“A little birdie.”
That rat, Kinzer thought. He knew Fie couldn’t be trusted. No wonder he was so eager to get away.
“Where’s the girl?” a voice asked. Vera was suddenly sitting in Fie’s seat.
She’d changed her look dramatically, sporting wavy, light brown hair that fell just past her shoulders. She also had a new arm, subtly showing off a manicure as she massaged her new fingers against the table. She wore an elegant, yet plain, beige dress with matching platform shoes. A string of pearls dropped to her bust. For Vera, it was a very modest look, likely because she was trying to blend in with the average mortals that surrounded her.
“Hidden,” Kinzer said, “somewhere you’ll never find her.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Vera replied. “Try that clever act all you want, but I don’t believe for a second that you’re able to just tuck her away somewhere safely. Whom would you turn to? Certainly not Donna or Krimson. Certainly not Janka.”
The mention of Janka’s name sent waves of heat rushing to Kinzer’s face.
“Leave him alone!” Kinzer had cried out. “It's me. I'm the one you want.”
Craetis undid the ropes binding Janka and removed his gag.
“Oh no,” Veylo said. The back of his almond-colored hair waved down to his shoulders, his bangs just barely passing his nose. He had a wide forehead that cut sharply as his eyes collapsed into his skull, enabling the overhanging lights to obscure them in sharp shadows.
Veylo ran his thumb across the sword he held. It was Kinzer’s sword. “We've discovered that both of you have been doing a little reconnaissance for the Leader, and I'm afraid we can't have traitors like yourselves believing that we will let these sorts of transgressions go unpunished.”
Mika grabbed a cluster of feathers on Kinzer's wing and yanked them out.
Blood rushed down Kinzer’s back.
Deter did the same with the other wing.
Kinzer ground his teeth, feeling the intense sting.
“Are you ready to watch the one you love die?” Veylo asked.
Janka moaned as he writhed about. Craetis grabbed Janka by his button-up collar and punched him in the face.
“Stop it!” Kinzer cried. Mika and Deter continued plucking his feathers. The pain was so intense, like someone was setting fire to him or stabbing knives into his back.
But that wasn't his concern.
Craetis slammed his fist into Janka's face again and again and again.
“Touchy subject?” Vera mocked, dragging Kinzer’s thoughts back to the present.
Kinzer’s attention flitted to the adjoining bookstore as he scanned to make sure Maggie was out of sight. Her round belly caught his attention. She was heading up a flight of stairs to the second floor of the store, the fashion magazine tucked close.
What are you fucking doing?Kinzer thought.
Mika, who’d abandoned the paperbacks, paced by a series of spinner racks filled with bookmarks and mini gift-books. His gaze wandered until he glanced up the stairs and froze. The usual M in his lips thinned across a smile. He walked toward the steps, taking his sweet time.
Vera followed Kinzer’s stare. She smirked. “Somewhere we’ll never find her?” she asked. “The romance section, perhaps?”
Kinzer flashed Dedrus a knowing glare.
They swept under the table, snatching up their swords, which had been resting at their feet, disguised in brown packaging paper. They ripped the paper apart.
Kinzer sliced at Vera. “Tapping out,” she said with a wink. She disappeared.
Kinzer whipped around. Deter was behind him, his sword jabbing at him.
Kinzer twisted his sword around, blocking the attack.
