Free Sanctum (Guards of the Shadowlands, Book 1) by Sarah Fine Page B

were consorting with a known Mazikin recruiter.”
    “What? I’d never seen that creepy little man until right before your friend jumped me.”
    “What did he say to you? What were you talking about?”
    “He made some racist comment and then tried to get me to go with him.”
    “Did he say where?” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He looked like he was ready to take action, which made me shrink back instinctively.
    “He didn’t have time. Your friend Amid rudely interrupted our conversation.” My mouth didn’t cower with the rest of me.
    He sat back, as if I had disappointed him. “Ah, well, if he hadn’t, you’d have found yourself in some very serious trouble.”
    I scoffed, the heat of frustration blasting along my skin. “Yeah, thanks. Glad I’m not in any ‘serious trouble.’ What the hell is wrong with you? I guess getting beaten to death by a huge, scary troll is just the funny, unserious kind of trouble around here….”
    “Again, I apologize for what Amid did. The Guards thought you were a Mazikin. I don’t excuse their behavior, but they are on edge right now.” The folding chair squeaked across the floor as he rose to pace. “In addition to their usual activities, Mazikin have killed five Guards in the last month, including Amid’s closest friend.”
    Before I saw him move, he leaned over me, his face inches from mine, his arms braced on either side of the cot. He inhaled deeply, just like he’d done to Nadia. “You don’t smell like them. But you don’t smell like any of the others, either.”
    I managed to stay very still, terrified of what he would do next. His cheek brushed mine. All my muscles contracted at once, and my skin was suddenly too tight. I shook my head, trying to release some of the heat pooling in my cheeks. He pulled back abruptly. “If you’re helping them, I’m going to find out. Tell me what I need to know now or—”
    “Or what?” I challenged, refusing to back down from the threat in his eyes, glad for the reminder to stay focused. “You’re going to pull an Amid and ‘talk’ to me?”
    He made a frustrated sound and resumed his pacing. “It’s my job to keep the residents of this city safe.”
    “Yeah,” I muttered, “by cutting their throats.”
    “What did you say?”
    “Nothing. I’m sure you’re very good at your
job
.”
    He halted midpace and put his hands on his hips. “I need to know why you’re in this city. You clearly don’t belong here, but you don’t seem to want to leave. Nearly everyone here wants to leave or at least find some kind of escape. So, since you don’t, I need to know what you
do
want. Maybe I can help you.”
    I was so desperate to find Nadia that for a half second I wondered if maybe he could. He’d seen Nadia—maybe he knew where she was. Then the face of the frightened housewife shimmered in my head. He’d killed her in cold blood. No, Malachi would not help me, and I couldn’t trust him with Nadia. Or myself, for that matter.
    “Help me? I’m surprised you haven’t killed me yet.”
    “Do I look like someone who would want to kill you?” He smiled in a charming sort of way, obviously trying to look harmless. I almost laughed. He wasn’t a very good actor either.
    When I didn’t answer, he sank back into the folding chair. “All right, you won’t tell me why you’re here. Let’s try some simplerquestions, then. Although it appears contrary to your very nature, could you
try
to give me some straightforward answers? Were you in the military?”
    “Are you kidding me? I was in high school.”
    “High school,” he said quietly. “You’re American. And a civilian?”
    “Uh, yes. An American civilian.”
    “Lovely. A straight answer. Keep it up. Did somebody train you?”
    “No, nobody trained me. Unless you count the Rhode Island child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Why?”
    Malachi held up his hand and ticked off the reasons with his fingers. “You stole a Guard’s