Chapter 6

6

VIOLET

Disappointingly, the place I chose to bring Leif is more popular than I'd expected. Perhaps if I'd chosen a rainy day, I'd encounter less humans. We follow a trodden dirt trail, alongside dry stone walls that border fields, some scattered with sheep grazing peacefully and others containing walkers crossing towards the foot of the green hills.

Leif insists on carrying the small backpack, unnecessarily as the weight doesn't bother me. As I borrowed the bag from Holly's closet, and it's covered in cartoon pigs, I don't protest.

Holly.

I spoke to Rowan about my planned afternoon with Leif, and he had no desire to join us. He agreed to watch Instagram notifications and contact me as soon as we receive a response to the message. So, I force my mind to remain focused on Leif and calm myself with the knowledge that there's little I can do to help Holly at this exact moment.

We stride by other hikers, and one elderly couple watch open-mouthed as we leap over the stile between two fields without touching the wood. I catch muttering about ‘their sort' and ‘unnatural'—as does Leif because his hand in mine tightens.

If permitted, Leif would hold my hand at all times. Whenever we're together, the first thing he does is encircle my slender fingers with his large ones. Often, I pull away because I'm still hesitant with touch, but recently I don't, aware Leif needs the comfort physical contact brings him.

How odd that someone could find comfort from me.

And how on earth did I attract, and become attracted to, one of the most tactile and attentive people at the academy? Like does not meet like in mine and Leif's case. I'm attempting to learn all the guys' likes and dislikes, but that proves tricky when their words and actions can contradict each other, confusing me. Leif's the plainest to understand because he's the plainest speaking. Physical closeness—hugs and hand holding—top Leif's needs.

"Why do humans partake in this activity?" I ask him as we pass a clearly unfit younger couple, red-cheeked and perspiring beneath their quilted jackets. "They do not appear to be enjoying themselves."

"The views. Fitness. A way to spend time together. Fresh air." He side-glances me, a smile playing on his lips. "To walk their dogs."

"Amusing." I hop over inconveniently placed rocks. "And is there a specific place for outdoor food consumption?"

" Picnics. "

"For a picnic." I gesture at yet another couple, resting against a wooden fence and eating unwrapped food bars. "Or do people merely stop anywhere, once they're weak with hunger?"

Laughing, Leif wraps an arm around my shoulder and hugs me tight to him, kissing the top of my head. "I love you, Violet. You're so... you."

"And I'm happy that you're happier," I reply.

"Right." His arm slackens.

Oh. "And I have great affection for you too."

Leif snorts a laugh and pauses. We're at the top of a sloped area that offers unremarkable views of the town below, but that many seem transfixed by. He removes his jacket and lays out the thick green material on top of the stone-strewn, grassy ground. I frown as he crouches down and unfastens the pig-adorned backpack before peering inside.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"We've no blanket. You can sit on my jacket."

"We require a blanket?" I glance around. Admittedly, the other hikers nearby sit on checkered blankets. The nearest family placed theirs amongst a patch of buttercups that a small boy insists on ripping from the ground.

"Blankets aren't in the rules." Leif smiles again as he pulls items from the bag. "How did you know what to buy?"

I don't sit, watching as he places paper bags with pastry-wrapped meat alongside shiny bags of potato chips and cans of soda.

"Acceptable food?" I ask.

"Violet..." He looks at me through eyes filled with life again, which sends a weird squirming sensation through my stomach. With so much stress and unhappiness swarming round us, I'm happy and slightly shocked I've managed to carry out my plan to cheer up Leif.

Admittedly, Rowan did assist in suggesting food choices, but said nothing about picnics. I've finally and adequately reciprocated Leif's gift giving because his delight continues to glow.

I almost don't want to bring up the topic we can't avoid.

Leif remains kneeling as I wrap my arms around myself, watching him. "Sit," he says. I pause and he raises a brow before patting the material.

I'm finding today an extremely odd experience.

Meeting Leif's requests, I pull my knees to my chest. Leif closes a hand around my leg. "Thank you."

"For?"

"Being here." He pauses. "I know everything's messed up right now, but I'm glad you're taking time out while we wait for news."

"Right." I shake my head when he offers me one of his highly processed potato snacks. "But we do need to discuss the issue with your mind."

Leif doesn't reply, gazing at the hills as he slowly chews. "Yeah."

I sigh at his monosyllabic response and shift to face him. "I want to assure you that whatever spell Viktor used, we can counteract the effects."

"How?" he asks, still focusing on his food and scenery.

"Viktor revealed he'd used a spell that splintered your memories and tracked your thoughts. Now that we know what we're dealing with, we can locate a witch capable of a counterspell."

"Dorian's witches checked my mind the morning after Holly disappeared, before we found you. They could only detect the splintered memories. No other spell." Leif pauses. "I'm not a construct, but this change... invasion makes me feel like I am."

"Viktor isn't influencing your actions."

His curls fall into his eyes as he looks down. "Viktor controlled my actions at the reno house."

"Leif." I pause until he looks at me. "Viktor's an extremely powerful witch who'd touched your mind once before. He can apparently manipulate you, but not from afar, like a necromancer and their construct."

Taking a can of soda, Leif cracks it open and drinks deeply, and I patiently wait. He wipes his mouth. "Viktor knows where I am all of the time . He could find us."

"Good, because I'd like to see him." I place a hand over Leif's. "We'll break whatever influence Viktor has on you. I promise."

Troubled amber eyes meet mine. "How?"

"As I said, a counterspell by a more skilled witch. And don't look doubtful; Dorian's looking for a solution to your problem."

The ring pull on the can clicks as Leif flicks it with his fingers. "A Dorian solution to my problem?"

"Leif! You are not a construct or any threat to me. Dorian will not touch you." His jaw remains hard. "If he tries to harm you—any of you—I'll?—"

"Do what?" he interrupts. "Who's more powerful than Dorian Blackwood and can stop him?"

I half-smile. "Eloise." Leif throws me a doubtful look. "People's tendency to underestimate my mother has led to their downfalls. She matched Dorian in magical and mental strength even before she became a hybrid, which I imagine came as a rude shock to my father. Nobody challenged Dorian before Eloise did, and she didn't stop until she'd broken down the walls nobody else could."

"Eloise influences him that much?" asks Leif doubtfully.

"I don't know every story from the past, but I do know my father wanted to burn the world threatening them, and that Eloise's magic literally did set fire to parts." I relent and take one of Leif's crisps then bite, half-gagging at the vinegary taste. "Dorian learned not to underestimate Eloise, or ignore her opinions, a long time ago."

"Huh." Leif chews thoughtfully. "Eloise seems so... I dunno... calm and nice, and opposite to Dorian."

Nice. "Isn't that what makes Eloise powerful? People miscalculate her capabilities and her readiness to use them if under threat." I touch his cheek. "Eloise fought to protect those she loved and would prevent Dorian from touching those I do."

Leif's eyes soften and he brushes salt from my lips. "That's the closest you've come to saying that you love me."

I've no chance to respond as Leif kisses me softly and briefly, then brushes my face, sending a shiver across my cheek.

"If Viktor knows where I am, he'll know where you are, Violet. He'll track your movements. I'll need to stay away from any locations you visit when looking for Holly."

"This is perhaps true. But you have other issues to attend to." I pause and nibble at the edge of a pastry. "If Viktor locates you visiting the shifter elders, that might panic him. Do that?"

"Why?"

"Because that'll show him we haven't abandoned looking into the necromancy part of whatever this plot is and are looking for more constructs amongst the shifters." I face him again. "Ethan is attempting to arrange another meeting, but the elders have put the residents on lockdown. Last I heard, they intend to ‘purge' their community."

"What the hell does that mean?" asks Leif.

"I've no idea, but it doesn't sound pleasant for any shifter with even a tenuous link to witches. The necromancy has smashed apart the accords between shifters and us. Add in the trouble with the town, and the shifters are exiling themselves further, becoming more vulnerable, not less."

"And you want me to go to them?" he chokes out. "I might never leave again."

"The elders have more sense than to interfere with your autonomy now," I say and take a bottle of water.

"Because I'm Dorian's daughter's consort?" Leif raises a brow at me.

"Yes. And, even so, Ethan would not allow anything to happen against your will. He never would. You know that."

We lapse into silence, and Leif pulls on his lip as I drink. "Any ulterior motive for this picnic excursion, Violet?"

"Excuse me?"

"Something connected to your investigations. You normally like to combine downtime with investigative duties for your assistants."

"No. This is all about you."

"Not to look for clues to covens?" he teases.

"Pointless. I would need to follow Marci," I reply. "And we're not in the woods."

"Well then." Leif strokes my hair. "I'm honored."

"I hope you are teasing me. I do enjoy your company. I find you fascinating."

"Oh, man. You really are funny." Leif turns my face to his.

As Leif's lips meet mine, I'm not immediately engulfed in his arms as usual; instead, his large fingers remain as gentle on my cheeks as the kiss he gives me is. Since our first kiss, when I mentioned the possibility I might break his fingers, Leif is often cautious, although, my preference for hard kisses does tease out a less gentle side on occasions when we're alone.

I'd never expect a connection like mine and Leif's to draw worry from me, but before I tangled myself with all these people, I didn't have worries to draw away. Nor did I expect to get a thrill from watching the affection I give make another person happy.

Leif looks at me as if I'm the sunshine breaking through his gloom, and he kisses me again, the soft buzz from his touch tingling across my face. I dip my head, not entirely comfortable with our public display, and Leif winds an arm around my shoulder to hold me to him instead.

"What is your opinion of the mysterious creature?" I ask. "Do you agree that a shifter stalks the campus?"

He shrugs. "I've never seen anything. A mysterious animal is part of the academy's myths, like the ghosts. As if the humans don't have enough supernatural in their lives..."

"Yet, the mythical dog suddenly appears again after Holly's disappearance—and Logan claims it's wolf sized. There could be a connection to Holly and Viktor. He uses shifters to create constructs and and he could use wolf shifters too."

Leif's jaw clenches again and he picks at the edge of his coat. "Yeah."

Oh. I place my fingers on his hand. "Sorry. But you're not a shifter, remember?"

"Mmm." Silence ensues again as Leif's mood strays towards unhappiness, and I kneel to briefly press my lips to his. The smile returns. " Is there anything you wanted to investigate while we're out here?"

"No. Not anymore. I'd like to return to the academy and prepare for tonight."

"Tonight?"

With a smile, I stand and gaze at the world around me. "Looking for stray shifters on campus, Leif."