"Simply enough. Fruit trees are seen as giving life; they bear fruit. A bit of their trunk, a little red paint - "
"Not blood?"
Mal gave a short, sharp laugh. "No. "
"The swastika seems an odd choice. "
"It's an ancient symbol. "
"Protection and rebirth. " At his questioning expression, I shrugged. "Internet. Still, considering what you told me about the Nazis. . . "
"My people don't look at things the way others do. Whoever made this was only thinking about its original intent, which is where the power would come from. Using the symbol as it was meant to be used removes some of the stain of the past. "
I doubted the stain on the swastika would ever go away, but one could always hope.
"This was found in the forest where a man was attacked by a wolf," I said. "The man who's still missing and in dire need of rabies shots. "
"I don't see what one has to do with the other. " Malachi tilted his head, smiled a little. "I doubt a wolf was carrying a rune. "
I doubted it, too.
"Well, it didn't belong to the man who was attacked, or so his family said. " I paused, considering, then plunged ahead. "Your ticket seller said I shouldn't touch the rune, that I was marime. I thought that meant outcast. "
Malachi's smile faded; he suddenly appeared much older. "Marime is both the act of being outcast for unclean behavior and the state of being unclean itself. "
"I'm unclean?" I whispered furiously.
Malachi's lips compressed. "Of course not, but - "
"You're not supposed to touch me. "
His eyes heated. "What I'm supposed to do and what I will do are two different things. "
"What would happen to you if your people found out that you and I - " I broke off. He knew very well what he and I had done.
"I'm their leader. They can do nothin
g to me. "
I had my doubts about that.
"Is that why you came to town and threatened Balthazar this morning?"
His head went up. "You know about that?"
"It's a small town, of which I'm the leader. What do you think?"
He let out his breath in a rush. "I saw that photo, and I wanted to - " His fingers clenched.
"Me, too. " I put my hand over his. "I'm sorry you got caught in our little war. "
"War?" His face crinkled in confusion.
"Balthazar wants my job. He thinks he can get it if he discredits me. "
"So he'll continue to harass us?"
"Most likely. If we continue to see each other. "