It was Kallie’s blade, the one she’d made for Valen before the King’s Contest. The theory had been bad enough, but to know we were right had to be devastating to her.
“So the Dollmaker’s behind bars?” I asked.
Killian cleared his throat. “Not yet. Valen Christoffer got word of the search and fled the country before the Arcanea Alliance could arrest him. My partner and I have been assigned his case. We’re working diligently to track him down, but as of right now, he’s on the run.”
I felt my heart harden in my chest. The Dollmaker had been unmasked, but he was still at large, which meant he was incredibly dangerous to anyone who ran into his path of escape.
“We came to speak with you personally, to see if you had any more information that would help us track him down,” Colter said.
My blood ran ice cold. Iwantedto help them, but there was nothing more I could do. “Everything we learned is in that report. Unless… Kallie, do you have any ideas where he would run?” I asked.
“No,” she said, her tone sounding hollow. “He wouldn’t stay in Malovia, I know that much. He must’ve fled the country. Most likely, he’s in Europe, but even that’s a long shot. He’s got money and connections. He could be anywhere.”
“If you think ofanything, give us a call,” Killian said, before placing a business card in my hand. “We want to catch this guy as much as anyone, and we’ll chase him halfway around the world if we have to.”
“By the way, Charlie, we heard you’re studying to be a supernatural bounty hunter,” Colter added.
“Yes. Criminal Justice is my major,” I replied. Even as I said it, my stomach dropped. I was waiting for him to tell me that I couldn’t do it, or that I needed to look into other career options, because I wouldn’t be capable of performing the job.
“Fantastic. Looking at the profile you compounded, you’ve definitely got the skills to land the job. We think you’ve got the talent to hunt some of these criminals down,” Colter replied.
“Really?” I was completely blown away. I almost felt myself wavering.
“Absolutely,” Killian confirmed. “Save our number for when you get out of this place. You’d make a great part of our team.”
The men shook my hand again, but I was too starstruck to say anything. Hell, I barely realized they’d left, because I was still reeling from the offer. Everyone at the Institute said I’d never make it as a bounty hunter, but these guys whoactually worked in the fieldthought I had it in me. They didn’t care that I was blind, or that I had a record. They wanted me on theirteam.
Take that,Professor Mazur,and anyone else who doubted me. I’d survive this place, and I’d have ajobwhen I got out. It was my shot at a semi-normal life.
We continued on our way to the cafeteria, but I was more floating than walking.
“Charlie, that was really exciting!” Ava raved, and she reached out to squeeze my arm. “I’m so proud of you!”
“We’re proud ofbothof you,” Marcus said, a bit too harshly. Ava gave an exasperated huff.
It was getting really fucking annoying that they were still fighting. After what we’d been through in the music room, I wished they’d just make up already.
“I couldn’t have done it without you guys,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
It wasn’t working, apparently, because Kallie said bitterly, “It does us no good if Valen isn’t caught.”
I tried my best to comfort her. “At least the Dollmaker’s identity has been revealed. Everyone knows who he is now. He can’t keep killing people and living a normal life. Eventually, the police will catch up to him.”
“I sure hope so,” Kallie said. “And if they don’t catch him by the time I get out of here, I’ll hunt him down myself. He can’t run from me.”
“Hold up!” Ez grabbed the side of Ava’s chair, drawing us all to a stop. I nearly ran into him, and my shoe slipped on something sticky and wet.
Everyone went quiet. “Is that… blood?” Ava asked in a chilling voice.
Ez and I knelt down beside each other. I wiped my fingers across the carpet and felt tiny warm droplets, then ran my fingers over a puddle the size of my hand.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Marcus said. “Fights break out every day. Someone’s bound to walk away with a bloody nose.”
“Not today, they’re not,” Ez replied. “No one’s going to risk starting a fight with the Union reps roaming campus. This is more than just a bloody nose. Someone’s hurt.”
I rubbed the blood between my fingers. My Elven abilities could sense the angelic magic still pulsing through it. “It’s an angel.”
“You don’t think Chancey got caught up in something?” Ava wondered.
