Page 68 of A Malicious Menagerie
“Welcome to my domain,” the wendigo says with a sweep of his long, sinewy arm. The movement draws my attention to his wickedly hooked claws. “I am Job.”
A hysterical giggle threatens at the idea of this demon sporting a biblical name, but I manage to swallow it back. “Hello, Job,” I greet him, managing a weak wave. “I’m Anna, and this is Colby.” Colby is as tense as an ice sculpture beside me, but he inclines his head in a respectful nod when I surreptitiously nudge him.
“I know who you are, Anna,” Job responds, his grin somehow growing despite his lack of flesh or muscle. It strikes me all at once that no mistescapes his maw as he speaks, and I wonder if he doesn’t breathe or if his body is as cold as the frigid air. “Though it is a pleasure to meet you in person.”
“The pleasure is mine,” I reply, and it is, assuming he lets us go with all our limbs attached.
Job pushes himself to his feet, which are black and scaled like a crow’s. They sport more of those curved talons that rip up the ground as he ambles toward us. He has his hands tucked behind his back, and a tattered black cloak trails behind him as if this were a mere social call in a lord’s manor. As he approaches, he towers over Colby by at least a couple of feet, even without accounting for his antlers. He has the rangy build of a desperate, underfed beast on the prowl. Colby’s hand shoots out to grab my arm as if he can sense that I’m a heartbeat away from fleeing. “You have found yourself in quite a predicament, young ones,” he rumbles, making me wonder how old he is. Was he really a human man once?
“We have,” I agree warily. “Mathis sent us here. He was… well, he was hoping you’d kill us.” Colby’s grip on my forearm tightens, subtly telling me toshut up, but our only hope now is to talk ourselves out of this.
“Mathis,” Job growls, his voice dripping with venom. “It seems, then, that we have a common enemy.”
“I suppose so,” I agree hesitantly, trying to read his mood.
“I’m little inclined to do anything that pompous ratbag wants,” Job says flippantly. “I have a proposition for you two, then. Free me from this prison, and I will seek out our mutual adversary and erase him from existence. The distraction should prove enough for you to make your escape.”
“And if we decline?” Colby asks stonily. I have to agree with him that I’m hesitant to jump into this. To be the one responsible for freeing this creature…
Job shrugs, his feathered collar ruffling before settling smoothly against his shoulders once more. “Then I sate my bloodlust with you. There is only so long one can subsist on pigs.” At this, Job motions to his throne, which I can now see is adorned at the top with the characteristically sloped skull and curved tusks of a boar.
Well, it doesn’t seem like we have much of a choice. “Just Mathis?” I ask carefully. “You’ll spare everyone else?”
Job’s argent eyes gleam. “Unless they get in my way.”
When I hesitate, Colby barks, “You have a deal.”
“Colby!” I hiss. “What if innocent people get hurt?”
“What innocent people? The rest of the guards, who kicked Chase back into captivity and betrayed one of their own to make their boss happy? Or Mathis, who sentenced us to death by wendigo?”
“What about after? The rest of the city?”
“I plan to go home,” Job says, his tone full of contrived innocence. “Back to the forest. Once Mathis is dead, I’ll go back to being just another legend haunting the trees.”
“And eating hikers?” I ask sardonically.
“Only if they’ve been bad,” Job replies, and there’s that grin again despite the lack of skin and sinew to produce it. “Flesh is best when it’s polluted with violence and murder.”
Ugh, I did not need that information. My stomach roils, but I swallow back the bile. I’m not sure how our interesting new ally would react to me vomiting on his feet.
“So?” Job asks conversationally. “Do we have a deal?”
I don’t trust this creature as far as I can throw him. But I’m also not ready to be his next meal. Even knowing that there’s no way this can end well, my only choice is to agree. “Fine. But we’re going to free many of the other menagerie residents during this distraction. I want your word you’ll leave them be.”
“Only human flesh entices me,” Job assures me wryly. “Your friends will be perfectly safe.”
Well, then. All that’s left to do is hope that Nathan is at the door when we arrive.
31
The Jailbreak
The look of absolute shock and horror on Nathan’s face is the most emotion I have ever seen from the man.
“You’re here,” I gasp, so relieved I might just hug him once he opens the door.
“Anna,” Nathan chokes out, “behind you!”
