“I didn’t hear an answer, Ernie.”
“Keep your mouth sh?” Wallace chokes on the rag Luz shoves into his mouth.
“Yes. By all means, remain loyal to the man who had you flay your friend alive when he couldn’t accomplish his task. I’m sure he’s the forgiving type, who won’t see your capture as a failure,” Cristobal says.
“It’s different,” Ernest insists.
“How sad for you,” I whisper. “You’ll walk into death for one who feels no loyalty toward you, and you’ll bring your friend with you.” I latch on to the fear in Wallace’s eyes and remove the rag from his mouth. “Final chance to speak.”
“Wh-what do you want to know?”
Wallace licks his split lip and hisses. Cowards always break and jump off sinking ships.
In the blink of an eye, Cristobal has Ernest upright. “This is your last chance. Talk,” Cristobal demands.
“He said he’d reward us for helping his people cross over into this world. We’d live like kings while others died. I’d get my family back. It’d be like the accident never happened. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my children. They never should’ve died.” His voice cracks.
“You’re going to live like kings with your family where? What you’re doing is creating a storm that’s going to do its damnedest to wipe this city of its map. Are their lives worth thousands of other ones?” Sacha asks.
“Yes,” Ernest whispers.
“So, you what? Skin seven people?” I wrinkle my nose.
“Not people, betrayers.”
It’s like looking at someone who’s been brainwashed.
“What happens afterward?” I ask.
“The box is complete,” Ernest grumbles.
“And the Djinn take over the world?” Sacha asks.
“Yes,” Wallace says softly.
“How do you stop it?” I question.
“You can’t,” Ernest says smugly.
“You ladies should step out while we handle the rest,” Cristobal politely dismisses us. I want to let him handle the dirty work. Turning a blind eye would be so easy right now. But if I did that, how would I be any different from them? I bow my head.
“I can’t.”
“Dove …”
“We can’t become them.”
“And what should we do instead? Human law has no jurisdiction in this matter.”
“Why not? They did kill a man. There will be prints and plenty of evidence.”
“Which will all disappear thanks to their miracle worker. The Djinn will see to them as he already has. Loose lips don’t sink ships, loose ends like these two do. I won’t risk us, so you can feel better. They’ve flayed who knows how many people alive. Some people are past the point of redemption, and we could never trust them. Are you willing to risk your family on the flimsy hope that they won’t retaliate later?”
“No.” Lying would be pointless, and immature. I’ve lost this battle. Everything he’s said was true. I can feel the approval of the court rushing up to side with him. They remain perplexed by my ability to hang on to my silly human notions.
“Come on, Sacha, let’s see if we’ve heard anything from the others while we’ve been here.” I ignore her questioning gaze. There are things that need to stay in the court.
Chapter Sixteen