Page 55 of Cry for Help

“I’m not.” Caim winked. “Though if you want to open your legs—”

“Fuel.” Malphas interrupted. “Generally, storming a castle on a full stomach is easier.”

Murmur woke up shortly after we finished our breakfast, and despite his short sleep, his eyes were ringed with purple bags, and the cuts on his face had yet to heal.

He eyed Caim, Malphas, and me at the kitchen island, clinging to the doorframe as if he needed it to stand. Finally, his gaze settled on me, and he stared for an unfathomable amount of time. “You can speak,” Murmur said simply, without judgment.

“I can.” My chin jutted as I met his gaze.

Murmur’s brow pinched in concentration, and he pushed his tongue against the point of his canine tooth. “You really didn’t kill anyone.” He said after a long moment of silence, words coated with disbelief.

“You didn’t believe me?” I raised a brow.

“Most people would say they were innocent.” Murmur stepped away from the doorframe. “Most lie.”

“I didn’t.”

“I know.” He shrugged. “Now that I have heard your voice, I see the truth. The truth of you.”

That wasn’t disconcertingat all.

Murmur eyed the others, and I sensed that my presence was the reason for his silence.

I pushed away from the kitchen island. “I’m going to shower.” I declared. My words were met with silent stares as I scurried away like I hadn’t been pressed between Caim and Malphas only hours before.

Chapter Fifteen

Malphas POV

“Maddie is Sídhe.” Malphas declared once he heard the shower turn on at the other end of the house. “She hails from the Aos Sí.”

Murmur, who’s eyes had lingered on the doorway long after Maddie had left, finally dragged his gaze to Malphas. “Truly?”

“Yes, brother.” Caim grinned as if he had discovered the fact after hours of investigation—instead of being told by Maddie herself. “She is Fae. Do you know what this means?”

“That her magic is older than all of us put together?” Murmur replied, distracted. “How unexpected. What is she doing in the Red City, under the control of the demons? Sídhe do not leave the Aos Sí. They do not come to the Human Realities. It just isn’t done. For the human's good, as well as their own.”

“Fae are ruthless.” Malphas agreed. “But Maddie is at least part human. She didn’t mention her parents, but full bloodied Sídhe cannot bear iron. It is lethal to them.”

“She can’t come to Behem’s domain.” Murmur interrupted. “If the Bean Sídhe are anything like theTumbi’ka, Behem will not let her leave if he discovers what she is.”

“We’ve been living with Maddie for a week and didn’t know.” Caim pointed out.

“We aren’t full-blooded demons. Not anymore.” Malphas pinched the bridge of his nose. “Would you be willing to risk Maddie for Stolas?”

“No question.” Caim nodded eagerly. “Stolas has been ourbrother for many years.”

“You had your cock inside of her no more than three hours ago,” Malphas growled.

“My cock has visited many places.” Caim arched a brow. “Should I put half of the Seventh Circle before my own brother? We fell together. We,all, made the deal with—”

“Yes, yes,” Murmur said dryly. “We all know about thedeal.”

“Do you believe Behem is linked to the human trafficking case?” Malphas interrupted the bickering. “Or has he taken Stolas for another reason?”

“When I told Maddie he would not eat Stolas, I didn’t lie.” Murmur shifted from one foot to the other defensively.

“Though you did not tell the whole truth.” Malphas surmised. “What happened?”

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