A Hard Pill to Swallow

Katherine knew by the tone in Cassie's voice this was not the time to argue with her about Alice and Dorians involvement in the conversation they were about to have.

Dorian looked as if he wanted to say something but held it in as Alice got off of Katherine to make her way to her room. Dorian lingered before he too walked down the long apartment hallway to his bedroom.

Katherine sat up on the floor and reached for the tea and biscuits, at this point she was ravenous. Cassie's whole demeanor changed as soon as the kids were out of sight. Her shoulders slumped and her face fell. She pinched the bridge of her pointed nose and sighed hard.

"I don't even know where to begin," Cassie said as she looked at the floating lights near the ceiling. Katherine chased the dry biscuit with her tea, as she patted her now bloated stomach.

"Why don't we start with why my sisters showed up here after Dante's death," Katherine suggested.

"They were very polite and considerate, their main concern was you really," Cassie said as she sat down on the couch. Katherine rolled her eyes at the thought of her sisters sitting in this room spinning some sob story of how much they 'care'. They were master manipulators, especially Marianne.

"It was mostly Marianne that spoke with me while Mabel and Adelaide tested the kids' magic." Cassie turned and patted the couch next her for Katherine to sit. "You were told Dante was caught sneaking into the human realm to see you and that unauthorized Guard members were punished more severely than average civilian creatures, hence the reason he was put to death."

"But that's not the truth, is it?" Katherine's heart skipped a beat. Marianne is the one who told her Dante had died because he deserted his post to come see her. If that was the lie, Katherine couldn't imagine how messed up the truth must be.

"He killed four Guard members in some library before he ripped a hole into the human realm shouting about needing to see his human family," Cassie let herself sink back into the couch, "The Council kept it hushed and released him to his parents."

Katherine closed her eyes, it was much worse than what she had been told. She now new that Dante died at the hands of his parents and her family more than likely attended his execution on the Youngblood estate. Marianne chose to show her mercy and lied to spare her from the ugly truth of his death and their Coven. They've no qualms killing their children for the sake of upholding outdated standards. But there were still some pieces that weren't adding up in Katherine's mind.

"You never answered why my sisters were really here," Katherine clenched her jaw, "Because there is no possible scenario I can think of where Amelie and Bancroft Youngblood let any of us live this long, so what did my sisters do for us to be alive?"

Cassie, still slumped into the couch, side-eyed Katherine as she pursed her lips. The silence between them was deafening as Cassie took her time to respond.

"I wasn't told every detail but there is a group within The Guard who was paid by Dante's parents to come after me and the kids," Cassie brought her hands up to her face to rub her eyes before she exhaled loudly, "Marianne said she took care of it, and that I didn't need to worry about his family coming after us again since they think we're dead. You, being a High Councilors daughter, were excluded from the kill order."

All Katherine could feel was disappointment and anger in herself. It should have been her, not Marianne to protect Cassie, Alice, and Dorian. Dante had entrusted them to her, and she felt like she had failed him. What were her sisters even doing getting themselves involved in the situation? Katherine couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something bigger was going on within the coven.

"I don't think Dante killed those Guards on purpose, I want to believe he just wanted to see you all again," Katherine said confidently.

"Dante didn't want to see us, after he had been called back to work for the Guard again he had never tried come back here not even to see you," Cassie scoffed, "It was almost as if he wanted to get caught by his family."

There's no situation Katherine could think of where Dante would willingly put them in danger by telling his parents about them.

"No that can't be true, he loved you and Alice and Dorian more than anything" Katherine said firmly. She knew Dante would never do anything without a purpose, he was the smartest person she had known.

"Kat, have you ever considered Dante wasn't as great as you think he was" Cassie turned to look at Katherine, "You put him on this pedestal I'm not sure he deserves to be on".

Katherine was stunned, she didn't put him on a pedestal he had been her best friend, the person she grew up with. She was only allowed to come to the human realm because Dante helped her, he saved her time and time again from her awful family, with Dante they were equals. She had know Dante for seventy-four more years than Cassie, she may have been married to him but that didn't mean she understood him.

"Dante was not only an good person but a phenomenal witch who taught me more than my parents ever did" Katherine retorted. Cassie just didn't understand the kind of power he held in The Valley as the heir to the Youngblood family, she was only a young human after all.

"A man is a man, it doesn't matter whether he is a werewolf, vampire, witch, or creature they are all liars including Dante Youngblood" Cassie said impatiently, "I'm trying to make you understand something I found out before he left for The Valley."

Katherine was skeptical of Cassie's words, Dante had never lied to her, in fact he was the only one who ever told her the truth about anything. Katherine stood up from the couch, not wanting to continue the conversation. Cassie lunged forward grabbing hold of the back of her sweatshirt and yanked her back down on to the couch.

"Dante knew you were in love with him and yet he made you sit at our dinner table while he gushed over how much he loved his life here!" Cassie yelled exasperated,"He made you teach our children magic while he lied to both of us."

Katherine's eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth hung open in surprise as she threw her hands up defensively in front of her, she hadn't expected Cassie to pull her back down or yell about her love for Dante. She had never loved him in a romantic way, or did she? Katherine was more confused than ever. Cassie and Dante were both her friends but with the intensity in Cassie's eyes that loomed over her it felt like she had to choose a side to take and Dante wasn't even here anymore.

"When we would send the children to your cabin for lessons, Dante told you it was to spend time with me," Cassie closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath,"He told me he was overseeing you teach them magic."

Katherine let the words register, she squinted her eyes in confusion as she sat up to be eye level with Cassie.

"If he wasn't here, and he wasn't with me…" Katherine tilted her head searching for an explanation. Frustration started to bubble in her chest. Maybe Cassie had it wrong?

"Its all a bit too convenient, Kat," Cassie shifted in her seat. "I started snooping for answers when Alice let it slip he wasn't attending their lessons."

"Cassie, what did you do?" Katherine asked, her heart beat started to pick up again and she felt nervousness take hold of her.

"I thought he was cheating on me so I followed him one weekend, he had taken a boat out to one of the islands" Cassie continued, "It was at the Marina that I saw a group of men take a boat in the same direction."

Cassie paused, Katherine leaned in closer as she hung on Cassie's every word.

"They were werewolves." Cassie whispered so low it was barely audible to Katherine.

"How did you know they were wolves?" Katherine whispered back not wanting Alice or Dorian hear them speak about the other creatures. Creatures had to have special permission from the council to come to the human realm. The application process itself could take months, if not years, needing a valid reason to be accepted. There was no reason for wolves to come to Seabright, the only creatures within five hundred miles were all currently inside the apartment.

"I know they were wolves, I know what I saw," Cassie said firmly as she shook her fists in frustration, "Humans don't have glowing eyes."