Perfect, I thought.
Rather than go to the Quills’, where I was obviously being monitored closely, I headed for Megan’s to feed Elbner.
The whole way there, Piepen’s taste seemed to grow more pronounced. I knew the buildup was probably a trick of my subconscious, but that didn’t soothe my increasing irritation. Mom had to be wrong about the taste only going away with another feeding. She’d probably never waited long enough between feedings to see how long it took for flavors to fade. As much as I hoped that was the case, the increasing notes of skunk in my mouth filled me with doubt, which further soured my mood.
Megan’s resident goblin stood on the back stoop and glared at me as I parked. I reminded myself to be polite and forced a smile to my lips as I exited the car.
“I apologize if I’m interrupting. I’m here to feed you, but if there’s a better time, I can come back later.”
“Now is fine. Hurry up about it.”
Elbner’s surly attitude grated at me, but I kept my smile in place. Barely. Thankfully, he stayed where he was while I headed inside.
I quickly made his meal and set the bowl on the table. After making sure he wasn’t watching, I tipped the honey bottle into my mouth. Sweetness coated my tongue, and for a few glorious seconds, I tasted nothing else. However, the moment I swallowed, Piepen’s ugly flavor hit me twice as hard.
The uninhibited brownie would be the death of me.
In an attempt to distract myself, I wandered Megan’s first floor. The last time I’d checked things out, the floors had gleamed and the rooms had been free of dirt and webs. It was all still that meticulously clean. Now, though, the bits of chipped paint that had been on the walls were patched and painted so well I couldn’t see where they’d been.
Tipping my head, I studied the ceiling. Not a crack remained. It looked like new. I couldn’t even imagine how Elbner had managed to get up there.
“Are you done inspecting my work?” he asked from behind me.
I turned to find him with his arms crossed and a shoe in his hand. Had I tried to relax somewhere, I had no doubt he would have lobbed it at my head.
Instead of letting that provoke me, I smiled.
He tilted his head up and sniffed the air. My already strained mood turned brittle. If he said I smelled like brownie, I was going to beat the goblin with his own shoe.
“I smell honey.” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“I tried some of the honey I’d been using to feed you. Given the excellence of your work, I’ll shop for a better brand.” Fenris’s skill at misleading was rubbing off on me too much for my own comfort, and I gestured at the rooms. “Megan will be very pleased when she returns.”
“And when might that be?”
“About two more weeks. Perhaps longer.”
He harrumphed and glared at me.
“I’ll just be going then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I hurried from the house and backed out of the driveway under his scrutiny.
Tapping on my steering wheel, I debated what to do next to distract myself. My first choice would have been Ashlyn’s if she were still here. I could have hidden at her house for a few hours and kept her company while eating through her supply of chocolate. Regret and worry hit me hard, and I hoped she wasn’t lonely or hungry wherever she was.
Without Megan or Ashlyn, the only places left to me were the pathetic selection of shops, diners, and the Roost. None of them interested me. Yet, if I didn’t go to the Roost as Adira had subtly ordered, she’d find a way to make me miserable. With the remnants of Piepen’s sparkles eroding every rational thought I possessed, I couldn’t deal with any more misery.
A few minutes later, I parked at the curb. The thump of music echoed in the air as I got out of my car and headed for the red doors.
Inside, a decent-sized crowd had already gathered. I spotted Fenris and his girls dancing in the throng of bodies straight ahead. A troll couple occupied one of the many couches. And farther back, in the booths, I saw Eugene and the sisters, Kelsey and Zoe. Eugene was talking animatedly, his gaze sweeping the crowd. I rolled my eyes and headed that way.
“Hey, Kelsey and Zoe,” I said. “Great work keeping your eyes down. Zoe, could you remind Eugene why it’s not wise to watch the dancers or me?”
The girl flushed, and I heard a thump under the table a second before Eugene winced.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, dropping his gaze to the book in front of him.
“Without Ashlyn here to supervise, you need to remind yourselves of the rules or one of you will be the next to disappear.” I realized I was taking out my frustration on them and took a calming breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come over and scold. Why are you all here? I thought the Council wasn’t requiring this anymore. Especially with Ashlyn…” An ache started in my middle. Would Megan’s fury hold me responsible for all of their fates?
“Hey,” Eugene said. “I’m sure Ashlyn’s okay. She’s been here a long time and knows all the tricks, right? Don’t worry about her, and don’t worry about us.”
“Speak for yourself,” Kelsey whispered. “Zoe and I need someone to worry about us. We’re two tadpoles in piranha-infested waters.”
“What’s this? The humans want to go swimming?” a female voice asked beside me. “I’ll take you out to the lake any time. Just let me know when.”
I glanced back at the mermaid.
“That won’t ever happen, Lannie. Megan would be furious, and I’d tell her exactly who to question.”
Lannie’s face darkened deeper than her natural color.
“The fury doesn’t scare us. We almost had her once.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Your fantasies will only make her job easier when she returns.”
The mermaid’s scowl turned to a slow smile. “Miranda and River have some interesting ideas about what will happen when Megan returns. Think your friendship will save you?”
I said nothing as Lannie turned and walked away, but inside I was quaking. River was the mermaid who Megan had kicked in the face. That she’d been talking to Miranda, the mermaid who’d presumably told Eras about my involvement with the druids, didn’t bode well for me. What were the two of them planning? One call to Megan that I was in some kind of trouble would likely send her running back to Uttira before I found Ashlyn.
“You okay?” Eugene asked. “You look a little pale.”
“Stop looking at her.” Zoe’s words were punctuated with another under-the-table thump.
“I’m fine,” I said, already reaching for my phone. Once it was in my hand, I hesitated. What would I say? Don’t come home until I tell you? Megan would know something’s up. But I needed to tell her something before the mermaids did.
I thought about it for a moment then sent a text.
Me: River, the mermaid you kicked in the face, apparently still holds a grudge. I think they’re going to try to stir up trouble to bring you home sooner. Mom’s still here. Don’t fall for their bait and become a snack. #MeganisFurynotFood
I waited a bit to see if she’d respond. When she didn’t, I put the phone away and looked at Kelsey, who seemed to have the most sense out of the three humans.
“Watch out for the mermaids,” I said softly. “They’re still mad at Megan for saving Ashlyn.”