“How do you know they didn’t try?” I asked. “The people in those camps probably fought back. They wouldn’t just take it like the citizens in the dark city. We should check this out.”

“So how do you fight a Mazikin?” Jim asked.

“Like anyone else,” said Malachi. “But you must be careful of their teeth, as their venom is deadly. And of their fingernails, which the Mazikin allow to grow long until they resemble claws. If you are scratched, it will kill you more slowly but just as effectively, if you do not have access to Raphael.”

He glared at me for a moment. I had three slashing scars across my stomach, a reminder of how deadly Mazikin claws could be. They’d come courtesy of Sil, the Mazikin leader who had successfully breached the walls of the dark city to overrun the land of the living. From the look in Malachi’s eyes, he was once again worrying about what Sil would do if he got ahold of me.

“Tooth and claw. No problem,” said Jim.

Malachi’s face twisted with contempt. “Some of them are very skilled fighters. And all of them are vicious. Do not underestimate your enemy.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of it. So what do we do, just kill them all?”

This time I answered because it looked like Malachi wanted to punch Jim for being so casual. I couldn’t blame him; that attitude could get a Guard killed. “We have to terminate every single one of them, yes. Because as long as there’s one Mazikin here on Earth, it can bring in others. We won’t be done until we eliminate them completely.”

“We have to find them first,” added Henry, reminding me of how I’d failed so far.

“We’re going to patrol tomorrow tonight, starting with the area where the latest sightings have been, because the nest might be nearby. Then maybe we can check out those homeless camps,” I said. “Also, Malachi and I have school tomorrow. I have to go or else my …” Or else Nancy, my PO, would cheerfully cart me back to juvie for violating my probation, but I didn’t feel like explaining that. I turned to Jim. “Are you coming to school with us?” There was no way Henry would pass as a student, but Jim looked like a teenager.

Jim stretched and yawned in this exaggerated way. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep in.”

Malachi’s eyes narrowed.

We sat there in silence until I remembered that I was supposed to be in charge. I drew my shoulders up and tried unsuccessfully to ignore the burning in my cheeks as I pretended to know what I was doing. “Rest up, then. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night.”