Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

sure seems to have made a decision or two about you.’
    ‘I’m not buying what you’re selling, priest,’ I responded, refusing to go down that road.
    He laughed. ‘Consider it on the house.’
    Ha.



CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
    ‘Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.’
    Basil King
    G riffin arrived at thechurch exactly on midnight. We watched from the small, elevated look-out not covered by titanium. He was careful, like we’d been, taking the long route, going down side streets and circling back in case anyone was following. We couldn’t spot anyone from our vantage point.
    Finally, he headed around to the back entrance, where Father Peters was waiting to let him in.
    I could barely breathe with anticipation and when Griffin walked in I leaped from my chair.
    ‘Your father is fine,’ he said immediately.
    I staggered forwards with relief. I’d been trying so hard not to think the worst, but running like that, leaving him behind, had gone against every natural inclination.
    ‘Thank you,’ I said, throwing my arms around him.
    ‘I told you I would look after him,’ Griffin responded, hugging me back. ‘He came around not long after you left. He’s in the infirmary – a few cracked ribs, bruises, nothing major – but after everything that has happened I’m not too hopeful the Academy will be willing to release him any time soon.’
    I nodded. Thatwasn’t exactly good news, but far better than it might have been. I was just going to have to go and get him out of there, the first chance I got.
    After Griffin embraced Father Peters and thanked him for taking us in, we settled down to hear Griffin’s account of what had happened at the Academy.
    ‘Josephine has been raising suspicions for a while now about your motivations, Violet, calling into question Lincoln’s and my loyalties at the same time. No small allegations to make. But highlighting your relationship and bond with Phoenix has enabled her to inspire some support within the Assembly and more broadly throughout the Academy.
    ‘We knew Josephine was hoping Lilith would try and come after Evelyn, that it was why she’d kept Evelyn so close and well guarded even though she’d come in willingly. You saw what happened to the guards and another dozen Grigori have been badly wounded, too.’
    Griffin paused then answered the question I’d just opened my mouth to ask. ‘None of our people were hurt. A few students are rather worse for wear, but it was Hakon who bore the brunt of the explosion.’ Griffin ran a hand through his hair and looked at us with dismay. ‘Josephine hadn’t counted on Lilith’s willingness to literally blow everything up.’
    I glanced at Father Peters and we exchanged a small smile.
    ‘Now that Evelyn has been taken – and as a hostage, no less – my fears have become reality.’ Griffin sighed. ‘Josephine has been looking for an excuse to control you, Violet. Partly, I think she actually believes what she said to you in the testing – she fears you wouldn’t put the greater good above someone you cared for. But more than anything, she knows you’re a threat to her position. Ironically, her motivations are good – if delusional. She believes in Grigori and the role we play, and she believes she is the only one who will put that loyalty above everything else.’
    ‘So wheredoes that leave us?’ Lincoln asked.
    ‘Josephine has accused Violet of orchestrating the exile breakin for the purposes of her mother’s escape. She claims Violet has been working with Phoenix all this time – initially because of love, now out of her loyalty to their bond. In return, Phoenix enabled the resurrection of Evelyn.’
    ‘But that’s bullshit!’ I said.
    Griffin barely paused. ‘Of course it is. We all know that, but Josephine’s presented it to the Academy and claimed that the fact that everyone who came into contact with Lilith is now dead or gravely injured apart from us is evidence enough. Plus, of course, there is the additional implied guilt because you and Lincoln ran.’
    Oh my God .
    ‘Griffin, are you in trouble?’ I asked.
    He smiled, sadly. ‘Not yet. It will come, but for now I’m too big a fish to fry and Josephine and I have always had an understanding of sorts. She’ll resist bringing me down if she can. Strangely enough, she considers me a friend.’
    I wondered if Griffin considered her a friend.
    ‘So why did we have to run, then?’ I asked, trying to put it all together.