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Leif pulled out handcuffs as if to emphasize his point. Cuffs that also had runes on them—the magic-binding kind. As soon as those were around my wrists, I’d be well and truly defenseless without Mrak.
I swallowed hard. If I didn’t go with him, a harder cop might come along next. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand the charge. Murderwasserious despite its prevalence in the city. ButIhadn’t committed murder.
But I would have. If it kept me free from men like Lazarus, men who preyed on women and did what they wanted to them without regard, I would kill to protect myself.
“You’ll have to add a few days onto your commission, then,” I finally said, hoping an injection of humor might help the situation.
Leif smiled thinly. A look of regret crossed his features. It didn’t make sense—unless he really did want that sword commissioned. It must have been for something important, too. “Believe me, I’ve half a mind to hold off on the arrest until you’ve forged it for me. But I can’t keep you hidden for a week. We have to go now. I’ll call the best lawyer I know. You have my word.” He met my gaze with a seriousness more weighted than this conversation called for. “I know you don’t deserve to be there.”
“Why are you so keen on helping me?” That was the only question left. It didn’t make sense. “That sword must mean a lot to you. Wish I knew what it was for.”
Leif’s eyes tightened. He was hiding something. I mean, obviously, he was hiding something. People didn’t often go commissioning magical weapons based off designs on torn old pages from ancient books.
I blinked.Sword design.But would telling Leif now that those two vampires had been after that sword help my case or make Leif want to silence me?
For now, I’d keep that information close to my chest and try very hard not to lose my shit over what happened next. Because the last time I’d displayed my wrists in front of me like this to a man, it’d been to vampires to feed on me.
My hands shook as I held out my arms. My legs felt like jelly beneath me. But I knew being handcuffed was inevitable. Murderers didn’t get to walk into a police station unbound.
“If you won’t tell me why the sword means so much, then let’s not draw out this conversation any further.” My voice was stronger than I thought it had any right being in this circumstance. “I have other commissions to get to. I’m holding you to your word about a good lawyer.”
Leif bit the inside of his cheek for a moment, then nodded. His muscular hands were surprisingly gentle as he handcuffed me. It was only now that I noticed more tiny tattoos on the sides of Leif’s fingers, but he moved too quickly for me to figure out exactly what they were.
Leif led me out of my workshop while reading me my rights. And before I knew it, I was in the back of his police car with sweat trickling down my brow.
This felt an awful lot like a trap. I knew it wasn’t rational, but my brain couldn’t stop the whirring thoughts saying he would bring me to another feeding community. Or, if Willa was right, to whoever remained of Lazarus’s.
My chest squeezed tight. My breath came in shallow gasps desperate for air. But somewhere along the way between my workshop and the police station downtown, I managed to stop the panic attack before it spiraled out of control.
