City of Spells (Into the Crooked Place #2) - Alexandra Christo Page 0,68
against everything I thought was right.”
“Are you talking about Karam?” Wesley asked.
It made sense that she’d be worried. It had been nearly a week since anyone had heard from his old bodyguard, and Wesley could only imagine what he’d be feeling if it were Tavia who was gone and him who was thinking the worst. Still, if Saxony was considering sending troops out to find Karam, then he needed to shut down that idea fast. They couldn’t afford to lose any more people.
“You might want to send out a search party for her, but that’s not the smart play.”
“I wasn’t talking about Karam,” Saxony said. “She’s a survivor and she’ll find her way back to me. I know she will.”
“Then Zekia?” Wesley asked. “If you’re doubting whether we can get her back, I’m telling you that I can get through to her.”
Whatever Zekia had done, it had been Wesley’s fault. At least partly. And it didn’t matter what the kid said to him, or even what she did to him, because Wesley knew what it was like to stand beside the Kingpin and feel infinite. To feel like his way was the only way to not get swallowed by the shadows of the realm.
He could save her, like he should’ve done all those years ago.
He could fix that mistake and give Saxony her family back.
“I’m not just talking about Zekia,” she said. “I’m talking about being honest with the people I care about. And that includes you.”
The shock must have shown on Wesley’s face, because Saxony’s eyes went suddenly wide and her entire face wrinkled.
“Not like that,” she said quickly. “That’s disturbing. I meant like family.”
Wesley found that thought equally disturbing.
“Just because we haven’t killed each other, it hardly makes us family,” he said.
Though really Wesley supposed that family, or friends, were the only people he didn’t kill. And Saxony, however irritating she chose to be, was a part of that.
Saxony didn’t say anything as she stepped a few paces closer to him, and it was only when they were near enough for Wesley to notice how many freckles she had that he took a sudden step back.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Saxony’s smile was sad.
“Being honest for once,” she said. “Malik.”
Malik.
Wesley had heard that name before. Somewhere, in the hollows of his mind, where only the darkest creatures lurked, it called to him.
Wesley took another step back.
“What did you just call me?”
“Malik,” she said again.
Wesley didn’t know why, but he winced.
“I thought my little brother was dead,” Saxony told him. “But he’s not. He’s here.”
She reached out for him, but Wesley jerked his shoulder back.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
But Saxony didn’t stop.
“Years ago, my amja performed a spell, sacrificing our mother’s life to send you away,” she said. “They were worried about some prophecy and they punished you for it.”
“Are you drunk?” he asked.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “For everything. But it’s going to be okay now.”
It was a fool’s promise to make, but something about the way her voice smoothed out on the words made Wesley shift. The room felt small. Smaller than the cells he’d been locked up in with Zekia’s shadow demon.
“Malik,” she said. “You’re my b—”
Wesley didn’t wait to hear what she had to say before he pushed past her and all but leaped from the room. He didn’t stop until he was back out in the forest, taking in a gulping breath of the leafy winds.
But it didn’t make a difference and that name still called out to him.
Malik.
Tavia was on the forest floor, legs folded, a dozen charms spread by her bare toes. She looked wild and beautiful in the moonlight and Wesley wanted to call to her but he couldn’t find his voice.
He could only hear that name, over and over in his mind.
Unlocking something, awakening something that wanted to stay sleeping.
Malik.
Saxony yelled after him and when Wesley spun back to her suddenly, she was with her amja and her father.
“Wesley?” Tavia asked.
He could hear her footsteps behind him on the grass as she approached.
“What’s going on?”
Wesley shook his head and held out a hand to stop her from coming closer.
“Don’t be afraid of this,” Saxony said.
Wesley felt fire at his fingertips.
“I’m never afraid,” he said.
“Can someone explain to me what’s going on?” Tavia asked. “I’ve finally found Malik,” Saxony said.
“Your brother?”
“I’m not her brother,” Wesley snarled. “I have a family and they may not have loved me, but they were mine and they could still be out there.”