The blue-cloaked human had been lurched to the floor as its master fought, and the human’s hood fell back. “Mom,” I said in a choked voice. Ana quickly cut through the leather strap of the leash that had been strangling her. Rita didn’t back up, though. She threw herself toward the blue-cloaked Mazikin and clung to its back. Malachi tried to lift my mom off the pile as the red-cloaked Mazikin let out a gurgling death rattle, but Rita clawed at him and he let go quickly. The blue-cloaked Mazikin raised its head. It was Zip. She wiped her bloody muzzle on her cloak and whined. Ana knelt next to her and began to speak to her in Mazikin, and Malachi quickly joined the conversation. I clenched my teeth. Hearing him speak that ugly language reminded me forcefully of those moments after Juri had possessed Malachi’s body. I’d never wanted to hear those evil sounds coming from his beautiful mouth again.
