Page 15 of Written in Red

They were dangerous.

And they were getting closer.

“Hand yourself over,” Mr. Vann called out from just outside the door.

Mercury held his breath. It was crucial he not be spotted.

“Do so,” Mrs. Vann said, “and we promise not to hurt her.”

They would hurt Tacey either way; he was certain about that.

Two shadows slid over the floor of the dimly lit room as the Vanns moved slowly, their cautious steps echoing off the walls.

“Do you see him?” Mr. Vann asked.

“It is too dim to see much of anything in here,” Mrs. Vann answered.

They stepped farther inside, clearing the door. Still, Mercury waited.

“You can’t hide forever, Mercury Raine.” Mrs. Vann’s taunting held an undeniable edge of contempt.

They took a few more steps away from the door. Mercury slipped around it and into the tunnel. He pulled the door shut behind him. He dropped the metal crossbar into place, locking them in.

The Vanns began pounding on the door. Mercury took a moment to breathe before responding.

There was a slot in the door, as there were in all of the doors in the tunnel. Mercury slid it open. He could see the Vanns inside, standing at the door. Their glares now held a hint of worry. La Bougie stood near Mercury, glowing once more, so the Vanns could see him as well. He made certain his unwavering determination showed in his expression.

“Welcome back,” he said. “Your foolishness in returning means Miss Wilde is not the one who is about to be ‘difficult to find.’”

Mr. Vann’s gaze narrowed. “You would not lock us down here forever.”

“Wouldn’t I?” he answered coldly.

That seemed to give the man some pause. His wife skewered Mercury with a livid glare.

“If you’d like to offer some useful information regarding Miss Wilde’s recent adventures,” Mercury said, “I might be willing to reconsider.”

“We know better than to speak out of turn.” Mrs. Vann’s tight words echoed off the stone walls.

“You’re that loyal to your coconspirators?” Mercury asked.

A hint of fear entered their expressions. Fear.

“It’s not a matter of loyalty,” Mrs. Vann said, having suddenly lost a great deal of her bravado.

“You’re afraid?” He knew they answered to the Forever Flame and had desperately wanted to be granted the chance to still earn their bounty. But he’d not had the impression that they were scared.

“We’ve reason to be afraid,” Mr. Vann said. “If you were wise, you would be terrified.”

7

Tacey opened the wall and let Mercury out of the tunnels. The ghosts were all floating through and into the dungeon. Snaffle was almost certainly back at the stable. The other isolated ghosts hadn’t joined either. But those who were there watched Mercury in anticipation.

“The Vanns are locked inside the room we wanted them in,” he told them. “They aren’t very happy about it, as you might imagine. But they threatened Tacey again. So they get to experience our exceptional hospitality.”

He didn’t necessarily see looks of relief.

“How long will they be availing themselves of hospitality?” the Quiet Queen asked.