“Hello, princess.”
The voice came from the alley. The man’s speech was broken. Nothing like Ismail’s fluid and elevated voice.
“You look near to royalty I would say.”
All three of them laughed. They were close now. Almost in the light of the street. Maeve ignored them.
“I’ve only ever seen such a face on a girl I overpaid for.” The light hit their faces. They were older. Poorly dressed with dirty hands and ripped trench coats. He addressed Mal now. “How much for her?”
Mal was still facing the wall. “Get on.” He said with a sigh.
“I’d pay a pretty price to see what’s under that coat.”
“I said to leave,” said Mal. His voice was low and tired.
The man in the middle stepped towards Maeve.
“How about I just take her, then?”
The other two sniggered at one another. Together they pulled an assortment of second hands human weapons out.
The man’s eyes never left Maeve as he pulled a knife from his pocket, pointing it at each of them. “I’ll fuck your pretty guts out and make him watch. And then slit his throat and make you watch. And then my boys will fuck you too.”
Maeve nearly laughed.
Mal’s magic stilled. Like deep waters.
He dropped his hands and turned towards Maeve. She raised her eyebrows.
Mal turned his attention to the man. The man faltered slightly. Mal was taller, yes, but against three there was no competition to humans. Except Mal was not human. And the power of Magic could be felt by all. Even the lowest of humans.
“Apologies,” Mal said. “She’s all yours.”
Chapter 43
The man swallowed and nodded. “That wasn’t so hard. Follow me, princess.”
He stowed his knife back in his pocket. The others put away their weapons as well.
Maeve stepped towards him. They retreated into the dark alleyway. Mal stayed back with the other two.
She rounded a corner, following the man. He stopped and turned towards her.
“Take off your coat.”
“May I try something?”
His face scrunched together. “What-”
Maeve stepped closer to him. “It’s just that you’re going to die soon anyway. And I’ve struggled to enter minds for months now. Only once recently but I was, truthfully, under duress. But you. . . You’re scum. I don’t feel guilty. If I accidentally hurt you with this little experiment, it won’t matter. Because your time is up.”
“You’re fucking crazy. I enjoy them a bit-”
Maeve snapped her fingers, sending jolts of magic through her whole body. She pushed into his mind. She had never been in a human’s mind before.
And this one was a horror show. The alleys there were littered with his sins. Crimes no man should be permitted to commit even once. Let alone over and over. He sold poison and murdered men and-
Mal appeared there with her. Gently pulling her out of his mind. She had done it. And she was fine. Just like with Kietel and Nicklefrost. But the things she saw. . .they prevented her from celebration.
