Page 92 of Malcolm

Eliza had to fight against instinctively wilting under her stern stare; Lanias wasn’t anything to be played with. Her Magic alone had caused a stronger man to give in to her demands.

“All witches, every single one ismyfamily. I would never abandon any of them, and while I may have let a few slip through the cracks. I wouldn’t knowingly allow one to remain in danger,” Lanias said, her tone hard, and Elizabeth felt like she’d just been lectured. She was a fucking adult, and yet every time she ran into Lanias, she felt like a child being reprimanded. “Do you understand? I know humans raised you, and you believe in different rules. But you’ve also worked at the Shade over these many years. You can’t feign ignorance of our ways and why we are the way we are.”

Looking at Tiller she added, “The council could return to its ways at any time. Hunting us down and stealing our children away.”

“Doubtful,” Tiller rebuffed. “They are only interested in the following right now: sowing dissonance in other realms, stirring up trouble in other lands, and causing the occasional mass death of certain species. For instance…” He turned his attention to Malcolm. “Your friend, I mean, my friend here, was supposed to return and solve the mystery of the disappearing werewolf youth. Instead, he’s taken the role of Alpha, which is a pretty permanent position.”

“Yes,” Malcolm said, not denying the accusation. “The seat was mine to take from the start. If it wasn’t for you or those damn greedy Alderman. I would have gotten it six years ago.”

“Right,” Tiller drawled, rolling his eyes. “Before or after you slaughtered the previous Alpha without a formal challenge?”

Malcolm released a low growl. “Keep testing me, fox, and I’ll show you how I did it.”

“No, thanks.” Tiller waved his threat off. “I can remember the smell of the blood and the sight of his dismembered body well enough.”

Forcing herself to sit up, Eliza glared at him. “I get it. You and Malcolm don’t have the best relationship. Can you…” She glanced at Lanias. “...tell us already why you’re here?”

“We’re here together but for separate reasons,” Lanias said, her black eyes narrowing. “I have come for you.”

“And I,” Tiller said, his lips quirking, “have come for my little disobedient puppy.”

“And what makes you think you can make us leave?” Malcolm demanded, his claws out and his eyes burning with hatred. “I won’t let you take me or her.” He bared his teeth, displaying his Wolfen heritage for all to see.

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Lanias said, pressing her pointer finger to her cheek as she batted her lashes.

“Wait, I lied.” She snapped her fingers, and the shadows ripped themselves from the wall and turned into spikes, all pointed at Malcolm. “I’m sure you, being a monster, will understand if I don’t listen to you. We’re not exactly the friendliest types.”

“You would fight me?” Tiller asked, his grin exposing the demon that he kept hidden. A single tail appeared behind him, quickly followed by eight more. He lifted his hand, his nails long, and pointed. “I’m interested to see how far you’ll get puppy.”

“Enough,” the floor rolled, and a white shield rose between them, Eliza’s hands curled in the blanket in her lap. “No one will be taking anyone away,” her eyes were bright white. She glared ahead. “If you’re here to help, then say it. Otherwise, leave us alone.” The line where her skin had been sewn leaked whitelight. “I’ve already lost so much, I won’t lose Malcolm, not for anyone,” she declared.

Lanias sneered, “What? Are you in love?”

It was clear what she thought about that. The shadow spikes wilted, falling like liquid before they withdrew to the walls.

“I am so tired of my witches falling in love with your Jackals,” she nearly hissed at Tiller. “I don’t know what it is, the danger, the dick, or the idea of the forbidden. But I am going to ban your men from coming to my place of business; I can’t keep hiring new girls…or boys.” She smirked.

“Are you sure you won’t come with me?” Tiller asked Malcolm.

With a glance at Elisa, he added. “We can give you the protection that you lack now. A werewolf didn’t give that wound." Returning his attention to Malcolm, he frowned. “What are you not telling me?”

“He’s not telling you to protect me,” she said.

Malcolm turned around. “Don’t, Eliza. They don’t need to know.”

Eliza shook her head, meeting his troubled gaze. “Yes, they do; we can’t do this alone. And your family, what about them? They can’t get dragged into our—no. My mess.” She faced Tiller. “The people who are after me, how much do you know about them?”

“We know that they’re attempting to find a Numb witch,” Lanias answered, “They are also trying to create her, just in case she doesn’t exist.”

“And luckily, they haven’t succeeded so far,” Tiller added.

“Well, they did,” she said, her chin down. “I don’t know how they did it, but I am this thing they were trying to make.” She reached up and touched her face. Her cover was melting away, fully exposing the scars that crisscrossed it.

Giving a stark view of the face she’d kept hidden with her magic, the monster that’d been pieced together. Lanias's eyes widened in horror; her lips parted as her fingers curled into a fist at her side. “What did they—” She cut herself off. “They destroyed you,” she finished bleakly.

Tiller averted his eyes; he couldn’t think of what to say.

Malcolm looked at the woman he loved with sorrow, as he’d seen her real face before. The stitch lines that bisected it were also on her shoulders and hips. The skin of her limbs varied in coloring.

---