The Drowned Cities (Ship Breaker #2)(19)

The monster’s grip was loosening again. Mahlia waited… In one sharp jerk she twisted free. The half-man tried to resnare her, but it was slower now. She danced out of range.

The half-man fell back, but its eye still burned with predatory viciousness.

“So,” it growled.

It drew Mouse into a bear hug, keeping him close. Mahlia wondered if she could find their machete, if she could stab the beast somehow. Kill it before it snapped Mouse’s neck.

Where was that machete? Lost in the swamp. But she had her own knife.

Maybe if she stabbed it in the eye…

As if sensing her murderous thoughts, the monster said, “Your friend is mine.” Its muscles flexed and it began to push Mouse down under the water.

“Mahlia?” Mouse began to struggle, but he was no match. The half-man pushed him lower. Water lapped around Mouse’s chin.

Mahlia started forward, barely stopping short of the half-man’s reach. “Don’t hurt him!”

“Do not test me, then.” The monster allowed Mouse to surface, sputtering.

Mahlia paced the shore, still hoping to catch sight of the machete. “Let him go.”

The half-man smiled, showing the sharp teeth Mouse had wanted to harvest. “Come a little closer, girl.”

Mahlia tried to make her voice reasonable. “Let him go.”

“No.”

She hesitated. “I can help you.”

“No.” The monster shook its head. “As your little friend says, I am dying.”

“What if we could get you medicine?”

“There is no medicine.”

“I know a doctor. In town. He could fix you. Me and Mouse could get him. I know how to doctor, too.”

“Ah.” The monster regarded her. “You have a doctor, and you will fetch him and he will give the half-man the medicines and care that will save its life, and all will be well.”

Mahlia nodded eagerly.

“A pretty fairy tale from the mouth of a pretty child.”

Mahlia bridled at the mockery. “I’m telling the truth! Ask Mouse.”

A tired snort of amusement. “Your doctor… does he waste his medicines on monsters? When he has humans that already go begging for treatment? When war and pestilence stalk the land, and your kind already pines for help, will he spend his precious medicines on a dog-face?”

“He’s not like that,” Mahlia said. “He listens to me. Me and Mouse, we can get him to come. He’ll help you. If you let us go, we’ll bring him back and he can help you.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I do not bargain with liars.”

“I’m not lying!” Mahlia felt herself starting to cry with frustration. “I got a doctor. We live with him! He can fix you! I can fix you!”

The monster just looked at her, and then she realized it was observing her missing hand. She could see the contempt in its gaze, seeming to say, Please tell me more of your silly lies, cripple girl.

There had to be a way to save Mouse. Could she make Mahfouz help? Could she convince him? Mahfouz was kind. He took care of everyone. But this was a half-man.

“I can steal the medicine,” Mahlia said, finally. “I can just take it and bring it back to you.”

“Oh?”

Mahlia felt a surge of hope at the monster’s interest. “Me and Mouse. We can get you medicine. You don’t even need the doctor.”

“Yeah,” Mouse said. “I make a distraction, Mahlia gets the meds, and you get all fixed up.” He nodded vigorously.

“The two of you,” the half-man murmured. “One to distract and one to steal.”

They both nodded eagerly.

The monster snorted amusement and shoved Mouse underwater.

“Mouse!”

Mahlia plunged forward. The half-man lashed for her ankle. She tripped and barely scrabbled out of reach, watching in anguish as the half-man drowned her friend. The muddy water churned.

“Let him go!”

To her surprise, the half-man let Mouse rise again. The boy surged to the surface, retching and coughing, water streaming from his freckled face. The monster shook him once with its huge fist.

“A bargain, girl. Go find your medicines and bring them to me. If they are sufficient, I will let your friend live.”

“But—”

The half-man overrode her. “If you bring the wrong medicine, or if you bring soldiers, I will hear you coming and I will snap your friend’s neck. And if you fail to return, I will fill his lungs with mud and water. Do you understand?”

“It’ll take time,” Mahlia protested. “I can’t just snap my fingers.”

“You cannot bargain with me. My heart is the clock. Find medicine before it ticks dry, and buy your friend’s life. Fail and his corpse is all you will find here.”

Mahlia started to protest again, but the half-man’s glare froze the words in her throat.

“Run, girl. Run and pray to the Fates that you are fast enough.”

7

THE JUNGLE TORE at Mahlia, tripping her with vines, clawing her skin with ragged leaves. Already, darkness was falling. Deep amongst the trees, the light faded fast. Shadows leaped at her. Mahlia tripped and sprawled. She scrambled up, ignoring skinned knees and painful scrapes on her palm.