I ground my teeth and shifted so I was on the side wall instead of completely boxed in. “God is merciful. Unlike you.”

Jember shifted with me, half a snarl visible as the sun lit the side of his face. “I am merciful,” he said, all the humor gone. “You can walk out on your own two legs or I can beat you unconscious and drag you down the front steps.”

I’d pulled my knife, but now knew it wouldn’t be necessary. I couldn’t really see his face, but he was gripping the hand that had grabbed my scarf with his other, as if he’d punched a wall. He’d overreached, accidently touching my neck. For him, touching human skin was unbearable, even through those gloves. Like shards of glass going through to the bone, he’d said one day when I’d asked what it felt like.

It was due to his missing leg, which was due to the Evil Eye in some way. But asking him specifics was partly the reason I now winced at the sight of his maqomiya, so eventually I’d decided a little mystery in my life was best.

That being said, I should’ve been numb to his pain by now. I shouldn’t have cared. I wished I didn’t. But God, it still hurt my heart to see him wince.

Focus, Andi. He doesn’t care. Why should you?

“Why are you determined not to help me?” I said.

He rested his painless hand on the horizontal handle on top of his staff, leaning his chin on his knuckles and taking the weight off his peg leg. “Why is an unlicensed debtera worried about Manifestations?”

It was a logical question, but still stung like an open wound. “I wouldn’t be here asking for help if you hadn’t thrown me out.”

“Yes, you’d be married like the rest of the girls your age, irritating your husband right now instead of me.”

I scoffed. “You didn’t raise me to take much stock in marriage, what did you expect?”

“I expected you to make a decision based on good survival habits. You chose the street rather than a safe home and steady income.” He dropped the hand he’d been soothing, gripping it into a fist and standing upright again. I should’ve found a safer place to stand during his respite. “You have three seconds to decide whether or not you walk out of here.”

“I’ll walk,” I said. He wasn’t going to beat me just now, despite his threat. He’d been up since the early hours constructing amulets. He was much bigger, and strong, but I’d always been faster. We both knew without it being said that he didn’t have the energy.