She stood up and pulled her hand from mine. “You’ve only known him for a week.”

I mentally kicked myself for not asking to go to Tegan’s, but I was still too scattered and panicked. “I know. But he’s important, and I feel safe with him.” And, oh yeah, he broke my heart, and now looking at his gorgeous face feels like crawling naked over broken glass, but whatever.

Her expression softened. She was wavering. “Is Mr. Raphael at home?”

“I’m sure he is—all the parents were notified about this morning. He’d want to make sure Malachi was all right.”

She nodded. “Go ahead. But you be home for dinner.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I got up from the table and walked as slowly as I could back to my room. I closed the door behind me.

“Lela,” greeted Raphael. He was sitting on my bed.

“Shit!” I gasped out. “That is creepy. Couldn’t you have sat at my desk?”

He raised an eyebrow in a way that told me he thought I was ridiculous. I took a deep breath and leaned against the door. “I was just thinking I needed to talk to you.”

“That’s why I’m here. You summoned me.”

“I did? All I had to do was think about you? Since when?”

He smiled. “Special circumstances.” He pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket. “One moment, please.” He held his phone to his ear. “Hello? Ah, Ms. Jeffries. Yes, I’m home. Terrible tragedy, today. Malachi is extremely sad. He knew the boy who died. It would be such a help to him if he could see Lela.” His gray eyes rose to mine. “Thank you. I’ll be here if you’d like to talk, of course.” He hung up. “You are free to go.”

I scooted over to my bed and looked under it. “I need you to take something for me. I can’t be seen with it.”

He shifted his legs as I scrounged through my junk. “Are you looking for this?” He held up the belt and sheath. “We have no intention of allowing you to be tried for murder.” He nodded at my desk, upon which sat a receipt for the new phone.

I sank into my desk chair. “Couldn’t you have spared me the tense moments back there?”

His look sharpened. “We won’t control people, Lela, contrary to what you believe about us. I will intervene as necessary for you to do your job, but I will not interact directly with the Mazikin, and I will not interfere more than is absolutely necessary with the living. The judicial process will have to take its course. But there will not be sufficient evidence to press charges.”

“You can’t stop them from questioning me, can you?”