Chapter 46

46

VIOLET

I scramble to my feet and block Eloise's route to the guys, keeping my eyes on hers rather than look at the remains of the witch behind her. How long do we have until someone passes through the woods? Some humans have a bizarre morning ritual that involves dressing up in tight clothing to run in a circle. Many find the woods a suitable place for this.

The longer my mother doesn't speak, the worse this becomes as my thoughts run in a hundred directions. Viktor's blood stains Eloise's fingers where she touched the witch and discovered his heart-less state. Her face holds the mask-like quality vampires can use and that hybrid's perfected. Eloise's steady gaze slides to Holly, who's unconscious beside us, and then to me.

"Say something," I whisper.

Eloise blinks slowly. "I have plenty to say to you, and plenty more that I'd like to do."

Behind me, one guy shifts at her lack of specifics. "I didn't expect Dashiell to kill Viktor."

"Or Leif to interrupt me? Or Grayson to take Viktor's heart?" she asks evenly.

"They both have minds of their own."

"Heavily influenced by you." She gestures at Holly. "First, I hope the human's life is worth the amount of trouble you're in, and second, I hope your actions were not in vain."

"What do you mean, ‘in vain'?" I glance at Holly. "She's alive."

"The girl could still be damaged, which would make this whole situation—and consequences for you—pointless." Eloise sighs. "Do you understand the gravity of this situation?"

I've rarely argued with my mother—not seriously—and memories of her anger are distant flashes in my memory. But I meant what I told Leif that day: people underestimate my mother, and I've heard stories about her Dorian-like behavior when she's provoked. Eloise prefers magic to physical violence, as she demonstrated, which makes predicting her upcoming response worse.

The things I want to say won't leave my mouth for fear I'll exacerbate the situation. I've exposed my loyalties by moving away from the ones expected of me, but Eloise doesn't understand. She never had human friends, or any friends who couldn't protect themselves. The only reason she mingles with humans nowadays is due to her position in the supernatural society. Eloise portrays herself as the good side of Dorian and greases the wheels now turning within the shared world.

I would have stopped Eloise. Viktor would be dead by my hand if she hadn't arrived.

"What happens now?" I ask. "Will you take Viktor to Dorian and explain what occurred here?"

"Well, I can't exactly leave a dead body in the woods, can I?" she says coolly.

"And us?"

The guys remain silent—terrified into such a state—and I'm prepared to fight for both of them.

"I have two options. Remove the body and the four of you to Scotland in order to explain circumstances to your father, or—" She pauses. "I can give you a chance to find Grayson and Dashiell, and you can hand them to Dorian as the main culprits."

No. Not again . Eloise's request is no different to Viktor's. "How would we explain to Dorian what happened here? He would never believe this was a random meeting."

She smiles tightly. "I'll allow you a brief window of time to find a plausible explanation."

"You'll let me walk away?" I ask. "All of us?"

Eloise steps forward and tucks a strand of my hair behind an ear. "My residual magic taints Viktor's body, therefore I will also need to explain to Dorian why I was here without him. I can choose to implicate you, Violet, or we deflect the blame."

"Onto Dashiell? Dorian will know I took him and Holly. He isn't stupid. Dorian will realize I planned this."

"Like I said, create a plausible story, Violet. Viktor's body will be difficult to identify, as nobody will report him missing. It could be some days before the humans decide to ask supernatural authorities if the man is a witch. The attack on Holly could be linked to this mystery man's death—but not in the way it actually is."

"That'd cause more trouble with shifters."

Every muscle seizes at Leif's comment from behind me, and Eloise's mouth twists. "I have a good mind to ask Ethan to hand you over to the shifters, Leif."

"What?" I half-shout. "Eloise!"

"Leif interfered. I could've caught Dashiell."

"Leif only interrupted to stop you harming Holly. That's why Grayson acted too."

She slants her head. "If I had Grayson and Dashiell with me, I'd have the culprits and could smooth things over with Dorian somewhat." I choke out my shock. "Moments ago, I warned Grayson what would happen."

"But Grayson never killed Viktor," I protest. "And a shifter obviously inflicted Viktor's injuries."

"If Grayson hadn't taken his heart, Viktor would still be alive, albeit in a different form. I believed I could arrive and solve this incident quickly and easily, but now I face a problem." She sighs. "I'm not informing Dorian of events immediately, but as soon as he discovers Viktor is dead, he will call in psychometrists. They will use their skills on his body, and Dorian will discover everything that occurred. Until then, I'm telling him nothing. Bring the two individuals responsible for Viktor's permanent demise to Dorian, and he may be more lenient on you when discovering your betrayal."

I nod automatically, but my mind and heart spin out of time. Eloise is asking the impossible.

"How long have you known and used the shadows, Rowan?" Eloise asks in a sudden shift that makes my stomach lurch. I reach out to take Rowan's hand. "You can obviously summon them."

"They only appear when Rowan is with me and when I'm threatened," I say, looking at her so she can read the truth in my mind. "A bonded reaction."

But is that true? Has Rowan attempted to call on and manipulate the shadows without me?

His fingers tighten, and he winces in pain at Eloise's intrusion of his mind too. "Hmm. Again, this is a concern that Dorian would want to deal with."

"What do you mean?" I ask sharply.

Eloise sighs. "Sweetest girl. Your family has fought all threats to us for many years. We are tightly loyal and expect the same of you. We made a monumental mistake in forcing you to attend Thornwood."

"I'd eventually leave and explore the world. I would never remain disconnected. Dorian met someone and loves; I would too."

"Perhaps I'll rephrase that." There's something in Eloise's manner that matches what she told Viktor— Dorian . "A monumental mistake for those you've formed attachments to."

My eyes go wide. "Don't touch them!."

Eloise pulls her coat sleeves down, looks back to Viktor, and then rests her gaze on me. "If something is coming between you and your loyalty to the family, Dorian is likely to remove the obstacle." She wanders to the witch's body and looks down, brow pinched. "If you wish to keep these people alive, do as I suggest then return home. Now, please go while I contact the police and then leave the scene myself."

My family is no better than Viktor. Eloise is making the same demands as he did—sacrifice one to save another. Does Eloise honestly expect I'd hand over Grayson in order to protect myself and prevent trouble? That I would turn away from a life my family pushed me into, and from those in that new life who I love?

I watch as Eloise produces a phone from her coat pocket, shooing us with the other hand.

Eloise isn't aware of what she is pushing me into—something far, far worse than misplaced loyalty.

The series continues with Thornwood Academy 6: Live and Learn which I intend to be the last book.