Chapter 41

41

VIOLET

The next issue: persuade Dashiell to leave with me. I've abducted him once already, although I argued that I freed him. Currently, he believes that staying with Dorian would've been the worst of the two options, even if he doesn't trust us. Why would he? I'm aggressive about his role in Holly's abduction and mental injuries. I haven't attacked the shifter, even though the sight of his face provokes me, so he can be grateful for that.

While Holly sleeps, Rowan calls in Leif and Grayson, and we talk with Holly still in our view. We have the time and location of the meeting, and the guys will follow, but there's some conflict as to how soon. Rowan doesn't know how to create the runes used in the travel spell but does now contain Blackwood magic and can use them once painted. I've argued that the three should wait, and we agreed on ten minutes, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Rowan and Grayson will ambush me while I'm using the spell. No. They need to delay.

Persuading Leif to help Holly return to the academy and wait for us takes the longest time, but we can't bring Holly with us to Viktor. The closer she is to the witch, the easier he'll be able to manipulate or harm her. The same applies to Leif.

What is Viktor planning? His own demise?

Decision made, we send Leif and Rowan to talk to Dashiell in the basement, and explain our plan: Leif takes Holly, the remaining four of us will travel to take care of the witch we've located for Holly's sake. The shifter agrees a little too readily. Does he think he'll escape us the moment he's out in the open? Run when we're distracted by our battle with Viktor? Or perhaps Dashiell wants Viktor dead before the witch reveals too much about his true involvement.

Holly wakes and demands proof that we haven't harmed Dashiell by allowing her to see him. We warn the shifter not to explain our plans to Holly, because she won't cooperate. Fortunately for him, Dashiell stands by his opinion that Holly is safer without him and doesn't tell her the truth.

I can't go anywhere without speaking to Holly first, but I'm loath to because doubt sneaks in about my actions whenever I picture her response to me taking Dashiell. Grayson's comments haven't helped. No. I can't worry about causing emotional trauma because, once Viktor is dead and the spell broken, Holly will relinquish this obsession.

I take Holly a milk-free coffee prepared by Rowan, which she sips and then grimaces. "What are you planning to do with Dashiell?" she asks when I sit opposite her.

"I will let him go." Not a total lie.

Holly's mouth parts. "Allow him to walk away? Not take him back to Dorian?"

I shrug. "Dorian planned for Dashiell to leave already. But I will only release Dashiell if you promise not to go with him."

"But—"

"Removing this spell from your head is paramount, Holly," I interrupt firmly. "And if Dashiell does share this great love, he will return to you."

"Not if coming back could get him into trouble, Violet," she whispers. "I might never see Dashiell again."

Holly's familiar change in voice pitch and her glistening eyes nudge in that annoying guilt again, the worst of all the emotions I've encountered recently.

Is Holly waiting for reassurance from me? I smile and pat her leg. "The spell, Holly. Unless that's removed, you won't be safe, especially if you abscond with Dashiell, and nobody knows where you are. Viktor could catch you again."

She drops into silence, and her heart beats faster, sending blood closer to the surface of her skin. I can smell her . The urge to taste Holly's blood doesn't come, but the attraction to the scent concerns me.

I can't go without taking my potion for too much longer.

"And what do we do? You won't want to see your father. I don't want to."

"Return to the academy." I smile. "Then we can ask Eloise to visit. I'll request all my fathers join her to temper Dorian's response to my actions."

Although that will be impossible if I kill Viktor. Once the deed is done maybe I should abscond until Dorian calms down?

"Can we get an Uber this time?" Holly squeezes her fingers into a fist. "Not use that horrible spell."

"If you wish. And we shall leave soon in case we are tracked here."

"You think that's likely?"

"In our lives? Always."

She swallows hard, quiet for a few moments, before whispering, "Do you think Eloise can break this spell? Will I ever be safe?"

"Soon, the spell in your mind will no longer exist." Because the witch won't. Her stiff shoulders relax slightly. "As for your safety, we should consider terminating our friendship."

"The way you said that sounds so awful." She wraps her arms around herself. "And no."

"And perhaps this is a discussion for another time?" I suggest, as the dawn edges toward daylight outside. "We must leave soon."

"Where are the others?" Holly cranes her neck. "In the kitchen? There's a weird vibe around you all."

Vibe. I take a steady breath. "The guys worry about Dorian's response to their assisting me."

"Oh. I heard a disagreement about taking Dashiell somewhere. Don't you all agree?"

"Holly, your eavesdropping skills are worthy of supe hearing." I sigh. "And when do the four of us ever agree?"

"True. Then I guess the outcome is that you choose when and where Dash goes." She smiles sadly. "Can I say one last goodbye? You won't just sneak him away?"

Oh, how grateful I am that Holly struggles to read my body language and can't read my mind.

I smile and pat her leg again.