“How many Nabbers are there?” I ask. “Where can we find them?”
The man shakes his head. “I’m the only one.”
Without a word, Killian bends down and rips off another fingernail.
The man’s howl of pain makes my blood pound in my ears.
“My brother!” the man cries. “He’s the one who brought me in. Some of our friends, too.” His head hangs as more sobs fill the room. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! The money—we n-needed the money!”
“You disgusting vermin,” Killian growls. “They werechildren!You deserve to die for what you’ve done.”
“Give us their names,” I say. “Your brother and the other Nabbers.”
The man does, through more of that pathetic weeping. Then Killian looks at me in silent question.
Are we done here?
I shake my head. I have one more question.
Bending down to look the prisoner in the eye, I say, “A little over a month ago, one of you took a girl from a house in the Eastern Quarter. Saela. Long dark hair, hazel eyes. Eleven years old. What happened to her? Is she at the warehouse?”
“I don’t know!” the man whimpers. “I didn’t take no girl!”
A fourth fingernail joins the others on the floor as the man’s screams vibrate in my ears. Dark satisfaction floods my veins, feeding the rage still burning in my gut.
“I said I don’t know!” the man wails. “There’s been too many kids! I don’t remember their faces no more!” He sobs so hard he starts to choke. “Please, I swear, I don’t know no Saela!”
Killian turns to gesture for the guards to come to us while I stare at the shuddering prisoner in sadistic gratification.
“Get as many guards around that location as possible,” Killian says to one of the guards. “Find the other Nabbers and imprison them. We are shutting down their operation.”
The guard nods and hustles away as Killian turns to the second.
“Kill him.”
Something inside me snaps at that. Dark shadows swarm around my vision, just like that night in the corridor when I killed the Daemos Rawbond. A primal feeling surges, bringing Anassa with it.
Bringing raw, feralfury.
“No,” I snap, violence rising in me like an unstoppable tide. “This scum ismine.”
I don’t even look at the others as I advance on the Nabber, my dagger suddenly in my hand. From somewhere far away, I hear his pathetic pleas, his sobs of terror. His eyes roll as he struggles against his bonds.
None of it touches. Nothing can penetrate the shroud of dark bloodlust that’s overtaken me.
“Mercy!” he wails. “Please!”
I hear myself speak in a voice like metal grinding on stone. “Did those kids get any mercy? Did mysisterget any mercy?”
I don’t wait for an answer.
My blade plunges home, splitting flesh and muscle, scraping against bone. A spray of hot blood wets my hand and face.
I don’t know how many times my blade rises. How many times it splits the Nabber’s skin. I don’t even notice when the screaming stops. All I know is killing rage, driven by the scent of blood and Anassa’s vicious approval.
Finally, I hear Killian shouting my name. Feel his hands pulling me back.
“He’s dead, Meryn. He’s gone.”
