Page 42

ROWAN

Grayson rests back in his seat in the bright academy café and twists the glass container filled with sugar around in his hands.

We don’t approach the counter for food, and Grayson hasn’t purchased any, both of which earn us a glare from the nearby man wiping tables and collecting discarded coffee cups.

Grayson speaks the moment we reach him.

“Not dead yet.”

“Was that a question for one of us or a statement?” asks Leif.

“Both. I guess. How was class?”

He smiles, but in a way I’ve come to recognize—one that hides something. This sharp, guarded Grayson will be harder to target and question.

Violet met Grayson at the café ahead of us, and my eyes slide to where she already sits beside—but not with—him. She’s in her personal world where questions and answers float around with facts and fiction, the girl lost behind her eyes as she tries to put them together.

There’s a physical distance too. Grayson struggles to keep his hands off Violet when they’re together, especially recently, but his hand rests on the back of Violet’s chair rather than on a shoulder or knee.

“How was your night?” I ask him and sit in a plastic chair opposite. “Interesting to see you’re back again.”

“Saw my uncle. Had a lovely chat.”

He’s deadpan, and Violet a hundred percent must be lost in her mind. Otherwise, she’d ask how a chat with the sadistic vampire could be lovely.

“What did you tell him?” I ask, tone sharp.

He arches a brow. “I’m uninjured, thanks for asking.”

“I can see that. But I need to know what you told Josef.”

Violet blinks back to the here and now. “Everything.”

I choke in shock at Violet’s calm answer. “Grayson told Josef the same information that you told Dorian?”

“Yes. As we all expected. But with Viktor’s body missing, Grayson had little of pertinence to share.”

“Um. The mausoleum? That Cornelius has Viktor. That’s pretty bloody pertinent . Why meet your uncle and tell him?”

“Josef would’ve killed me if I didn’t hand over some info soon. Or did you forget that’s his threat, Rowan?”

Leif places a hand on my shoulder. “Josef would find Grayson whether he went to his uncle or not. Better that Grayson made the decision.”

Grayson relays his time with Josef, and my system fills with frustration bordering on anger. Has the vamp taken apart everything we’ve achieved by passing on our findings?

“Dorian needs to get to that mausoleum ASAP for evidence!” I urge. “Josef knows about Viktor and admitted a close link to Cornelius. He’s about to tip Whitegrove off! The witch will go into hiding, and maybe destroy Viktor’s body.”

“The mausoleum is his biggest issue,” says Violet. “Cornelius can’t escape the magical evidence left behind, even though he attempted to clear the place out.”

“Josef will tell him that Dorian is onto him. Fuck, Grayson!”

“Dorian headed straight to the mausoleum this morning, and he’ll discover the magical evidence within hours. Then my father will apprehend Cornelius and thus locate his immediate associates.”

“But if Josef told Cornelius last night , and he ran, Dorian won’t get a hold of any of them.

” I shove a hand into the front of my hair and swear.

“We’ve spent days getting to this point, and now we’ll lose the one person we needed to help our situation.

Grayson, you’ve fucked up. Wait until Dorian discovers this . ”

“Grayson did receive some useful information in exchange,” Violet interrupts. “And without the visit, he would not possess that.”

“Yeah. Sarah Sawyer is leaving this afternoon,” says Grayson.

I blink and swallow down my anger.

“Leaving?” echoes Leif. “Where to? When?”

“Josef wouldn’t say where. He claims not to know.”

I scoff at him. “Are you serious? You believe this, Violet? Josef lied to misdirect us. Sarah can’t leave. Security surrounds her—supe and human. No way can she disappear unnoticed.”

“Sarah visited the lodge alone. She takes part in her mundane social activities without bodyguards,” says Violet. “The woman is not under 24-hour surveillance.”

“And is she taking Kai, Grayson?” asks Leif. “He’s desperate to leave.”

Grayson shakes his head.

“That’s even weirder. She wouldn’t leave her son. None of this adds up.”

“That would depend on where Kai’s mother plans to go,” says Violet. “If Sarah chooses to leave on her own, there must be a risk she doesn’t want to subject her son to.”

“Why would Sarah tell Josef?” asks Leif.

Violet crosses her arms. “Josef has a significant role in her life. Perhaps more than we realized.”

“Josef?” I ask. “Is Sarah going to him for protection? Or he might be taking her! He’d have the opportunity.”

“If he planned that, why tell me? Like I said, Josef won’t explain how he knows and only gave me a smug smile, saying that the Sawyers confide in him.”

“Of course he wouldn’t explain,” I mutter. “No. I swear he’s lying. When is she supposedly leaving? Did he give you a time and date?”

Grayson scowls at my tone. “This afternoon.”

“What?” Leif stands. “We could stop her. Go to the Sawyer house!”

“And do what? Lock her up?” I ask.

“Tell Dorian ,” says Leif. “Violet!”

“About Sarah leaving or that Grayson alerted Josef about the mausoleum?”

Grayson’s eyes widen at my words.

“I’ll tell him that Sarah’s leaving.” Violet sighs and taps the table. “I’m inclined to believe Josef might be truthful—and involved. Dorian can intercept.”

How can she be so calm about this?

“More misdirection!” I insist. “Why would she leave now?”

“Sarah realized Kai found something, and whatever is in that box threatens her. Sarah took and left evidence somewhere that connects to Viktor, Cornelius, or the witches.”

“Which you told Dorian about, right?” I ask, and Violet doesn’t speak. “ Right ?”

“I mentioned the suitcases and missing box, yes.”

“And?”

“And he’ll speak to Sarah.”

“But she’s leaving!” Leif says.

“I want to search the lodge more thoroughly, and if we find anything besides suitcases filled with clothes, I will let Dorian know.”

“Oh!” Leif straightens. “That’s it! If Josef already knows Sarah is leaving, this isn’t a sudden decision. She’s made plans in case someone interferes.”

“Yes. Which is why I’m convinced she hid something at the lodge.”

“No. Yes. I mean, Mrs. Sawyer will go to the lodge first. Before she leaves.”

Violet’s eyes go wide. “Suitcases.”

“Yep.” Leif’s proud smile grows. “Sarah hid suitcases filled with clothes as part of a plan.”

Omigod. “And now she needs them, and, if Josef is telling the truth, Sarah will go to the lodge to collect them.”

Violet disappears. Almost literally as her figure blurs, leaving the chair at the table wobbling as she exits the café at speed.

I look between the others in shock. “Is she going to?—”

“I’ll catch her,” says Grayson, his figure streaking after Violet before we can respond.

“—the lodge,” I mutter.

Leif stands. “Come on. Let’s hope she catches Mrs. Sawyer first.”

Fantastic. Let’s all just charge off without thinking—again. Has Violet’s trip to Dorian taught her anything?