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look suitably cowed. It wasn’t all that difficult—if she thought about her situation—she was actually in deep shit.
    “Who are you?” she asked.
    “I’m Malachai, the head of the Order.” She’d suspected, but still a wave of fear washed through her.
    This was the man responsible for the Laws of Segregation, for bringing Arroway to the brink of destruction.
    She tried to remember exactly what Callum had told her. And with a jolt of shock, she realized that this man was Callum’s murderer. Her shock must have shown, and he stared down at her one eyebrow raised. “You’ve heard of me.” She nodded.
    “All good, I trust.”
    “None of it,” she snapped.
    He raised an arched brow.
    This was also the man who had sent Tallon after her and her mother. Had no doubt given the order to have her killed. Hatred burned inside her. This man held her mother captive. At least Shayla hoped he did. The alternative was that she had already been executed, and she couldn’t bear that. She licked her lips and forced herself to ask the question.
    “My mother—is she still alive?” He gave a casual shrug of his shoulder. “As far as I’m aware.” She wondered briefly why the man didn’t just kill her. That had always been his intention. Had Tallon somehow persuaded him not to? She wished she could get Tallon alone and find out what had happened while they’d been parted. And she needed to hold him, to know that he was still hers. Unease gnawed at her insides. She had chosen him and now having him so close and being unable to touch him was driving her crazy.
    Malachai straightened and turned to Tallon. “You want her?” Tallon’s eyes widened as though he hadn’t expected the question.“I can feel your hunger from here. Strange, from the reports I’ve read, you seldom go to the pleasure slaves, yet you want this one?” Tallon gave a casual shrug. “As you said—it’s been a long time.” Malachai looked from one to the other, and Shayla held her breath. There was no suspicion in his expression, just curiosity as though he couldn’t understand what was going on. She knew she had to give some sort of reaction, and she’d better make it convincing.
    She reached out her bound hands to him. “Please, don’t give me to the Enforcer.” Malachai pursed his lips. She really hoped he wouldn’t listen to her. In the end, he nodded to Tallon.
    “You can have her. Do what you like with her, but keep her bound. I’ll set up a ward around the perimeter—no magic will work inside the circle—it should keep her from trouble. But take no chances until we have her back at the Keep and she’s been neutralized.” Neutralized? Shayla didn’t like the sound of that. Just how were they planning on neutralizing her? She suspected she knew the answer and a shiver of unease prickled across her skin. Casterix had told her that the Order castrated all witches at birth, ripping their magic from them and leaving them empty shells. That’s what had happened to her own mother and that’s what this man intended now.
    She couldn’t let that happen, but she needed to get to the Keep, she needed to find her mother, then she needed to find two more witches with the mark and somehow save the Goddess.
    If Malachai stole her magic, she’d be of no help to anyone.
    Even if he didn’t—what could she do? She had no control over her spells. If she tried to use the moon magic, she was as likely to do harm as good. It seemed impossible, and the enormity of what lay ahead was a hard, cold lump in the pit of her stomach.
    “We return to the Keep in the morning,” Malachai said. He smiled a slow curl of his lips that sent a shiver running through her. “Enjoy the rest of the night.” He strode out of the clearing leaving her alone with Tallon. As she opened her mouth, he shook his head in warning, and Shayla bit the words back.
    “Don’t say anything,” Tallon murmured almost too quiet for her to hear. “He’s watching from the tree