“You should just leave,” Delphine sneered. “They’ll never believe you anyway. I am the Montclair heiress. I ameverything. You’re nothing but a nuisance.”
We moved closer, keeping silent as we made our way toward the corner.
“If you hate me so much,” Octavia’s shaking voice replied, “why don’t you just tell them? Why frame me?”
“Because this is more fun,” Delphine giggled.
We peeked around and found Delphine standing in the dim light of a fae orb, eyes bright with cold fury and a small knife glinting in her hand.
Octavia was pale and tense as she stood opposite her, arms wrapped around herself.
In one quick motion, Delphine dragged the blade along her own forearm.
The skin split open as blood welled instantly.
Then, she grabbed Octavia’s hand and forced the handle of the blade into it, shoving her back.
Octavia stared at the knife in horror. “Delphine, no?—”
Delphine shrieked, “Mom! Dad! Octavia attacked me again!”
Antoinette and Humphrey appeared at the far end of the hall, rushing toward them.
It was honestly shocking how quickly they came in such a big place.
Delphine ran straight into her mother’s arms, sobbing dramatically. “She came at me with a knife! I don’t know why she hates me so much. Check the security tapes if you don’t believe me. She’s insane!”
Octavia shook her head violently, tears forming as she hesitantly moved toward her parents. “I didn’t— I swear, I didn’t?—”
Humphrey backhanded her.
The sound cracked through the hallway, and Octavia hit the floor hard, curling inward. In her hoodie pocket, there was movement, and Octavia’s hand shakily crammed into it.
Rage tore through me so hot it made my vision blur for a split second.
“Jesper, please let me step in,” I begged under my breath.
“Not yet,” he said. “Record. Just a second more?—”
Humphrey raised his hand again.
Dimitri moved faster than I could, blurring between them and catching Humphrey’s wrist in a grip that would’ve snapped a human bone.
“Perhaps,” Dimitri suggested, “you should verify what happened before you hit her again.”
“Who do you think you are?” Humphrey snarled.
“Check the security,” Dimitri said, red eyes gleaming.
Archibald walked up with his phone already in hand. “There’s no point. It’s obvious Octavia did it. She always does. She’s unstable. We should have had her committed years ago?—”
“I’ve had enough,” I snapped.
Jesper sighed on the comms. “I’m talking with you both after this.”
I stepped forward, reaching into my apron pocket, and pulled out my Supernatural Council agent badge as I took off my glamour ring. “My real name is Rune Bloodwyne. I am an agent for the Supernatural Council. So are Cassie, Bradley, and Dimitri. We have been investigating your claims, as you requested. And you will not like what we found.”
I crouched and gently helped Octavia to her feet. She flinched at my touch and blinked at my badge, confusion clouding her expression.
