Free Of Noble Chains (The Ventori Fables) by D.L. Miles Page A

“and he didn’t just kill me.”
    “What does an apology have to do with anything?” Iscah’s voice was quiet, probably thinking of how Zia could have been killed and she just left her there alone.
    “Because psychotic Specter’s who control more power than should ever be controlled and murder random people don’t apologize.”
    “How do you know that?” Iscah stopped on the dirt path, not even flinching as more Specter’s and Ventori moved past her.  Zia stopped, took a breath, and turned to face her friend.
    “Experience.”

Chapter 9:
    The guilt of even thinking about leaving her mother to eat dinner alone overwhelmed Zia, making her sit in the kitchen as her mother flitted about.  Her father had to stay late at work, so it was just the two of them; something that happened quite often despite her illness.  Cash was often taking Win to the hospital during the day, which meant he would have to work nights.
    “Did something happen at work today?” Win suddenly asked.  Zia looked up from her torn napkin and found her mother watching her from the stove.  “Or something with your boyfriend?”
    “No,” Zia lied, “I just didn’t realize how many Specter’s would be around my job.  I don’t…I don’t like Specter’s.”  She didn’t admit how much she disliked the weak feeling she had gotten from Mal; or how stupid she had felt for confronting him alone.  There were a million things he could have done to her that nobody would have even known about.  Or he could have hurt Iscah!  The thought of Iscah getting hurt made her feel even worse.
    Win sighed and sat down next to her daughter.  “I understand that what happened with Donataen was tragic…but Zia understand that not all Specter’s are like that.  They aren’t going to hurt you.”
    “But that’s what they do!” Zia stood up and walked over to the kitchen sink, peering out into the setting sun.  “Specter’s are monsters, they’re made from the shadows and they’re very purpose is for…for evil!”
    “Honey,” Win’s calm voice came from behind Zia, her frail hands encircling her daughter into a hug, “don’t think like that.  Please, I don’t want you to think that everyone out there is a monster.”
    “I don’t think everyone is a monster,” Zia held back a sob, “just them.”
     
    Her mother already in bed, Zia gripped Snow’s leash tighter.  Her neighbours dog, a small white ball of fur, padded around on the grass, sniffing but never actually doing anything.  Zia had taken the dog out every night for a walk since her neighbour had broken his leg and couldn’t.  She didn’t mind though, dealing with dogs wasn’t too different from dealing with children.
    But tonight was different; Zia was still upset over what had happened with Mal and she was still resisting her gut instinct to head over to Wraith and talk with Achaicious laCoix.  But if Malachi Fel hadn’t been the killer, then that meant it was most likely Achaicious.  Something nagged at the back of Zia’s mind and she whirled around to come face to face with a tall, blond man perfectly capable of killing everyone and walking away.
    “What in the name of the Light, are you doing here?” Zia looked around the street, grateful that she wasn’t in front of her own house, and actually at the end of the Common.  He couldn’t find her mother, at least not too easily.
    The shadows from the leaves overhead covered Mal’s face, obscuring any view of his features.  Zia didn’t like that; she couldn’t tell what he was about to do.
    “I want to help you,” Mal said, stepping back into the light and holding up his hands.
    “Help me?” Zia gaped.  “What could you help me with?”
    “With your case,” Mal looked around the area, as if afraid the Clan Guard was about to come down and take him away to prison.  “With Cindel’s murder.”
    “What do you care about her?” Zia tugged on Snow’s leash and began to walk back home.  Not her