Deadly Vows (Lizzie Grace 6)

“Did Monty give them the recordings?”

“Yes. From what he said, they were rather shocked.”

I snorted. “I’m not sure why. We did warn them he’d lost the plot.”

“I think they were rather shocked at just how far he’d fallen, though.” She hesitated, and then added softly, “Apparently, there’s been no sign of either Maelle or Roger. They’re sifting through Émigré’s remains, looking for them.”

“Monty knows she’s not dead.”

“So does Aiden. The council finally told him about her, though I suspect only because he demanded the truth from them.”

I wrinkled my nose. I daresay that meant he and I were going to have another one of those conversations about honesty.

“Have they found Clayton’s body?”

“Yes, although to actually define his remains as a body would apparently be something of a stretch.”

“Maelle did say she was going to bathe in his blood and dine on his agony.” I did my best to ignore the vague pinpricks of guilt. No matter how much they might suggest I should have at least ensured him a quick, clean death, there was no way in truth I could have ever swayed Maelle from her chosen means of revenge. “Was he found within the reservation or outside of it?”

“Out. They’ve declared it a ‘death by unknown supernatural entity.’”

“Is Maelle on the suspect list?”

“From what Monty said, not officially—there’s no evidence linking her to his murder. The High Council’s investigators will probably want to talk to her if she does reappear though.” Belle paused. “Do you think she will?”

“Oh, yes. She still very much wants to taste the power in my blood.” Probably even more so after this whole episode.

Belle grunted. “The investigators also want you to clarify several of the statements you made on the tape.”

I shrugged. It wasn’t like I could do anything to stop them. I’d done what I’d done to save Belle, and now I’d have to live with the consequences. “After which, my father will no doubt send in his auditing team. The next few months are going to be filled with a never-ending procession of nosy Canberra witches.”

“And probably an endless stream of possible suitors for his suddenly not so worthless daughter.”

“Probably,” I replied gloomily.

She laughed. “There is a bright side of all this that you’re forgetting.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”

Her sudden smile was filled with deep and utter joy. “We’re free, Lizzie. We don’t have to run anymore. We don’t have to hide. For the first time in close to thirteen years, we can be who we really are. We can stop, and relax, and live.”

I smiled and reached out for her. She leaned over and twined her fingers through mine. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to. She knew my thoughts, just as I knew hers.

For the first time in a long time, the world was our oyster.

And damned if we weren’t both going to make the most of it.