Page 164 of Bone Year

“Well, Red, looks like I’m going to need to assign you new patients.”

I stop walking.

“Though everyone around you tends to die.” He pushes off the wall, and the crunch of his boots in the snow is the only sound between us. “Let’s see. Who don’t I like right now?”

“I’m not in the mood, Malric.”

“I can see that.”

He closes half the distance between us and stops close enough that I have to tilt my chin up to keep my eyes on his.

“You’ve been crying.”

I roll my eyes.

“Let me by.” I glance around. It’s empty between the buildings.

“You remember how I was there for you the last time you lost a patient, Red. I could do that again.” He takes a step closer and inhales deeply, like he’s breathing me in.

I scrunch my nose. “You’re vile. Now move.” I try to sound threatening and not nervous. I wish I had my scalpel right now. I would consider stabbing him with it.

“I just want to talk for a minute. You can spare me a minute.” He picks up a piece of my hair and twirls it around his finger.

I take a step back, but I’m all the way at the wall now. “I don’t want to.” I swat his hand away, and he drops my hair.

“I know. Indulge me anyway.”

His eyes are more red than gold, and I hope he can’t hear how fast my heart is beating.

“You’ve been busy this year, and I’ve been watching. You may have come in playing the unremarkable human, but you have managed to become something else entirely.” He rubs at his chin, studying my face. “I don’t think you understand yet how visible you’ve made yourself and how dangerous that can be.”

I narrow my eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.”

A smirk starts on his face, and his voice has gone different. The flirtation has bled out of it, and what’s left is the man I have only seen pieces of. The one he hides underneath the sarcasm and the wandering hands. The one likely responsible for killing Senna.

“I’ve known what you are for a while, Red. Probably longer than you’ve known yourself. It was the bite that did it.”

I don’t know what he means, but I know Malric spews crazy, so I swallow and stare up at him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I straighten my shoulders. “What do you think I am? Why are you telling me this?”

“Because the orders I have been keeping you alive under are about to expire.”

I think I stop breathing.

“What?”

Is he talking about the Obsidian Throne? Draven’s family? No, because why would they care about keeping me alive. Does he know my mother? Did Jace say something? So many things run through my head. Did Draven tell him about our deal, that I know he’s the prince, but then if he was worried I’d tell, it would be all the more reason to have Malric kill me.

“After the ball,” he says, “I can’t help you anymore.”

“You haven’t been helping me. You killed Senna, didn’t you?”

I decide to confront him. This conversation is already taking a dark turn.

He throws his head back and laughs. “If that’s what you think, you’re blinder than I thought.”