Page 43 of The Scribe (Irin Chronicles 1)

He stopped, turned. “Is it because of your health? Your… headaches?”

“We’re not talking about my headaches,” she said with a glare before she marched off the path and into a stand of trees.

Malachi watched her, confused for a second before he followed. “Ava, where are you going?”

She was still walking, ducking under low branches as they walked over the forest floor covered with pine needles. He could barely hear her steps as she headed even farther off the path, toward a rocky outcropping that overlooked a desolate beach.

“Ava!”

She stopped. Turned. And pointed a gun at his chest.

“Why don’t you stop lying now, Malachi?” she asked softly, her voice chilling him to the bone. “And start telling me the truth about your ‘organization’ and who really hired you?”

Slowly, he brought his hands together in front of his body, subtly tracing thetalesm primon his wrist. The old spells took hold, covering him with magic. “I can explain.”

“Good. Start talking.”

“Please put the gun down.” He was more concerned about her injuring herself or some random hiker than he was himself. “Ava, please put the gun—”

“You are not ordering me around, Malachi.” Her hands didn’t tremble on the weapon. She stood in a ready stance, obviously well-acquainted with the weapon. “You’re not being honest with me. I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Really?” he stepped closer. “And how do you know that, Ava?”

“I just do.” Her eyes were cold. Nothing remained of the teasing, friendly woman he’d come to know.

“Ava, please,” he repeated her name again softly. “Put the gun down. Do you really think I would hurt you?”

For the first time all day, he saw her expression crack. “I don’t know what to think.”

“I have been with you for over two weeks. If I wanted to hurt you—”

“Who hired you, Malachi?”

“—I could have done it. But I won’t, because I don’t want that.”

“Just tell me who you’re working for.”

He took another step closer, holding his hands out. “You don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t!” Her voice rose. “Why don’t you take this opportunity to explain it to me? That seems like a good idea when I have a gun pointed at your chest!”

“Please, Ava—”

“Stop saying my name like that!” Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. “You’re a liar. And I trusted you.”

He shook his head. “I wouldneverhurt you.”

“You already have!”

“Ava, put the gun down.”

“Just tell me what is going on!”

“Don’t you understand I can’t!” he shouted, then muttered a frustrated curse under his breath.

As soon as the words left him, her mouth dropped open. Ava froze. The hand holding the gun sank and the weapon fell with a soft thud on the pine needles. Malachi dove for it, grabbing it to put the safety on, only to realize it had been on safety the whole time.

“Ava, what on earth—?”

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