“She’s lying,” said Alora. “See how she fidgets?”
Madam Feebledire stood still at once. “Fine, perhaps it does some harm to everyone. Maybe the tub itself is an enchanted artifact. Maybe, when combined with the oil, it does sever your worst memories but leaves a crack instead that crumbles its way into an eventual void in your person. Maybeit does. But to some, that’sworth it!”
“It should be the Room of Severed Memories then, not the room offorgottenones! And I suppose members are made aware of this future effect?” Alora said it with a healthy lathering of sarcasm. She didn’t doubt in the slightest that Opulence Mansion was untruthful.
“Well…” Madam Feebledire shifted again and caught herself. “I can’t speak for everyone…”
“Patrice?” Four heads swiveled down toward another. To Merridon shifting on his conjured stretcher, his hand to his head. “What’s happened? Why am I outside? On the ground no less.” No one uttered a word. “Bash? Miss Flowers? Miss—”
Alora’s breath stilled in her lungs. She waited for Merridon to recognize her, his expression pinched and assessing. But then they widened, and he was scrambling until he could stand before her, his hand outstretched. “My dear. Mydear.What is your name?”
Alora swallowed against the bile threatening to rise inside her. Merridon looked as if he’d not eaten in days and here she was, a feast brought before him. Blood matted in his hair, drying on his cheek, his neck red and swollen—surely it all must hurt, but he appeared oblivious, concerned only with her. With what his enchantment sensed in her blood.
Such a nasty specter wolf.
“Germania Jones,” said Alora, ignoring Bash’s smothered cough to her left.
She didn’t have a hope of pulling her arm back fast enough to avoid Master Merridon’s grip. He held her hand firm. “I’m Master Marshall Merridon, the owner of Opulence Mansion. Would you be open to a meeting? I have a particularly enticing opportunity I think you were born to inherit.”
“Perhaps.” Alora heard Lennox’s murmur of surprise behind her and smiled picture perfect. “If it includes a tour.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Amelody filled the grand hall, coaxing and a little bit wild. Upon entering it, the sound immediately set Alora’s heartbeat to a faster pace and her head to muddling. Suddenly, she wanted toexperiencethings. Exotic things, tempting things, dangerous things.
Gone were the golden cloaks, checked at the door. Without them, the members of Opulence Mansion were dressed in all sorts of finery. From silken trousers and laced cuffs to satin skirts and glittering bodices. Everything she could see, clothing and jewelry and eager eyes, were set to further brilliance by the yellow glow of endless gilded chandeliers. The scent, too, had changed. Alora smelled hints of wine and wax, cinnamon, amber and vanilla. It was an intoxicating blend to be sure, and everything and everyone so verybeautiful. She breathed heartily, her lip caught between her teeth.
Don’t be tricked,she reminded herself.Don’t be swayed by this place.
Doors clicked quietly near her: Door One and Door Two. A woman with a luxurious golden robe rounded the spiral staircase to her left, up and up until Alora knew with certainty she would sail into the Room of Forgotten Memories and bathe away her deepest regrets. What changes would she undergo by its end? An unfair one no matter what, considering what she didn’t understand. A handsome employee dressed in Opulence crimson and painted in Opulence gold met her there, turning the knob and beckoning her in. A soft smile exchanged. Alora shuddered and looked away.
She found instead Door Two, remembering above it waited the Room of Reward, a place of gambling and vice. She startled upon meeting the equally startled expression of Mr. Pottenbaum. A sheepish wave was all he offered her, along with a parting study of the man beside her, until he, too, made for the stairs.
He thinks I’m like them. A member.
Bash set a steadying hand on her wrist. At first, she did not know why. Then a disoriented and disgruntled Marshall Merridon spun toward them. “We’reopen,” he said, scathingly, accusatory eyes spearing his head of management.
“Of course we are. It’s passed dusk,” huffed Madam Feebledire. “Mar—ahh, Master. Shall you begin the tour with your office? You have a little—” Madam Feebledire motioned to her own temple, pausing when her brother’s scowl deepened.
“No! We’re open and Miss Flowers isright here. And my captain is wearing…silver.” Merridon’s throat worked as if he fought back a gag. “Get to your door—”
Alora’s mouth parted at the hostile words directed at Lennox. Merridon, noting this, halted at once, easing into a false, rich laugh. “I’m sorry, Miss Flowers. I have quite the headache all of a sudden. But your partner is likely waiting on you, as are our manywell-payingpatrons. Let’s not disappoint them! After all, that is not Opulence’s way.”
Lennox looked down at her dress; while not unsightly, it was decidedly drab in the changed environment. Not to mention there would be no partner awaiting her, either, should she obey. “Erm…”
“Thank you for helping me out of the rain, Miss Flowers. I won’t forget your assistance in righting my skirt. Perhaps I will see you again.” Alora stared pointedly at Lennox and then down the hall.
“What rain?” said Merridon with a scoff of disbelief. “Outside?”
Lennox chose to ignore him. Alora had dried them each and he didn’t need the insight. “My deepest apologies, Master. I’ll perform beyond perfection to make up for my tardiness.” Her quick curtsy transformed into a scurrying walk, and soon she was lost to the hall’s expanse.
All at once Merridon was at Bash’s ear. She heard the words “change” and “immediately” before he turned toward Alora with affected cheer. “Miss Jones, you seem to have caught us at a rare—nay—I’ll saysingularmoment in which we aren’t quite at our best. But you are dressed exquisitely. May I say again how fated I feel this meeting is?”
Alora could see it writhing inside him, that greed. It was what stilled his tongue, she thought, over questions as to how she came to be here to begin with. “You may,” she said.
Merridon chuckled at that. “What a wit. I admit this is going to be a shade more difficult, touring with a full house, but if you insist—”
“I do.”
