Page 53 of Violet

“It was black-purple magic,” I confirm. “But I was fast, and I could squeeze under bookshelves... and fit through the book drop.

“When I got to my dorm, I woke my roommate, but the witch—Raicus—found me before I could explain... and he wasn’t alone. He’d brought cops.”

“Cops?!” Bert demands.

“I didn’t see them at the time, but they were banging on doors, shouting that they were the police. They had my name—I’d left my student ID back at the library, so I guess they’d checked it—and they sounded really official.

“My roommate said I should just talk to them, and I almost did... until I heard them tell a girl on my floor that I was wanted for murder.”

“Murder?” Aldo gasps, as if he’s never heard of such a thing.

“I think Raicus blamed what he’d done on me. I just didn’t stick around long enough to find out. I turned into a cat shifter, jumped out of my third floor window, and fled.

“There were cops with flashlights all over campus, searching for me. I didn’t know if they were actual cops, or chameleons, or supes wearing costumes, or what.”

I swallow hard, because the next part—the betrayal—hurt the most.

“I snuck into a sorority house and borrowed a phone so I could call my mother. I was sure she’d know what to do, but she just... she... she told me I sounded hysterical and I should turn myself in.”

“I’m so sorry, gorgeous.” Liam pulls me into his side and holds me close.

I nod. “I don’t know if she didn’t believe me, or she just didn’t care.”

My voice breaks, and I lean into Liam and struggle to hold back tears.

“So she came to me,” Violet says. “Showed up in the middle of the night, crying, the poor thing. I had to help her.”

“And she did,” I whisper as tears start to flow down my cheeks.

“I’d been on the phone with an old coworker of mine earlier that week, and she told me about the job opening in Silver Springs.” Violet turns to her guys. “I was a librarian before retiring, you see. And the job was at Spell Library.”

“So you went back to work?” Hugh asks her.

Violet shakes her head. “I called in a favor and the job was mine... but I couldn’t have young Violet sitting at home all day. And, quite frankly, I was tired of working.”

“So she taught me everything she knew.” I smile at my best friend through the tears.

“And you shifted into her,” Bert says.

I nod. “But I loved that job so much.”

“You can keep it if you stay,” Violet says, and I realize that I haven’t even had a chance to tell her about this morning.

“I can’t. I got fired.”

“But why?” Violet gasps.

“Mayor Shchnarl found out I wasn’t you.” I stare down at my lap.

“I’m so sorry, my dear.” Violet’s face falls. “How did he—”

“Nole.”

“Who’s Nole?” Liam growls.

“My assistant. He was really upset when he found out I was a chameleon.”

“Because he’s her mate,” Violet adds helpfully. Then, before I can stop her, she adds, “And Violet has a third mate, too. His name is Cash, and he’s a wampitch.”