I dodged the last Smith’s knife. It whistled past my throat, barely missing me. This Smith was smarter than the others. He realized using illusion would be useless at best and would get him killed at worst.
He lunged at me again. Behind him, Last twisted her hand. Iron chains wrapped around him, and he dropped to the floor.
Last pulled the curtain around the seating area, closing us in.
“He’ll kill you for this.” The Smith struggled against the chains, but she’d locked his hands down. He couldn’t break free, and he couldn’t conjure. His eyes were the same color as Darin’s, and I wondered how closely related they were. First cousins? Second? “The Smith’ll kill you for this.”
He wasn’t scared. I’d never seen a Smith scared. At least, not of death.
He stared at me with a cold hate. “He’ll know, and he’ll kill you.”
“He’ll know because you’ll tell him,” Last said. She walked over to the man and then kicked his face with her heel. The spike gouged his cheek, and it spurted blood. She crouched down next to him. “You and your friends burned down Mari’s home.”
The man spit out a mouthful of blood. The splatter sprayed across Last’s face. She smiled.
Wait. These three Smiths had burned Hell Gate? They were there?
“Who else?” I asked. “Who else was there?”
He gave me a bloody grin.
Last rolled her eyes. She conjured a spike gauntlet around her fist. She struck the man.
“I’m going to give you a present,” she said conversationally. “Brides always give their bridesmaids presents. This one is mine.”
She twisted her hand and tapped the man’s forehead. A loose string of clove hitch knots wrapped around his skull and then sank in. He started to tremble and then shake. He stared at me as if I were the most terrifying, horrific thing he’d ever seen.
“No,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “No. Stop. Stop! No! You’re evil! You’re ev—” He broke off with a scream.
Last snickered and bound him with an air gag.
My mouth was dry. “What is that?”
“He thinks you tortured him and his friends. You did quite disturbing things, Mari. You’re really one sick creature.”
I reached out to untie the knots on his head.
“Leave it!”
I stopped.
“I said leave it. It’s rude to refuse gifts.”
I swallowed. Nodded.
“He burned down your home. He should suffer. They burned down my home too.” She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. Was she crying?
“Are you all right?”
“Of course I’m all right! Let’s go.” She shoved aside the curtain and stalked from the room.
I shot a final glance at the two dead Smiths. Were they Darin and Finn’s friends? Did they have families? I curled my hands into fists and then crouched next to the trembling man. Sweat ran down his forehead, and he stared at me from wide, white eyes.
Was he all right?
“He’ll kill you for what you’ve done,” he snarled through gritted teeth.
I sprang up, shoved back by his vehemence. I rushed through the curtain and down the stairs.
