Chapter 17

Chapter

Seventeen

M yrria's mind raced as the lock to her door turned from the outside. Without thinking, she shoved Rixx toward the bedroom and he stumbled back, his face registering understanding only a heartbeat before the door swung open.

"Who do you—?" Myrria started to yell when she recognized the wrinkled face that poked around the door. It was her landlady.

She clamped her mouth shut even though she didn't relax. Donya might not be the Zevrians, but that didn't mean she wouldn't turn Rixx in if she suspected that he was in her house.

"Myrria?" The woman's voice cracked as her shrewd gaze slid around the small interior. "I thought I heard voices in here."

Myrria fought the urge to glance toward the bedroom where the curtain was half drawn. She suspected that Rixx has slipped inside the attached bathroom, but there was no way to know without looking, and that would be a sure giveaway.

Instead, she tipped her head toward Zala. "My daughter and I were talking. You remember that I have a daughter, don't you?" She hadn't meant for her words to sound so hostile, but she was still recovering from the shock of the woman entering her home unannounced.

Donya frowned at Zala, who beamed innocently at her. "It sounded like a man was in here."

Myrria didn't answer this. An outright denial would come to haunt her if Donya spotted Rixx. Kurril had no laws to protect tenants, and the only way to keep her lease was to follow all of Donya's rules and pay her on time, which Myrria did. She knew well enough not to demand repairs or improvements, even though the home desperately needed both.

Donya was one of those bitter old women who believed that single mothers should not exist and that every home needed a man with a firm hand on things. Not that she had a man in her house. If there had ever been a husband, Myrria suspected that she'd killed him and probably eaten him, but that didn't stop the landlady from turning her nose up at Myrria for having an absent husband. Myrria's assurances that her husband would be coming back any day was probably one of the reasons Donya let her stay.

"Did you finally step out on your old man?" The woman grinned maliciously, as if ready to pounce on this as a perfect reason to turn her onto the streets.

Myrria folded her arms over her chest. "I did not."

Donya snorted out a half laugh that said she did not believe Myrria, her small eyes narrowing in on the bedroom.

Myrria knew that Donya would not only turn Rixx in for the bounty but she would sound an alarm so quickly that there would be no chance for him to run. The old woman might look frail but Myrria had heard her scream before.

Donya's gaze fell on the wanted flyer crumpled in the wastebasket. "You hear about the criminal that's loose around here?"

Myrria knew better than to lie. "We got the notice nailed to the door. If he was anywhere near here, he's long gone."

"You think?" Donya cocked her head.

Myrria twitched one shoulder. "If I was a criminal, I wouldn't hide here." This much was true. The neighborhood wasn't like parts of Kurril where you could disappear into crowds. "I'll bet he's near the slums or the warehouses. Those are good places to hide."

Donya twisted her thin lips to one side as she considered this. "Maybe you're right. You wouldn't be able to hide in these parts." Then she paused and gave Myrria a pointed smile. "Not without help."

Myrria didn't react to this, but Zala laughed.

Donya glared at the girl. "What's so funny?"

"You think we'd help an outlaw. That's what's so funny."

Donya's glare didn't soften, and Myrria wanted to groan. What was Zala doing?

"I know you two are hiding something." Donya advanced on Zala, pointing a gnarled finger at her. "I've heard a man's voice when I've walked by your door. I know I have."

Zala crossed her arms over her chest and gave the landlady a defiant look. "So?"

Myrria shot her daughter a desperate look, but the girl was too busy locking horns with Donya. For a moment, Myrria wondered if she had anything she could use to knock out Donya long enough for Rixx to escape. She eyed the iron skillet hanging over the stove as cold resolve settled over her.

She could not let Rixx be taken. Not after she'd worked so hard to save him. Not after he'd saved her. But could she really strike down an old lady?

She cut her gaze to Donya, who was staring down Zala with a look of pure venom. In her landlady's case, yes. Yes, she could.

Myrria sidestepped toward the stove, knowing she would only have a better of seconds to snatch the skillet and hit the woman over the head. There would be no time to hesitate. Not time to second guess herself. If she was going to save Rixx, she had no choice.

"Are you admitting that there is a man in here?" Donya's voice was shrill and dripped with smug satisfaction. She glanced at Myrria, a malevolent smile spreading across her face like a virus. "Are you admitting that your mother is just as much of a whore as the whore she works for?" She wagged a finger at Myrria. "Don't think I don't know where you get your money."

Zala shook her head slowly. "My father isn't going to be happy to hear you call my mother names like that."

Donya's head snapped back to Zala so fast Myrria was almost surprised it didn't spin all the way around. "Your father?"

Myrria's stomach started to sink as she realized what Zala was about to do and she stopped moving toward the skillet.

"The male voice you heard is my father." Zala gave the old woman a guileless smile. "He's finally come home."