by LJ Swallow
I head over to Andrei and tip his chin upwards. “What?” he asks with a frown.
“Just checking your eyes.”
“And are they as captivating as always?” I give him a look to say you know why. “No, I’m not high, Maeve.”
“Are you taking drugs again?” interrupts Tobias.
“Couple of times.” Andrei runs his tongue along his teeth. “Needed to de-stress after my fun times with the witches.”
I wriggle my way between Ash and Andrei on the sofa.
“I think you need to avoid anything that alters your reality, Andrei,” says Tobias. “Something is affecting people’s minds at the academy and I’m concerned what might happen to yours.”
Andrei’s scowl tells Tobias not to order him around, but he stays quiet.
The room descends into a dark silence as everybody continues to avoid what’s happening here. Tobias walked back into our midst with no comment by either side.
“What did you do to Cody and Yvette, Tobias?” asks Jamie. “They’re in the infirmary.”
“I used magic stronger than usual, but nothing dangerous.”
“Then why are they sick?” I ask.
Tobias shakes his head. “I don’t know. What do their notes say?”
I relax a little as the group ease back into our normal interaction. Jamie swipes open his phone and reads from the photo he took. “Cody Richards: Short-term amnesia. Unable to remember events from the previous day but can remember two days ago. Severe headache. Yvette’s notes have these comments too but also something more: delusions that she has been chosen to destroy threats to the academy.”
“Way to go, Buffy,” mutters Andrei and I poke him. “What? At least Yvette didn’t stake me. That shit hurts.”
I snap my head back. “Someone staked you? Doesn’t that kill vampires?”
Ash chuckles and Jamie clears his throat. I glance at a scowling Tobias. “We’re not here to talk about your ignorance surrounding vampires,” he says.
“Whoa, dude, don’t talk to Maeve like that,” says Andrei, dropping his relaxed amusement.
Tobias nods. “Sorry, Maeve. I’m a little tense about everything.”
Again, a sudden, heavy silence.
“What does that comment about Yvette mean?” I ask.
“It means they should keep her the hell away from people,” says Ash. He nods at Andrei. “Nobody has spoken to you about the witches’ situation at all?”
“Nope. I spoke to Sergei too, but he refused to admit anything.”
“The wound isn’t as bad as Jamie’s; somebody could pass that off as consensual,” says Tobias.
Andrei side-eyes me and I look away.
“She was semi-conscious under a tree!” I protest. “I had to work hard on calming her down.”
“What happened when Andrei left you with Kimberly?” asks Ash.
“I took Kimberly to her room.” I bite my lip. “I used mental magic on her but nothing strong—I didn’t stay long because I needed to find Andrei.”
“I don’t understand. I also took Cody and Yvette back to their rooms before returning to you.” Tobias sits on the sofa arm beside Ash. “So, how are the three in the infirmary?”
“Maybe we should ask the ‘thing’ under the academy?” says Ash with a snort. He frowns at our expressions. “What? Aren’t you fed up with having no fucking clue what to do?”
“He’s right. Now students are hurting each other, things are serious,” I say. “Is there no way you can get us into the tunnels, Tobias?”
“And do what, Maeve?” he asks gently. “We’ve nothing new.”
“Apart from she’s a Winterfall,” says Jamie.
The atmosphere freezes as the subject we’ve avoided drops. “I need to find more about the family and Tobias will help,” I say.
Andrei mutters something and I elbow him again.
Clearing his throat, Tobias stands. “I cannot change the past, but I can help now. Jamie, I understand you struggling to accept what I did and don’t expect your forgiveness. Andrei, I accept that you blame me for Maeve’s position and Ash—" He smiles at him. “Thank you for trying to understand, even though I know how angry you are with me.”
“Nah. I’m cool with everything now,” says Andrei. “Sounds like you’re going to die anyway.”
This time I smack Andrei across the back of the head. “Bloody hell, I hope I never piss you off.”
“I’m aware this equalises us, Andrei,” says Tobias evenly. “But will you trust me?”
He purses his lips. “If Maeve does.”
“I do.” I squeeze Andrei’s knee.
“I was half-joking,” says Andrei and lifts his eyes to Tobias. “It’s not like I want you to die. Who’d look after the naughty Tepes boy if you did?”
Tobias’s face remains unmoved; I’d struggle if somebody kept mentioning my death. “Tell me about April. Do you have her records?”
Jamie huffs and sits forward, opening the file on the table. “There are some notes from a few months back. April had issues with anxiety. Panic attacks.”
“I never knew that,” Tobias says. “I taught her, and she seemed fine.”
“That’s what her notes say.” Jamie flicks over a page. “There’s an entry dated two days after she disappeared, but I don’t understand. Three letters. DBE.”
Tobias sits again and his face pales. “I told you somebody covered up April’s situation, Maeve.”
“What does this mean?” Ash asks and points at the notes.
“DBE—death by exsanguination. This cause of death is coded for obvious reasons.”
The unspoken lingers around the situation. Drained of blood. Did any of Tobias’s victims die that way?
Maeve. Don’t.
I cringe that he heard me.
“Let me get this straight,” says Jamie. “Somebody found April’s body, but others in the academy don’t know about her death? Sofia doesn’t. Does Theodora?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “Do you think the Confederacy know? Surely they’d investigate or shut the place down.”
“Theodora doesn’t want her academy getting a bad reputation,” says Tobias.
“Bad reputation?” Andrei gives a harsh laugh. “At this rate, half the academy will never graduate.”
“Don’t exaggerate,” says Tobias.
“Exaggerate?” Jamie says, his voice rising. “All deaths matter whether it’s one or thirteen.”
I grit my teeth at the number he chose. Thirteen. The number of Winterfalls at the house the day Tobias visited.
“I meant, things won’t get to that stage, Jamie,” replies Tobias. “We’ll prevent anything happening.”
I’m impressed by his level head, but not surprised. Tobias is a master at disguise in every aspect of his life.
“Hang on,” puts in Ash. “Are you telling me Theodora covered up April’s death? Where’s April’s body? How does nobody know?”
I don’t want to say this because I’d sound heartless, but there’s no point focusing on April. Can you switch this to something we can work on?
I blink at Tobias, whose focus is on Ash.
“I need to visit the old Winterfall estate,” I announce. Tobias’s surprised eyes meet mine. “Theodora insists. I contacted Amelia today to ask if Alaric can help.”
“Amelia?” asks Jamie. “She and Matt haven’t been in touch for days? Is she okay?”
“Yes. They’re still tracking the Blackwoods, and the Blackwoods are close to the academy, which means they’re watching us. Alaric thinks the reason for Anastasia’s interest in me is more than we thought—he suspects that her and Gabriella tried to pull the truth from my mind when they had me. The pair didn’t realise that I don’t know who I am.”
“But you do now,” says Jamie cautiously.
“Yes. Which is why, if I approach anything connected to the Winterfalls, they’ll know too.”
“Then how can you visit the estate?” asks Tobias. “Theodora is putting
you in danger.”
Which is why she wants you with me.
He looks the other way.
“Amelia called back after speaking to Alaric. He wants to talk to us and plan how we do this, because he agrees I need to visit.” I swallow.
“I don’t think we should all go,” says Ash. “We can’t all leave campus.”
Tobias nods. “Ash has a point.”
“Plus, I can keep an eye on Clive.”
Andrei places his boots on the table, slowly, one by one as he stares at Tobias. “And how do you feel about a trip to the place where you murdered Maeve’s mother?”
“Andrei!” I stare at him, mouth parted. “That’s not helpful.”
Jamie and Ash again avoid Tobias’s eyes and won’t look at me either. I clear my throat and open my mouth to speak, but Tobias interrupts. “All that matters to me is I save more lives than the ones I took—the dozens of kids at this academy. Hostility and anger will hamper that aim.”
I speak the words I never thought I would and look between Ash and Jamie. “I forgive Tobias.” My eyes rest on the sullen-faced Andrei. “Support me even if you don’t want to support him.”
Andrei nods, but barely.
Chapter Thirty-Six
MAEVE
“Careful, Amelia might rain on your head,” says Jamie with a laugh.
Ash frowns in confusion, but I smile. “Last time we visited this park, Amelia decided to grab our attention by creating a rainstorm,” I explain.
Alaric insisted on a public meeting with Matt and Amelia, and we agreed on the park at the town closest to the academy. As spring moves towards summer, the park grows greener and leaves cover the trees either side of the pathway I walked with Jamie that day. People walking dogs and children are dressed in lighter clothes as their lives move to days filled with brightness and sunshine.
Since that day, mine retreated to winter.
“If I behave, am I allowed an ice cream?” asks Ash and points at a pink and white van positioned in the carpark close by.
I chuckle at his joke. “Sure, Ash,” I say, and a woman passing by with a small white dog smiles at us. How funny that sunshine can transform peoples’ moods, even towards strangers.
Tobias’s mood isn't sunny, and his usual sharp edges are more honed than usual. Alaric doesn’t know he’s the one responsible for the Winterfall massacre, and I haven’t told Amelia yet. Amelia and her group are aware of—and shocked by—my revealed family history, but not his role. Tobias is reluctant to share this with Alaric as there's already tension between the pair, because Alaric knows Tobias killed witches. We can't keep his secret long if we work with Alaric.
I spot Amelia first, the small girl with her short brown hair is sitting at one of the metal tables outside the cafe, with a white mug cradled between her hands. A guy sits beside her—this has to be Matt based on how close they are. As I approach, her relaxed happiness radiates towards me, like the old Amelia.
I’m curious to meet Matt, and we're in a situation where we know a lot about each other but have never met. Amelia showed me a photo once, but this guy is thinner with longer hair. He's still the good-looking guy who once attracted his choice of girls, but his expression is guarded.
This situation worries me and is another reason I want to keep in contact with Alaric’s group and build trust. I don’t want Amelia to disappear and then worry for her safety.
Ravenhold would kill her.
“Hey, man!” Ash rushes over and Matt stands. The pair greet each other in the strange way guys do, hands on shoulders, not quite a hug. “Good to see you.”
Jamie goes to Amelia and hugs her tight until she protests he’s squashing her, then switches places with Ash in greeting Matt.
I hesitate as I stand back with Tobias, uncomfortably on the edge, until Amelia tugs my arm and embraces me too. “This is Matt,” she says, and her eyes shine with a joy that I never saw at the academy.
“I guessed,” I say and hug her again. “Hey, Matt.”
Now I’m closer, I sense the power he holds that made him appealing to the Blackwoods. I worried that I’d detect darker energy in him, but the only magic edging his is Amelia’s.
“Good to finally meet you,” he says to me but the look he gives Tobias is less friendly. “How’s things, Professor Whitlock?”
“I’m well, Matt. Thank you.”
If Amelia told Matt about the murdered witches, he'll struggle when he hears the whole story. They all will.
We gather around the table like old friends catching up after months apart, and the others begin a conversation about rugby teams and academy gossip. I sit silently with Tobias, who’s distracted by people arriving at or leaving the white cafe building. Amelia watches me with a troubled crease to her brow but smiles to hide her concern each time I meet her gaze.
“Where’s Alaric?” interrupts Tobias when the conversation doesn’t die down.
“He’s not a 'people person',” says Matt and crosses his arms. "He stays away. You know that."
“But he agreed to meet us.” Tobias’s frustration is obvious, and I tense. “We need to talk to him.”
“And we need to make sure nobody follows us. After the night you two escaped the Blackwoods, there’s more focus on who helped them. They suspect Alaric—to the point Anastasia thinks you were there to assassinate Nikolai on his behalf, Tobias. Alaric now needs to be careful.” Amelia pulls a sympathetic face at me. “But Alaric knows you’re key now, Maeve, and that we need to work together.”
Matt studies me more closely. “Winterfall, huh? Amelia told me the story.”
Tobias tenses beside me.
“I’m trying to move on from that and focus on the future I need to change,” I say. “I can’t change the past.”
Jamie shifts in his seat and his mouth thins.
“Jamie?” asks Amelia. “What’s wrong?”
“Alaric and these guys need to know, Tobias,” he says.
“Know what?” Her brow tugs together. “What happened?”
For the first time since we gathered, an awkward silence drops.
“I killed the Winterfalls,” says Tobias stiffly.
Amelia’s jaw drops. “You?” He looks the other way. “Maeve?” Amelia’s face pales when I nod. “No.”
Matt gawks at Tobias. “Fucking hell.”
“Nobody can change the past,” I repeat.
“Tell them about the curse,” pushes Jamie, and Tobias’s expression grows darker. Is Jamie stirring trouble or being pragmatic?
Amelia can never hide how she feels, and I watch as her face moves between disbelief, shock, and back again as Tobias gives a short, sharp explanation.
“Whatever you think of him, Tobias has a role in helping us. He can keep me safe.”
Suddenly, we're nothing like old friends catching up for a chat. People at tables chatter around us, a baby cries, and mother's scold misbehaving toddlers, but we lapse into a long silence. Amelia can't take her eyes off Tobias until she looks at me with clear concern.
“Uh. Okay,” says Matt eventually. “Not sure how ‘safe’ Tobias will be when Alaric discovers this.”
“I suggest we don’t tell him yet,” Tobias says.
“The Winterfall and Thornbrook families aren’t linked,” I add.
“Tobias killed a shitload of witches; that's a link to Alaric, whoever his family is.” Matt whispers the words, but they impact as if he’d shouted them.
“Our focus is the academy and Winterfall magic,” puts in Ash. “If telling Alaric stops him helping us, don’t bloody say anything.”
I’m grateful for his bluntness, but Ash needs to understand the implications.
“Thank you, Ash,” says Tobias. “Will Alaric allow us to visit him? Or are you here to pass on the information, Amelia?”
Amelia continue to gawk at Tobias, and Matt answers for her. “We’re confident somebody Dominion-linked followed us today. Alaric wants me and Amelia in the open because we’ll distract them fr
om your planned trip to the Winterfall house.”
“How’s that possible?” retorts Jamie.
“Because I’m top of their hit list,” says Matt flatly.
“I think you’ll find I have that position.” Tobias’s attempt to lighten the situation fails as heaviness grows again.
“We’ll take Andrei too,” puts in Amelia. “Gabriella also wants him. She’ll think we’re easy targets.”
“Meet later, then me and Amelia will head towards one of our safe houses in Wales with Andrei. That’s a few hours' drive from the Winterfall estate, but close enough you can travel between the house and the estate in a day.”
I moisten my lips. “This doesn’t sound safe.”
“Alaric’s magic can ward against all but the strongest spells. Only Anastasia could get through, and I doubt she’ll step away from protection and put herself in danger after what happened to her brother. Anastasia realised she's not as invincible as she thought.”
“But if we step outside the wards to go to the estate, we'll be vulnerable,” says Ash.
“Jamie, Tobias, and Maeve make a strong team,” says Matt. “Ash—you stay at the academy. Again, I don’t think anybody would approach you. Watch, maybe, but approach? No.”
“That’s confident,’” I say.
“But true, Maeve,” replies Tobias. “We can't expose all five of us. Besides, I want to visit the house in the daytime. Andrei can stay with Matt and Amelia.”
“I bet Andrei won’t agree,” says Ash gruffly. “He's already annoyed we met in the afternoon.”
“Do you have any new information on Anastasia and Gabriella?” asks Tobias. “This is the reason we arranged the meeting. I’m perfectly aware how to find the Winterfall house. We didn’t need you for that.”
Amelia blinks at him. “Yes. They know we’re watching and so haven’t approached the academy recently. We lost track of Anastasia for a few days, but Gabriella stayed on the locked-down estate near London that the Dominion owns. Nobody has seen her leave.”
“She could leave with temporal magic?” I suggest.
“Not Gabriella. She wouldn’t trust a witch with her blood.”
