie the length of Holly's bed, a small pink trundle suitcase open and half-filled with shoes and a large make-up tote.

She's ended her protest about leaving, but the amount she’s packed is overkill.

The door closes behind as I step inside, and she looks up at me. “How cold is your house? Will I need a sweater?”

“I'm happy you changed your mind.”

Holly takes and folds a blue shirt from the bed, focusing hard on pressing the creases. “I'm only coming with you if you explain why.”

“Because you're my best friend and I want you to see where I live. You've always been curious.”

“Despite your sometimes monotone, you're such a bad liar, Violet.” She places the shirt in the suitcase. “Why are you worried about me?”

“I'm always worried about you. You're rather weak physically and far too trusting. Your inclination to lose consciousness at the sight of blood also makes you vulnerable to head injuries.”

Her eyes narrow. “Stop the clever talk. Who threatened my life?”

Holly doesn't often hold my look in challenge and although I'm often inscrutable, she has no need to decipher my look. The girl isn't stupid.

“Your connection to me makes the current situation dangerous. There's an individual that my father's searching for and until he's caught, I'm worried about you.”

Her eyes don't move from mine. “Has this individual threatened me directly?”

A memory of the ear-splitting pitch of past hysteria and a girl weighed down by fear rushes into my mind. “No.”

She's silent for a moment. “I can't tell if that's a lie.”

“My family's house is one of the safest places in the country and also rather pretty.” She likes pretty, right?

“Are you worried someone inside the academy could be a bad guy?” she whispers.

“Bad guy? Holly, this isn't a movie—it's real life. Your life. Mine. Everybody's.”

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