“It is a rather bare considering the month’s end is encroaching. I’ll admit I’m growing worried.”
“Please allow me to appease that.” Good grief, how she hated simpering before such a man. Every time she looked at him all she could see were lost eyes and nothing to be done about them. “The carpenter has what I’ve ordered ready for pickup, same as the carpeteer, and every detail after that will be no problem in acquiring.”
“And how do you plan on delivering your larger purchases?”
Alora fixed her smile same as his. He tested her, the hardness of his eyes at odds with the pull of his lips. “I’d planned to inquire after transport options with Madam Feebledire.”
“As is appropriate. Good to hear, Miss Pennigrim. Our establishment abides by rules which, if not followed, can embark catastrophic consequences. One cannot hope to maintain so much enchantment without them.” Beneath the desk, Alora clenched her hands to fists. “To the next matter. I’m told of a most unfortunate incident involving you and one of my performers.”
Alora flushed scarlet. She could feel it like a dousing. Same as she could feel the phantom press of William’s lips to her neck.
“I don’t mean to cause you discomfort, but I think it’s best if we lay out this rule clearly for you. You are not, no matter the circumstances, to go beyond any door besides Door Twenty-five until you’ve acquired your membership. After that, by all means, enjoy what Door Ten, Door Eighteen, and all others have to offer. As for the performer in question, he has since been reprimanded.” Master Merridon’s face pinched. “Both in a professional and…unprofessional manner. But I digress.”
The Urchin’s words came back to her. “I should have choked the light from him.”
Oh god. Had he?
“You will not engage with any employees unless you need to do so in a strictly work-related practice, which I can’t imagine you would require outside of management. You are certainlynotto engage any performers. Do we understand one another?”
“Yes, Master Merridon.”
“Good. Now are you sure you wouldn’t like some refreshment? Water? I also have iced tea. And fresh lemonade.”
Trap,warned Alora’s intuition.A horrid little trap.Poor Reginald. She didn’t think he was on vacation after all.
“No.” Her teeth clenched around the word, not allowing even a forced polite ‘thank you’ to follow it.
“Suit yourself,” said Merridon, and abruptly his smile turned real. “Do enjoy the remainder of your day. I look forward to what the end of the week brings.”
Minutes later, Alora stood outside Door Zero, her hand on the knob and unable to let go. Inside her, fury bubbled away. At herself, for putting Reginald in danger by her continued interactions. For ignoring her intuition when it came to William and following him behind that door. And at everyone else in this horrible place, spewing their evil across Enver like some foul-smelling infection.
She knew with one-thousand-percent certainty, she’d never use that membership. In fact, she might burn it at her contract’s end. Perhaps even in front of Merridon.
One by one, her fingers eased from the knob.Calm yourself,she admonished. She did need to find Madam Feebledire and schedule transportation for the trim she’d ordered. But how? She scanned the length of the hall and found no one. The woman had gone that way though after abandoning her and so must be somewhere.
Adjusting her satchel, Alora stepped past Door Zero and continued on through the depths of Opulence.
Chapter Twenty
Alora didn’t notice a sound aside from her own footsteps on the marble floor until she caught sight of Door Eighteen. From there she heard crying.
They were quiet cries, muffled. The kind where one doesn’t mean for them to escape but they manage somehow. Alora held all the fresh warnings and instructions close to heart, and she couldn’t afford more mistakes. But she glanced in all directions and followed the cries anyway. They led her up a spiral staircase and revealed themselves outside the Room of Fire.
“Lennox?”
“Alora?” Lennox leaned against her closed door, her made-up eyes now trailing black down her cheeks. She swiped at them in a hurry, smudging them further. “Dammit. I didn’t know you’d be here today.”
“I didn’t know either, to be honest. Whatever is the matter?” She hurried forward, gripping the girl’s hands before she could make more fruitless attempts at her cheeks.
“It’s William! They’ve punished him. Punished me! I’m to perform alone until he’s recovered, and I’ve not practiced a solo routine in ages.”
Alora’s heart sank. “How long until he’s recovered?”
“I don’t know. His face is all a mess I’ve heard.”
“Master Merridon had him beaten?”
“No,” said Lennox, and sniffed. “No, he only was to have certain privileges revoked awhile. It’s those blasted—” Her anger spouted and died in the next breath. She glanced hurriedly around. “He was attacked by someone else.”
