The air shifted instantly and every muscle in the room went rigid, especially Violet’s. She was certain she hadn’t told the witch her name.
Her voice was taut, eyes narrowing to sharp slits. "What did you just say?"
The once-timid Janice now wore an unsettling smirk. "You heard me, Violet."
She dragged out the name intentionally, savoring it. Then her lips curved wider, her voice dipping to a mocking purr. "Father says hi."
The words landed like poison and Violet’s chest tightened, fury rushing in to fill the space. She moved without thinking, her palm shooting forward as a raw surge of power exploded from it.
The blast struck Janice dead-on. The witch flew backward, hitting the wall with bone-jarring force. Stone and plaster shattered, collapsing outward in a cloud of dust and debris. The crack of impact reverberated down the corridor, leaving a jagged, gaping hole where the wall had stood.
Violet crossed the wreckage in two strides and burst into the corridor but Janice had already vanished.
"Where did she go?" she demanded to no one in particular, scanning both ends frantically.
Griffin and Roman were at her side, their heads lifting, and their nostrils flaring as they sniffed the air.
"She’s gone," Roman said with a clipped voice. His eyes glowed an unnatural green as his wolf sight searched farther ahead.
Almost at the same moment, the Nova assigned to escort the witch back appeared at the far end of the hall. She froze at the sight of the destroyed wall, her jaw dropping. "What in the world—"
She didn’t get the chance to finish because Griffin’s eyes flashed amber, and in the blink of an eye he was in front of her, one hand around her throat as he lifted her clean off the ground.
"Where is she?!" he thundered.
"Wh-who?" the Nova gasped, her legs kicking frantically.
"The witch you sent here!" Griffin’s voice was a growl edged with fury.
"I—I don’t know..." she wheezed, desperation plain in her eyes.
"Don’t play games with me!" His grip tightened.
"Griffin!" Violet called his name. "She’s telling the truth."
Griffin released her instantly and The Nova fell to the floor, coughing and rubbing her bruised neck.
"Go. Get Moonmother Thessara, now." Griffin ordered.
The young Nova didn’t wait to be told twice, and bolted.
Violet turned to him. "Whoever that was, I don’t think any of them knew her."
"You’re saying the witch was working alone?" Griffin asked, disbelief flickering across his features.
"Father says hi," Roman said quietly, repeating the words Janice had left behind.
Violet’s jaw tightened. "Angus."
Roman and Griffin exchanged a troubled look at the mention of that name.
"How did he even find you here?" Griffin asked.
Violet shook her head. "I think it was more than that. I can’t shake the feeling she was testing my magic. She could have attacked me but she didn’t. Instead, she took my strike instead." Her voice went up a notch, a dangerous heat lacing her words. "And I hope that was enough of a taste to burn in her memory."
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