Crouched in the bush for the second night, Mouse hunkered down, avoiding the worst of the poky branches now that he knew where they were. Behind him, Cel huddled out of sight, carefully tucked into the back half of the illusion spell they’d cast to make the bush a little bigger and easier to hide in.

“You know, I’m starting to think you might be a voyeur,” Cel commented.

Mouse shot her a dead stare.

Cel shrugged. “This is your second night crouching in a bush outside a young lady’s windows. What am I supposed to think?”

“That I’m deep in an investigation and seconds away from catching the perpetrator?”

“Mmm, sure,” Cel said, nodding. “Sure.”

Mouse rolled his eyes. “It’s not the worst rumor I’ve heard about me.”

“And what do you consider the worst?” Cel asked curiously.

Halfway to opening his mouth, Mouse caught himself. Am I really about to tell Cel about the rumor concerning myself, Felix, and the ‘purification?’ She’ll tease me forever. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

Cel chuckled. “Is it the one about you and Felix? I don’t think that’s so bad. No one’s going to suspect anything with that kind of rumor flying around.”

Mouse sighed. “Thanks, Cel.”

Cel shifted slightly, stretching sore legs. “It’s been hours since sundown. We’ve got to be approaching midnight. Are you sure something’s going to happen?”

Biting his lip, Mouse glanced at Clarita’s long-dark window again. “Not sure. But pretty sure.”

“You’d better be damn well ‘pretty sure’ to drag me out here to spend another night in the bush,” Cel muttered.

“You don’t have to come. You could always let me wander unsupervised,” Mouse suggested.

Cel narrowed her eyes. “Dayander would have my head.”

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Mouse sighed dramatically and shrugged. “Then I guess you’re stuck out here with me.”

Motion. Mouse fell silent and raised his hand. Cel stiffened, equally silent. Two pairs of silver eyes trained on the window.

A dark figure leaped to the window. Cel frowned and leaned toward Mouse. At a whisper, she asked, “Brittany?”

Mouse shook his head. He tensed, rising up on his toes.

The figure half-stood and glanced around. White flashed under the moonlight. A skull, bare in the pale light. Mouse narrowed his eyes. “As I suspected. Achlys. With the bad blood between them, and her taking Brittany’s place, and the pointing… Mari pointed at Brittany, but Achlys stood beside her the whole time. I figured she’d make a move if she heard Brittany wasn’t breaking out, and who else would she strike than the one Brittany was most worried about, the one Brittany could not possibly ignore? Clarita.”

Achlys turned to the window and fiddled with something. The window swung open. She slipped inside.

Mouse jumped up and ran for the wall. Ties held his dress up, out of the way of his legs. Cel chased after him. He grabbed at a trellis and hoisted himself up, dug his feet into the metal beams and pushed himself up, jumped, and grabbed the ledge. He scrambled over the window’s edge as Achlys reached Clarita’s bedside.

“Clarita!” Mouse shouted.

Achlys whipped around, brilliant white hair and pure black hair lashing against her face. She snarled at him, big canines bared.

In the bed, Clarita sat up, fully dressed, a sword in her hand, Mari huddled behind her. Narrowing her eyes at Achlys, she growled, “Back!”

Achlys glanced at Mouse, glanced at Clarita, then charged at Clarita. Over her shoulder, she hissed at Mouse, “You won’t get in the way of my ascension!”

“It’s already over! Give it up!” Mouse snapped. He charged toward Clarita, his stomach growing cold. Shit. She’s too close. She’ll get there long before me.

Clarita brandished her sword. Suddenly, Mari lunged. She grabbed Clarita’s arm and wrested the sword out.

“Mari!” Clarita shouted, startled.

Eyes a blank white, Maria twitched. She grabbed onto Clarita’s other arm and pulled her arms behind her. Clarita struggled, but not hard, afraid to hurt Mari.

“That’s a good ghoul! Hold her still!” Achlys cackled.

Mouse threw his hand out. Magic whirled to his fingertips, then stuttered and died out. A sharp pain bit through his gut, and he crumpled. Dammit, the blight! Now?

“Mouse!” Cel shouted. She caught him before he hit the floor. Mouse tried to get his feet under him, but they refused to obey. All he could do was watch, paralyzed by the pain.

Achlys grabbed Clarita by the shoulder and head and opened her mouth. Tipping Clarita’s head back, she leaned in for the bite.

A dark spiral of bats whirled past him. From out of the mess of wings and shining dark eyes, a pale hand wrapped around Achlys’ neck and threw her backward. She stumbled back, away from Clarita.

The bats swirled beside Clarita. Brittany formed out of the shadows of their fluttering wings, a hand between Clarita and Achlys. “Keep your hands off.”

Achlys hissed, her white hair ruffled, stray strands chasing across her skull-face. “How dare you. You stole my throne! Give it back, usurper!”

“Never,” Brittany replied evenly.