Page 148 of Mud

Taland was here.

“Oh, c’mon, tell me. It looks so exciting, I want to play, too!”

Unmistakable. His voice, one hundred percent.

“This doesn’t concern you. Walk away, Blackfire. Find your own damn body,” said the guy in the middle.

A chuckle.

The sound vibrated through me, and my eyes opened. I pushed myself to raise my head just a bit, just to see his face. The light that woman was holding in her hands had turned brighter so they could all see better, and I did, too. Taland was leaning against the wall to the right, one foot up against it, his arms crossed like he’d never been more comfortable in his life.

“I’m afraid I can’t walk away, friend. That’smybody—and I mean that in a very literal sense,” the asshole said, smirking, eyes so bright they sparkled as they reflected the Whitefire light dancing on the woman’s hand. “Not to mention she’s a player, too. I thought we were only going after residents?” The mock in his voice was perfectly clear to me.

“She’sMud,” the other man said, pointing his finger at me without bothering to even turn his head.

Taland gave him a nod. “Yes, and she’s alsomine.” Finally, he moved away from the wall, and with his hands in his pockets, he faced the three Whitefires with his whole body.

“Looks like we have another body to use,” said the woman, stepping closer to Taland. “Second one’s mine, boys. Don’t forget.”

And in those moments, I wanted to say,Stop! Don’t even try—he’ll kill you. Effortlessly. Without an ounce of guilt.

Do you not know how he almost killed a kid in a prison cell, and laughed about it?

Do you not know how he smiled while his brothers tortured me?

Of course, I didn’t. Yes, it was my first instinct to want to warn someone when I knew they were about to die, except these guys had been trying to kill me.

No—these guyswould havekilled me if Taland hadn’t been here. They’d have killed me with no remorse and no regrets. They’d have used my body to get their keys, too.

I pushed myself to sit up, and it hurt like hell, especially in my bad leg. That spell seemed to have activated the initial pain all over again.

But the magic was fading, and the pain was lessening by the moment everywhere else. The rest would be gone in no time.

“Oh, you’re far too kind. You’re going to offer yourself to me to kill willingly? Really, I have no words. I’m in awe,” said Taland with that smile on his face, and madness in his eyes that these people were too cocky to see. If they could, they’d be running away without looking back by now.

“Come here, boy,” said the man in the middle. “Let me show you that real dogs don’t bark—theybite.” And he charged for Taland without fear. With his head up, his hands raised. With his heart full of hope that he could take Taland because he was physically bigger and at least a decade older.

Then I forced myself to keep my eyes open when Taland moved, too—just his hand. He pulled it out of his pocket and Blackfire magic was already dancing on his skin. His lips moved as he whispered his spell, that smile never leaving his face, and the magic was so dark, so all-consuming,that when it hit the man on his face, it killed him on the spot.

A third-degree spell, perfectly executed, out teachers would say. He was always the best at doing near impossible spells with minimal effort. His body brimmed with raw power.

The man hit the ground the next second, and the Blackfire magic remained on his body, flames dancing over him like they were in a celebration.

The other two stopped. Looked at their friend, at Taland, then back again.

The light on the woman’s hands turned dimmer, and then they looked at one another.

Were they planning to attack him, too?

I almost rolled my eyes. “Justrun!You can’t win against him,” I said through gritted teeth because I was stupid. Because even though a big part of me wanted them dead, too, I still couldn’t help myself.

The Whitefires started to walk toward the mouth of the alley, keeping next to the walls and as far away from Taland as they could. And Taland put his hands in his pockets again, no sign on him that he’d used a third-degree spell at all. He just grinned and looked at the woman, then turned to the man on his other side and said, “Boo.”

He didn’t even raise his voice at all.

The Whitefires ran all the way out of the alley.

I closed my eyes and rested my head back against the concrete, thinking,I could really, really use a break right about now. And some food. And some water.

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