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“Violet,” he said, keeping himself at a distance.

Her watery gaze slowly slid over to meet his. There was no recognition there, just a blank stare. She shivered. Then, from a dry throat, she asked, “Are you Mor?”

Mor saw the trick upon her limbs as she reached for something hidden in her pocket. The trees were filled with police officers. A dozen witnesses, or more.

Yet still… he said, “Yes.”

She took her first step, struggling on tired legs. Mor sprang forward as she drew the thing out, and he wrapped his arms around her, hiding her weapon. He slipped her into the air as she plunged the death-enchanted dagger into him.

44

Violet Miller and How She Became a Murderer

A wide, dark building formed around her—wood floors, a deep green carpet, many unlit candles. Violet’s hands were wet.

She looked down. Sickness pooled into her stomach.

Blood. So much blood.

She tore backward, staring with wide eyes at the dagger she’d thrusted into the body of the person before her. The guy was on his knees, battling to breathe. He pulled the blade out of his stomach and dropped it on the floor. Dark branch-like veins spread over his body from the wound. He tried to hold himself up on his palms.

But he looked up. He looked at her.

“It’s all right, Violet,” he said quietly. “I know he made you do it.”

They were the only words he said before he dropped to the floor. And then he didn’t move.

Violet’s chest pounded. She looked down at her shaking, blood-soaked hands where the liquid was cooling and becoming sticky.

The hollow building was silent. No lights were lit, nothing but faint moonlight showed the silhouette of the body on the floor.

Violet took a cautious step toward him. She knelt and brought her wrist above his mouth to see if he was breathing. She felt nothing. So, she turned her ear toward his chest to listen.

Still, nothing.

She came back up slowly as it sank in what she’d just done.

This guy was gone.

45

Luc Zelsor and the Fox Tail

Luc leaned back against the large wooden door. He waited there with his arms folded until the human came out.

Dear little Violet pushed the door open, peeking out at the night like a timid bird. Fairy blood soaked her fingers, glistening in the moonlight as she crept from the cathedral. Her feet were still bare like they’d been the day before. She closed the door softly behind her without looking back at it.

“Did he make it?” Luc asked, making her jump. Her rhythms fell all over the place as she whirled. She looked like she might run, but instead, she blinked at him.

She shook her head a little.

Luc’s jaw tightened. He tried not to growl as he ripped the cathedral door back open and muttered, “Fool.”

He marched in to where Mor lay on the dirty wooden floor. Mor’s muscled body was very much dead, and Luc sighed.

What sort of elite Shadow Fairy couldn’t avoid being stabbed by a human?

Luc unearthed his necklace from his shirt. He scowled as he tore one of the fox tails from his throat, shaking his head as he dropped to a knee and held it firmly against Mor’s lifeless chest.