abstract drawing — every feature askew, every detail off-kilter. In a high-pitched cackle that pricked their skin, she said, "This is my home."
She stared at the tattoo on her arm and the water trembled. Her previous conjuring had taken its toll. Malja had a small window to act. Still coughing and off-balance, she used a smashed chair to help get on her feet. Her brain thrummed as if someone had wrapped her head in a blanket and smacked it.
"They're almost ready," Audrex said. The lustful yearning in her voice told Malja who they were — Jarik and Callib. "Soon the brothers will have the power to fix this blighted world. They'll emerge from hiding and save us all." Four dragonfly wings issued from her back and fanned out as if preparing to fly. "But no matter what — this is my home."
As Malja reoriented herself, she caught Fawbry watching like a spectator, his mouth as wide as his eyes. She had moved too slowly. She could read it on Fawbry's face. She braced for a fierce blow when she spotted Tommy — Oh no, she thought.
A crackling bolt of lightning arced from the air near Tommy and struck the water. A screech poured out of Audrex like a foul wind filling the room with its revolting presence. Malja spun — her head dipped and weaved. A column of water, jagged like knives, froze in place. Electricity coursed through it and reached out for Audrex. Her body jittered as if performing a possessed dance. Her eyes rolled back. Smoke rose from her arms and wings.
"Tommy, stop!" Malja said, but the boy continued. She could see the determination on his face — he meant to kill.
Summoning her remaining strength, Malja sprinted across the room, pulled back Viper, and swung through the madwoman's neck. Her head splashed in the water, the jagged column collapsed, and her screeching silenced. Tommy let out a breath and clambered to his feet. The smell of burnt air mixed with burnt skin. He swaggered toward Malja and offered a proud smile. Without pause, she slapped it away.
Catching her breath and forcing herself not to yell, she said, "You are not a killer."
An enraged grimace formed on his tight lips, and he bolted outside but not fast enough. Malja saw his tears. She waited a moment to compose herself. The boy needed time to calm — they both did. Besides, she still had things to do. While cleaning Viper before sheathing the blade, she said, "Okay, Fawbry, time to speak."
"What?" he said, still shaken by all that had happened.
"The late Ms. Nolan said you had information that would help me find Jarik and Callib. I didn't go through all this to come out with nothing."
Fawbry tugged at his hair. "No, no, no. That's not fair. You can't do this to me."
"I am doing this."
"Go find someone else."
"Sorry. You've got the information."
"Is this how you deal with everything in your life — threats, coercion? You should try being nice to people. Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nice?"
Malja punched Fawbry in the gut. "Watch what you say."
"Sure," Fawbry groaned. "The hell with nice. This is much better."
"I'm not interested in anything else about you except what you know."
"Right. Jarik and Callib. Do you know what those lunatics will do to me if I help you? Have you any clue what their capable of?"
"More than you know."
"Then why ask me? You should know I can't."
"Stay by me, and you'll be safe."
"Like I was safe here?" he said, ending in a squealing scream. "No, and no again." He froze at the sight of blood on his hand. Not his, but Malja suspected that only made matters worse. He plunged his hands into the waterway without Audrex's body and scrubbed. "You," he said, snapping out his words, "are not safe."
Malja resisted the urge to throttle the man. Instead, she spread her hands and said, "Then tell me. What do you need to feel safe?"
"To feel safe enough to tattle out Jarik and Callib? You're joking, right?" Malja glared at him, and he shrunk back. He muttered to himself, and his chest sagged. "You
She stared at the tattoo on her arm and the water trembled. Her previous conjuring had taken its toll. Malja had a small window to act. Still coughing and off-balance, she used a smashed chair to help get on her feet. Her brain thrummed as if someone had wrapped her head in a blanket and smacked it.
"They're almost ready," Audrex said. The lustful yearning in her voice told Malja who they were — Jarik and Callib. "Soon the brothers will have the power to fix this blighted world. They'll emerge from hiding and save us all." Four dragonfly wings issued from her back and fanned out as if preparing to fly. "But no matter what — this is my home."
As Malja reoriented herself, she caught Fawbry watching like a spectator, his mouth as wide as his eyes. She had moved too slowly. She could read it on Fawbry's face. She braced for a fierce blow when she spotted Tommy — Oh no, she thought.
A crackling bolt of lightning arced from the air near Tommy and struck the water. A screech poured out of Audrex like a foul wind filling the room with its revolting presence. Malja spun — her head dipped and weaved. A column of water, jagged like knives, froze in place. Electricity coursed through it and reached out for Audrex. Her body jittered as if performing a possessed dance. Her eyes rolled back. Smoke rose from her arms and wings.
"Tommy, stop!" Malja said, but the boy continued. She could see the determination on his face — he meant to kill.
Summoning her remaining strength, Malja sprinted across the room, pulled back Viper, and swung through the madwoman's neck. Her head splashed in the water, the jagged column collapsed, and her screeching silenced. Tommy let out a breath and clambered to his feet. The smell of burnt air mixed with burnt skin. He swaggered toward Malja and offered a proud smile. Without pause, she slapped it away.
Catching her breath and forcing herself not to yell, she said, "You are not a killer."
An enraged grimace formed on his tight lips, and he bolted outside but not fast enough. Malja saw his tears. She waited a moment to compose herself. The boy needed time to calm — they both did. Besides, she still had things to do. While cleaning Viper before sheathing the blade, she said, "Okay, Fawbry, time to speak."
"What?" he said, still shaken by all that had happened.
"The late Ms. Nolan said you had information that would help me find Jarik and Callib. I didn't go through all this to come out with nothing."
Fawbry tugged at his hair. "No, no, no. That's not fair. You can't do this to me."
"I am doing this."
"Go find someone else."
"Sorry. You've got the information."
"Is this how you deal with everything in your life — threats, coercion? You should try being nice to people. Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nice?"
Malja punched Fawbry in the gut. "Watch what you say."
"Sure," Fawbry groaned. "The hell with nice. This is much better."
"I'm not interested in anything else about you except what you know."
"Right. Jarik and Callib. Do you know what those lunatics will do to me if I help you? Have you any clue what their capable of?"
"More than you know."
"Then why ask me? You should know I can't."
"Stay by me, and you'll be safe."
"Like I was safe here?" he said, ending in a squealing scream. "No, and no again." He froze at the sight of blood on his hand. Not his, but Malja suspected that only made matters worse. He plunged his hands into the waterway without Audrex's body and scrubbed. "You," he said, snapping out his words, "are not safe."
Malja resisted the urge to throttle the man. Instead, she spread her hands and said, "Then tell me. What do you need to feel safe?"
"To feel safe enough to tattle out Jarik and Callib? You're joking, right?" Malja glared at him, and he shrunk back. He muttered to himself, and his chest sagged. "You
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