AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fire eliminates darkness,” I returned, unwilling to accept what Leif had said. “Kinda defeats your logic.”
Leif pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before resuming his position leaned over the table, his hands tensed against its surface. “If you don’t accept my help, if you don’t let me assist you in removing that entity from your orbit, youwilldie for its agenda.”
“I’m sorry, are you threatening me?” I asked, an eyebrow raised. Anger bloomed within me. “You said there’s no evidence of the crime you’re accusing me of. You don’t get to threaten me. And don’t come back to my workshop. I’m not making you anything.”
Leif leveled me with a stern look that pinned me in place. “It will use you. And then it will destroy you, assuming my people don’t decide to do it first. You stand between two fires, Aisling. Neither of which you clearly have knowledge of.”
And I wasn’t interested in finding out. Mrak had never done me wrong, and he’d never asked for more than I’d given or could give.
I held up my bound hands again. “If that’s all, I’d love to go home now.”
Leif’s jaw locked hard. He shook his head but moved to undo my handcuffs. “You really do seem like a good person. I don’t want to see you hung up in this entity’s plans.”
Leif undid the cuffs and sat back.
I rubbed my sore wrists. “I have no idea what you’re even talking about. You came in here spouting off about a dark entity and a supposed agenda, offering up zero specifics. But let me tell you what I know and why I don’t trust you.”
To Leif’s credit, his expression remained neutral. “I’d be surprised if you knew anything of substance, considering your role as anchor.”
“Then you’d be sorely mistaken.” I gnashed my tongue between my molars as I stood, hoping it’d bloom some patience within me. I wanted to leave. To go home and away from here, to where Mrak could manifest again. “Last night, I was attacked by those two men whose murders you accused me of.Theywere looking foryouand that sword design you came to me with.”
The corner of Leif’s jaw twitched—the only indication he’d heard me at all. I didn’t like the story, either.
“It would appear, then,” I said as I began to pass by him on the way to the door, “that it isyouwho’ve put me between two fires, officer. Not anyone or anythingelse. But don’t worry. I didn’t tell those men who attacked me anything.”
Leif turned to keep me in his sight, but he made no further motion to hold me. “When you need help, I’ll be here, Aisling. But if you wait too long, I can’t take you out of the crossfire. The entitywillbetray you. That’s what shadow demons do. They manipulate. They seduce. And they destroy.”
“Demon” was sure as hell a good word for what I’d seen of Mrak earlier. A shadow monster. But he wasmine, and I’d protect and follow him. As was our ever-evolving pact.
“Have a good day, officer,” I said to Leif as I opened the interview room door. Another officer stood outside to escort me off the premises. “Thank you for your concerns.”
