Page 43 of Speak No Evil

Well, yeah. I kinda wanna see what this new flesh suit can do.

I dip my head and snag the claws in my brand new horns, yanking them with all my might to the left.

The creature goes flying, hitting the opposite wall with a bone-crunching crack before sliding to the floor.

I glance at Vrahs, who’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed and relaxed as can be.

“Very good, mate. Now go find out what it is and why it’s been killing my citizens.”

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. I cross the room, eyes fixed on the creature as I do. I knocked it out, and as I approach, the borders of its flesh begin to shimmer.

No, it’s not shimmering.

It’s shifting.

Back to its other form, I guess?

As the shift takes hold, I put a foot on the creature’s neck, pinning it down in case it feels like going another round.

My extra brain space is full of excitement, eager to see who this creature is, if not the mayor.

Eager to make it tell me why it took so many lives.

Why it murdered my sister.

This is for you, Emerald.

The creature rouses as its grotesque form falls away, revealing a nude—

I stumble backward, foot leaving her throat as panic grips my chest.

“No.”

It’s a pleading prayer, as much as a denial of the truth in front of my very eyes.

The room grows bigger around me as I sink to the floor with a hard thump.

I can tell without looking I’ve lost my demon form as the woman looking up at me startles, recognition flashing in her eyes.

“Jade?” she creaks.

Silent tears streak down my face, hot and unending. “Why?” I ask.

It’s all I can manage. All the hard rock lodged in my throat allows.

AJ sits up, runs a bloody hand through her hair and stares at me. “Why are we on the floor naked?”

Mentally, I shuffle through all the appropriate responses and choose the one that feels best. Not the right one. Not the best response.

Faster than she can see, I grab the small fae woman by the throat. Her eyes go wide, fingers scratching at my hand as I rise from the floor and drag her with me.

“Jade, please!” Her wheezing words don’t find their mark, and I squeeze tighter.

“Why, AJ? I won’t ask you again.”

Her face is turning red, but she tries to answer anyway. “Why what? What’s happening?”

From the corner of my eye, I catch a halo of red.

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