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Right before his hand closes on me someone tackles him and he’s knocked off to one side. I leap and bolt through the opening. When I reach the mouth of the alley I trip but I manage to roll into it and come to a stop in a heap against a wall in a pile of refuse. Something skitters away, I don’t know what, and right now I don’t care. I’m safe. Safer.
I untangle myself from my own limbs but remain in a low crouch. I look over my shoulder into a full blown riot. It looks like everyone is fighting everyone. Somewhere bells ring, echoing over the sounds of the shouting and the blows. Three people tussling together trip into the alley and I dart in deeper to stay clear.
I still don’t have a plan, only to stay out of this. Stay free.
Panic slowly recedes leaving a cold emptiness in its wake. What now? I don’t know how to get back to the Zmaj compound. I don’t know where anyone I know is or how to find them. The Maulavi are watching us humans and are suspicious. Rightfully so, but no way I’m going to tell them that.
What now? What would Greta do?
My heart hammers in my chest. It’s hard to breathe. I’m not going to panic. I’m not.
I slowly rise to my feet and look back at the rioting crowd. That direction is a no go. Two more people are fighting at the opening and they tumble into the alley. I move back to stay out of the way. They’re beating each other senseless and I want no part of this. Deeper into the alley the way is clear so I run that way. I’ll have to figure the rest out later.
The alley comes to an intersection. One way looks much the same as another so I go to the right. It’s very narrow, the buildings lean over until they almost touch over my head. It’s also dark. Most of the Urr’ki city is lit by torches and these unique looking lamps but the alleys only get whatever light manages to reach from outside.
The sounds of the riot fall behind me and as they do the terror and edges of panic recedes. When I can barely hear it I stop and lean against a wall taking time to catch my breath. Now that my head is clearer I know I need a plan. I can’t wander this strange city full of aliens who might or might not be willing to do awful things without a plan.
I need to find Mazabuta. Find him and I’ll find Annalise. She will know what to do. Mazabuta put me with Bhoja in the first place. If Bhoja hadn’t been acting like a jerk none of this would have happened anyway.
Having decided on a way forward I push off the wall and pick my way through the refuse. Several times when I step down something squishes and every time it happens my stomach lurches and I have to fight being sick. Also the smell is not helping at all. It’s a cloying odor that clings to the insides of my nose. So thick I swear I can taste it. Gross.
I see a light ahead and no longer hear the sounds of fighting. That is good. Or I hope it is, but right now all I can do is pick my way through and try to avoid stepping on anything too disgusting. A shape emerges from the shadows and blocks the light that I am trying to reach. My heart skips a beat.
Shit.
“Hur-uh, rukuh,” the shape says in the guttural Urr’ki language.
“I’m sorry,” I say in Zmaj, holding up my hands to show they are empty. As if I pose even the slightest threat to this enormous looming shadow. “I don’t speak Urr’ki.”
“Lizard?” a voice says from behind causing me to jump. “You hear that? This alien speaks lizard. Must be a spy.”
I didn’t even feel his presence until he spoke but now that I do terror makes my knees weak. I don’t have to be a genius to know that this is bad. Really, really bad. The Urr’ki are a people who have lost all hope. Definitely not the kind of people I want to meet in a dark alley.
“I’m trying to find Mazabuta,” I say, hating the way my voice quavers but it is what it is.
“I’m trying to find Mazabuta,” the one in front says trying to mimic my much higher tone of voice.
“Please,” I say, ineffectively waving my hands around. “I don’t want any trouble.”
“Looks like trouble found you,” the one behind me says.
I twist and try to keep them both in my line of sight but even so there is nowhere for me to go. I back up until I’m pressing myself against the wall and they slowly close in. Even by Urr’ki standards they look sketchy. Greasy hair, scarred faces covered with pockmarks. The one on the left looks like he has some kind of disease. Puss covered sores are all over the left side of his face.
“Question is,” one of them says, “what does she offer to avoid trouble?”
“I hear,” the other says, “that these tiny lizard lovers make good sex.”
I’m so scared I can’t even bring myself to scream. They’re going to hurt me. Why did I run?
9
BHOJA
Ifight my way to the alley at last but she is not here. Behind me the riot continues. Normally I would be out there bringing it under control but then normally I wouldn’t be the one who started it.
We guards have dealt with this more than once. All of us know that tempers are so frayed tit only takes the slightest spark to set the masses off. Once that happens bringing the crowds back under control is no easy task. Right now though that is not my problem, Niyah is.
I should not have been so rough with her. It was not her I was angry with, it was that gada Maulavi Riak. I may have gotten away with stopping him and facing him down but that doesn’t mean my problems are over.
