“I burned my contract while you were fumbling in the dark.”
“Your contract! How did you have it?”
“I brought it, Marshall. I’ve been trying to find you to ask after its wording.” Madam Feebledire brushed off her skirt, stepping back when her brother stepped forward. “Did you mean to make it sound like you entrapped the girl?”
“Of course I did!” Merridon’s temples pulsed with his rage. “I command you back to your door!”
Alora only continued to stare at him with wide eyes. “No, thank you.”
At that, Marshall Merridon howled in fury. He swung to Bash, lifting a finger between them. “That skull was meant to entrance indefinitely!”
“It must be broken. My apologies.” Bash’s grin was pure malice. He crossed his arms, the wet fabric a second skin.
“Marshall! What is this about entrapment and entrancing? It’s one thing to do to simple creatures, but topeople?”
Alora pursed her lips. There was nothing simple about mermaids, but she remained silent, waiting for what he might say.
“I said shutup,Patrice! Look at this! Look at what they’ve done. The wind. Therain.My expensive grounds. My extraordinary mansion! The members can’t witness this. Lock the gate! Let no one else inside.”
As if in response, a large crack rent the air, the wolves split down the middle by lightning.
An animalistic sound tore from Merridon’s throat. He spun on his heel, meaning to spring toward Alora and likely detach her head from her neck, but Bash was there first, and a second crack shocked the air—as a memory baton met the temple of Opulence Mansion’s owner. Marshall Merridon slumped to his knees, then to his front. Blessedly unconscious.
“Why.Why…” moaned Madam Feebledire from behind her hands.
Bash wiped blood from the baton, returning it again to his belt. “Any suggestions?”
“I say we feed him to the mermaid,” said Lennox, her eyes hard and a little bit hungry.
“The mermaid doesn’t deserve a first real meal this unappetizing,” said Alora. “I have an idea, I think. Only allow me to do something quick. We shouldn’t strain ourselves over him.”
She grabbed ahold of his boots.
***
“Absolutelynot.”
Alora stared at Madam Feebledire. At how she’d splayed herself in front of Opulence Mansion’s carved front doors, her normally coifed hair unfurling around her ears in frizzy tendrils.
“Madam Feebledire, please move. Or I’ll be tempted to add a monument to replace the broken wolves.”
Opulence’s head of management appeared caught off guard at that, her lips parting into a silent circle. She came to with a shrug of her shoulders, though Alora could see she’d paled.
“Don’t threaten me, girl. If not for me, you’d still be beholden to that enchanted contract you made the mistake in signing.”
“It wasn’t a mistake! I was forced!”
Madam Feebledire shook her head like this detail was of little consequence. “I can’t let you harm him.”
“Who said we would harm him?” said Bash, who probably wasn’t the best one to say it considering there were bruises quickly forming on Merridon’s throat that matched his own fingertips and blood dripping yet from the man’s temple.
“Putting him inside that tubwouldbe harming him!”
“Ha!” said Alora and gritted her teeth at Madam Feebledire’s baffled expression. “At last, someone admits it!”
The head of management spluttered. “Now wait a minute.Wait.I didn’t mean it harms all. But it would harmhim.”
Lennox’s stare narrowed. “Why?”
