Malum

Tillie

I follow the three guards and Gabriel as they lead me to the gates that open onto the township of Perdita. My nerves pick up again. I don’t know what I’m doing here, but there’s only one reason why I would willingly fly miles out to the middle of the ocean back to this small island.

I pull out Daemon’s sketchbook and flip through the pages as Gabriel’s guards ramble off to the ones at the front of the gate.

“….where’d you find that?” Gabriel points down to the book.

I look up at him briefly before going back, finding the chapter I want. “In Daemon’s bedroom.”

There’s commotion going on in front of us, so I slam the book closed and shove through our guards, only to come face-to-face with the burly, hairy men who are known as the gatekeepers of hell. Not really of hell, I just like to call this place that.

I square my shoulders. “Let us in.”

They glare down at me, lip curled. “We don’t answer to you.”

“Really?” I say, eyebrows quirked. “So who do you answer to? Because last I checked, the woman who ran this place died. Is that right?”

The big blonde Viking looking one narrows his eyes at me. “I can’t confirm nor deny.”

I smile sweetly. “I can. Because that woman was my mother, and my best friend is the one who killed her. Now…” I cock my head. Their eyes fall to the side of it, and they straighten, noticing something of importance. “Let us the fuck in.”

The big brunette one fumbles with the locks, unlatching them quickly. They’re both dressed in black slacks and black wife beaters. He pulls the gate open and we all step through. Turning to face the two gatekeepers again, both of their heads are down.

The Viking one is the first to cut the silence. “Please forgive us, mea principessa. We did not mean any harm.”

My eyes flick to Gabriel, who is gri

I lick my lips. “Don’t worry about it.” Facing the long-marbled road that leads to what used to be Katsia’s home. Perdita is a township. A very odd, small township where the people sleep during the day and live through the night. It’s daytime right now, so the street is empty. The small little shops that are built on either side of the glossy marble pavement all have “Closed” signs hanging over their doors.

We begin our long walk to the end of the road, passing every store. I take this time to get a good look around. There are convenience stores, knife-wielding stores, weapon stores, bakeries, clothing shops, and even an alcohol shop.

Huh. Well, at least they get to enjoy something of our world.

Once we reach halfway, Gabriel opens his mouth. “You know Khales has been here?”

My jaw clenches. “I’ve heard.” I also despise her.

“How do you suppose we are going to deal with that, mea principessa,”

I roll my eyes. “Gabriel, please don’t start with the mea principessa shit. I have The Kings pet naming me variations of ‘my princess’ and ‘queen,’ now the gatekeepers too.” As soon as I’ve finished my sentence, I stiffen.

Everything stops.

I turn to face Gabriel. “What is going on?”

Gabriel searches my eyes, a knowing glint speckled over his irises. “Ah, she’s intelligent too, not just street smart.”

“Don’t fuck with me right now. I’m feeling a little on edge.”

Gabriel exhales, cracking his neck. “Yes. They have all known about you needing to be here. They have all fought it within every inch of themselves to stop this from happening. To stop you from coming back here.”

My eyes narrow. “Why?”

Gabriel gestures to the gates of Katsia’s mansion. The tips, jagged glass as sharp as blades. The gate resembles ice. Clear, but you can’t see from the outside in. I’m adamant that Perdita is made up of wizardry. These witches are my ancestors, the ones who couldn’t be burned.

“Because with you here, they no longer have control. Perdita is a world of its own, Tillie. The Kings have been wanting to take the reigns over it for generations but have always failed.”

“So why didn’t they just kill me?”

Gabriel’s eyes come directly to mine. “Because of your relationship with the swan. But make no mistake, Tillie, Hector is a man not to be taken lightly. He rules with a heavy fist and he has no problem smashing things and people to get what he wants.”

“Seems an awful lot to risk just to not piss off a girl who I irk on a daily basis, and what do you mean? I know Hector is cruel, but what has that got to do with me?”

“Well, until you went AWOL, you have been living on a very slippery slope, Tillie. People have wanted your head for some time, some more than others and some hiding it better than the rest. When you came back with Nate’s daughter, that was your lifeline. But…”

“—now she’s not here,” I finish for him, and then look up to the gates.

“Yes, and I do not know where my son and their generation sits when it comes to their loyalty to you, but I can tell you right now—” Gabriel pauses, and I suck in a breath, awaiting him to continue. “There’s a whole lot more to what is going on here. You are in the middle of a world that you barely know. A foreigner, if you will. But I can help you.”

“We can finish this conversation later,” I murmur, my eyes going back to the mansion. “When we aren’t sitting ducks.”

He nods.

I shove past our guards again and hit the speaker box with the palm of my hand.

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” Khales purrs through the voice box.

I grit my teeth. “Let me in, Khales. We have unfinished business…”