“Besides.” Malachi perked up, the mischief dropping back into his tone. “I’m the resident degenerate, remember?”
He sang, off-key and proud. “Who sins more than me? No one alive. My purpose is holy: to help Josh thrive. I lead by example, pure and unrefined. Showing our golden boy how to unwind.”
She snorted, wine burning her nose. “Yes, Sir Malachi. You are a fine example of the dregs of humanity.” She hurled another jug at him—this one still half full. “How else would our esteemed friend even hope to understand all those he wants to help?”
“Exactly!” he replied, enthusiasm bursting through his words. “You keep him alive, and I show him all the reasons people want to keep breathing.” He slammed his cup into hers.
They erupted into laughter, slapping each other on the back, desperately pouring more wine to raise another toast. Anything to forget that Joshua was by himself now. And that the Hunger was rising in his absence.
Rynna barely looked up over the next hours and many more drinks until the heavy tread of boots creaked down the stairs.
Seeing the newcomer, Malachi’s grin faltered.
“I’m going to let you take this one.” He grabbed the unopened jug from the table and shuffled erratically toward the back exit before the man could reach their table.
“Coward!” Rynna hissed after him, before sinking further into her seat.
Here we go.She braced herself for the conversation she knew was coming.
“Another productive morning, I see.” Adam sniffed, eyes following Malachi as he left, before glancing at Rynna. “Where is Joshua?”
Rynna sat back, frowning into her empty cup. “Elsewhere.”
Waving to the barmaid for another fill, she ignored the man’s barely constrained glare.
Adam’s hand hovered over the chair, his lip pulled tight, breath hissing through his nose, before finally lowering himself next to her, movements clipped and stiff. She raised an eyebrow. Whether driven by fear or disgust, he’d never gotten this close to her before.
“Whore.” He snapped his fingers in her face before hitting the table with an open hand. “Where is the Prophet?”
“Fuck this,” she muttered, then pulled the knife from her sleeve and drove the point down between his splayed fingers with a dullthunk.
Adam shoved back from the chair, stumbling as he clutched his hand to his chest.
“How dare you!” he barked, his hand came up like he meant to put it across her face.
Rynna moved, suddenly no longer lounging but standing close enough to touch.
“He went to the desert.” Inhaling his fear, her fingertips brushed the table as if considering whether to take up the knife again. “Which means he’s not here right now.”
The sound of Adam’s pounding heart sang in her ears as he scrambled to create distance from her.
“You wouldn’t dare!” His hands rose between them. “My Lord would cast you out if you touched me. I am his chosen!”
She watched him shrink.Good.
“He’d forgive me.” Her eyes glanced back at the knife. “He always does.”
Hurting the man wasn’t actually on the table. She wouldn’t do that to Josh. But…she could scare the piss out of him.
“We all know how hard it is for me to control my…impulses.” She licked her lips. “And you smell…delicious right now, Adam.”
“You won’t!” The man reeled backward, catching his knee against a chair, his arms fumbling for balance as he forced a path between the tables.
“Of course not.” She laughed, sitting back in her chair, as his mouth worked, shaping words through gritted teeth.
“Fine. Go drown yourself for all I care. God will judge you.”
Then he shoved through the door without looking back, leaving the air behind him curdled with spite.
