The Killables by Gemma Malley

Author:Gemma Malley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: General, Fiction
ISBN: 9781444722796
Publisher: Hodder
Published: 2012-03-28T23:00:00+00:00

13

They were led out of the room and through a second, ceilingless room, to what had probably at one time been a road. From the outside Evie could see that the place they’d been in must have been quite wonderful once, with ornate pillars reaching skywards and honey-coloured stonework. She gazed back at it in wonderment; she had never seen anything like it, could not comprehend how a world full of evil could produce something so beautiful. Beyond it lay nothing; a road that stretched into nothingness, scrambled plants weaving through rubble.

‘You like it? Used to be the law courts once,’ Linus said, looking around, his clear blue eyes glistening. ‘Then again you probably don’t know much about the law, do you?’

He was looking at Evie and she reddened awkwardly. ‘No,’ she said eventually. ‘What is it?’

‘Law?’ He chuckled; as his smile broadened lines appeared from his eyes right down to his mouth, deep lines that gave his face such warmth and depth that Evie realised she wasn’t afraid of him any more. ‘Law is what enables civilisation. Law is what stops society descending into a scrum of vengeance and crime.’

Evie frowned. ‘It’s like the New Baptism?’ she asked.

‘The New Baptism?’ Linus froze, the warmth disappearing from his face. ‘You think that protects you?’ He sighed, stopped walking and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Law is nothing to do with the New Baptism. Law is a system of rules and principles whereby no one can be accused and punished for something without having the opportunity to defend themselves. Its overarching principles are to make society fair and just for all. The law is . . . is . . .’ He seemed to think for a moment. ‘Is something that should never be used in the same sentence as the New Baptism, unless the word ‘against’ is included. Do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes,’ Evie said anxiously, even though it wasn’t clear at all, even though she had no idea what he was talking about. All she knew was that her fear had returned, that she had angered Linus, upset him. And she didn’t want to upset him. She wanted him to like her. She knew that Raffy didn’t trust him – she could see that from the way he didn’t take his eyes off him – but she wanted Linus on side, wanted to see his laughter lines again. Because if Linus knew about the City, he might know more. He might know about the people who came to the City all those years ago. He might know about her real parents.

‘Good,’ he said gruffly. ‘Okay, come on. This way.’ He herded them around the corner and into another building; but once inside they were outside again – the building was only a façade. Camped on the grass within were three tents, and sitting between them was a group of five people, one of whom Evie immediately recognised as Angel. He gave her a little wave as they approached; Evie looked away quickly and tried to stop her shoulders from tensing with fear.

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