"You didn't think Esther had quite enough—"
"Auguste," I called as the two faced-off. A cup of tea was thrust into my face, and Booker grunted, moving to block my view of my vampire and employer.
"Drink."
"Monsieur, I am more than well aware of how thoroughly I have been played in this matter," Magdalena answered coldly.
"You were careless," Auguste snapped.
"I don't deny it."
Jonathon's hand took mine in its cradle, and he caught my eye, lips twitching.
"Were they lovers?" I asked him, and when his eyebrows shot up, I added, somewhat sullenly, "They argue like it."
"We absolutely were not. No vampire would meddle with a witch," Auguste barked at me.
"Hear, hear," Ezra muttered.
Auguste nodded in solidarity before rounding on Magdalena again, his mouth opening in a snarl.
"Would anyone like to know what it said to me?" I asked.
For a moment, I thought I'd done the trick. Everyone spun to me, eyes wide, as if just now remembering that I'd been nearly dragged to my death, and maybe it was for more than just a bit of monstrous sport.
And then Amon burst into the room.
"Oh Lord, here we go," I muttered. Ezra chuckled, and I pinched his arm.
"What on earth happened?" Amon gasped. "What kind of establishment are you running? Have you no care for our property?"
"Property?!" I squawked, feeling as though I was choking again.
"And what is that abominable man doing back here!" Amon snarled and pointed at Ezra.
"This abominable man saved my life, which is, in fact, my own property and no one else's," I snapped, wincing as I struggled to sit up and jostled my own ankle. "Oh, damn this whole conversation. Everyone, sit down!"
Auguste, who was used to seeing my patience at an end and apparently rather fond of it, just bloomed a grin and returned to the edge of the bed. Booker, who had finished passing out tea to those of us who weren't busy arguing unnecessarily, did as well.
Magdalena's lips pursed, but she floated haughtily into a chair. Amon glared at the crowd on my bed—which left him no room to sit anywhere near me—and then around the room that held no more chairs, and instead folded his arms over his chest.
"If you will calm down and keep your mouth shut, everything can be explained in an orderly manner," I said to Amon.
His eyes practically flamed to life, lips curving sharply like a knife. "Very well, my star," he said in a tone that implied I would pay later for saying such things to him.
Which was fine, really. It would be fun. But for now, he was being a horrible beast.
Ezra's touch teased from my jaw down to my shoulder, and I realized suddenly that I was naked under a sheet, which was resting just barely high enough to hide my breasts from the entire room. Not that anyone in here hadn't seen them.
"Could someone pass me a nightdress?" I asked, ignoring the blush rising up my cheeks.
* * *
"That was a wraith, not a demon,"Magdalena said, running a fingertip back and forth over her bottom lip. She'd worked a little charm on the wrappings Jonathon had used on my ankle, so that the bandage was cool one moment, then slowly warmed, and back again. It seemed to keep the worst of the throbbing at bay, combined with Auguste's elegant hands holding it propped up so gently.
"Which explains its skill with illusion," Amon said, pacing back and forth at the end of the bed.
"But not how it was able to warp your good judgment," Auguste said, glaring at Magdalena.
I wiggled my foot in his hand, gritting my teeth against the pain, but it did the trick. Auguste's head ducked in surrender or apology.
"Do these…wraiths have usual allies?" Ezra asked. He was petting me beneath the cover of the sheet, nuzzling against me in that puppy way of his, but I noticed that as constant as the offerings of affection were, they were a bit more determined when Amon was looking in our direction. My wicked invisible man was intentionally trying to cause trouble.
"Quite the opposite," Magdalena said, frowning. "Whoever its master is, they have the wraith in a powerful thrall to convince them to do their bidding."
"You'll call in reinforcements?" Dr. Underwood asked her.
"Absolutely." Magdalena looked between us and then arched an eyebrow. "Any other questions for me?"
"I'd like to remove Esther to my new home," Amon said.
"No," I said before anyone else got an opportunity.
Auguste hummed and glanced between us, but it was Magdalena who spoke up. "It might be safer until we know the aims of our intruder."
Ezra was stiff behind me, and Booker was frowning, but both Underwood and Auguste looked as though they might agree with the idea.
"Your objections?" Amon said, teeth gritted, and a more serious offense sharpening the edges of his face.
I took a deep breath and met his eyes, but I was too afraid to say what I was thinking so I turned to Magdalena instead. "Did you feel compelled to send me to the grotto?"
Magdalena shook her head. "No, I asked two others first, but they weren't interested."
I nodded and turned back to Amon. "I don't believe I'm in any more danger than any of the other women here. And can you honestly tell me that if I stay with you, you will be welcoming and fair to the others?"
"Fair is relative," Amon growled.