"Ah. Welcome, dearie." Gerda said from the head of the table. "We've been expecting you for quite some time now. I almost thought you'd slipped away." She gestured to the empty seat beside her. "Please have a seat, join us. After all, you are our guest."

Gerda sat alone at the head of a table set for six, a glass of red wine swirled in her hand. The room stretched wide and high, with large windows that looked out onto the shadowy trees outside, faintly illuminated by a dangling chandelier—the only light Hina had seen in the House so far. Paintings lined the walls, and a fire crackled in the hearth against one wall.

Out the window, the stars were beginning to appear, bright points of light hanging over the trees.

Not at all what Hina had expected.

She hesitated in the doorway, then approached the table. The scent of the wine was strong, even from a distance. "Hello, Gerda," she said. She stood awkwardly.

Bruce walked around the table and took the seat next to Gerda, a broad grin on his face. He nodded towards Gerda, but didn't say anything.

"Where's Kai?" Hina asked, looking down at Gerda. "What have you done with him?"

Gerda wore fine robes of deep grey, with a silver chain around her neck. Her twisted staff leaned against the table, a gnarled thing of dark wood spun with threads of silver wire. "He'll be along shortly, I'm sure. No matter—we have much to discuss." She gestured to the empty seat beside her. "Sit."

He was okay, and here. Hina nodded slowly. She supposed she should at least hear what Gerda had to say. "What do we have to discuss?" She pulled out the finely carved wooden chair and sat down.

"The matter of your debt, of course."

Across the table, Bruce grinned. "Bet you didn't see that coming."

"I had considered that matter to be settled," Gerda said, "but given that you are here, I suppose you are not satisfied with the new arrangement. Hmm?"

"I want Kai back. I don't—why did you take him?" Hina asked.

"It's only business, dearie," Gerda said. "When you broke the spirit of our agreement, you forced my hand. I had to take something of equal value. It's only fair, after all."

"Equal value? He's a child!"

"Well, you're here now, I suppose." Gerda took a sip of her wine. "And I assume you have something to offer in exchange for his return?"

"I don't know," Hina said. "What do you want?"

"Kai is settling into his new life rather well," Gerda said. "He's showing signs of being suited to his new role. Of being a compatible and valuable addition to the house. If you wish to offer an alternative, it would need to be a good one."

"Such as?"

"Six years of service to the house."

That was—Hina frowned. "Six years?" Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. "What kind of service?"

"Whatever the house requires, you will do it, without hesitation, question or complaint. Within the terms of a binding contract, of course."

Oh. Now she saw it. Binding being the operative word. After which, people like Olivia would consider themselves duty-bound to kill her. Hina could see the edges of the trap, but... "And if I agree to this, you'll let Kai go?"

"Yes, naturally," Gerda said. "We would have no need of him, and he would be free to do as he wishes."

Hina shook her head. "I don't know." Olivia would—Olivia had abandoned her. Abandoned both of them. "I need time to think about this. And a lot more information."

"But of course." Gerda's crinkled face twisted into something like a smile. "That, after all, is why we are here—to eat and drink and to talk freely. And you are welcome to stay the night, and I will make myself available for further discussion in the morning. Better not to deal with these matters before dinner in any case."

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"But wait, you want me for six years, but Kai—" Hina said. "How long will Kai be here if I decline?"

"As the matter stands, Kai will remain in service to the House for the rest of his life," Gerda said. "Such are the terms of his agreement."

"He agreed to this?"

"Oh, yes."

"But you're willing to let him go if I agree to serve for six years? Why?"

"You're not Kai, my dear," Gerda said. "As it stands, you have greater immediate value to the House."

Hina frowned. "What does that mean?"

"Kai is a child, as you say. He may grow into a person of power some day, who can know the future? Not I. While you have demonstrated potential and power both, even if you still have much to learn."

The door to Hina's right opened, and Kai walked in, followed by an umber-skinned young woman who walked over to the table and took the open seat next to Bruce.

"Hina?! What are you doing here?" Kai stopped in his tracks, staring.

"Kai!" Hina stood and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're okay!" She held him back to check him over—he appeared unharmed beyond a few scrapes and bruises. She pulled him in and hugged him again.

Kai held her tight. "You gotta go now, Hina," he whispered in her ear, sounding urgent. "You gotta get out of here."

"No. I'm getting both of us out," she whispered back. And she meant it. She'd find a way. "Be ready."

She pulled back, walked back to the table and sat down.

After a moment, Kai sat down next to her.

"Well then, here we are," Hina said, awkwardly. "What now?"

"We are waiting for one more," Gerda said. "Ivan will be along shortly."

"Kai—" Hina started.

"—Let's wait for Ivan before getting into it, shall we?" Gerda interrupted. "It's only polite."

"Don't be rude, Hina," Bruce said with a grin. "This magnificent young woman is Nora," he said, pointedly, gesturing.

"Sorry," said Hina. "Pleasure to meet you, Nora. I'm Hina."

The woman next to Bruce nodded back to Hina. Her thick dark hair was trimmed into a finger-length layer over the top of her head, and she wore a simple white blouse and a long grey skirt. She smiled at Hina with a hint of amusement. "Greetings. Hina, your brother has told me much about you."

An older bald man walked in from the left, carrying a big covered serving dish with both hands. His white mustache matched his bushy eyebrows, and he wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and grey suspenders. A familiar man, though Hina couldn't place him right away.

He set the dish down in the center of the table, reaching around Kai. "Be very careful, it's hot. I will return in a moment."

He came back carrying two baskets of fresh bread rolls, one for either end of the table, and then lifted the lid off the dish in the center.

It all smelled savoury and delicious.

"Hina, I'd like to introduce you to my husband, Ivan." Gerda directed a hard look down to the end of the table where he pulled out a chair and sat down between Kai and Nora. "Whom, I believe, you've met already?" Faint disapproval was clear in Gerda's voice. It reminded Hina of her own mother.

And then Hina made the connection. The man in the bakery. "Hello, Ivan," she said. "It's nice to see you again."

"Welcome, Miss Gardiner. Welcome, welcome. And congratulations on making it this far." He winked at her. "You've done very well indeed."

"Uh, thank you?" She hurried to add, "this all looks great, did you prepare it yourself?" Wall's Dinner Party Etiquette says that you should always compliment the cook. And she was beginning to feel more than a little out of her depth.

"Yes, yes. Just a simple meal tonight. But I hope you enjoy it."

"He's been in the kitchen all afternoon," Bruce said. "Working up a storm. I think he knew we had guests coming."

"Did you know I was coming?" Hina asked, thinking of the metal token in her pocket. "How did you know?"

"Oh, just a small premonition, a hunch as it were. Gifts of the House. A good broth takes time. And I do like to keep busy."

"Indeed," Gerda said, frowning. "No matter. It is a pleasure to be able to share the bounty with so many after so long. A prosperous sign for the future of the house." Gerda sipped her wine.

"So, what's for dinner?" Kai asked. He sounded younger somehow.

"Soup. Black olive and lamb," Ivan said, "with taminroot and a few other things. The rolls are fresh-baked, though I must admit that they are a little overproofed. It is my sincere hope that since we have an expert on hand, I can persuade her to be of some assistance. Perhaps some pointers after dinner, if that suits, Hina?"

"Uh, sure," Hina said. "I'd be happy to help. It's been a long time since I've had a chance to use an oven." Even if it was a really strange time to be baking.

"Good, good," Ivan said. "I'll hold you to that." He smiled, and then turned to Gerda, who nodded. "For now, please, everyone go ahead and eat."

Bruce stood began to serve the soup, filling bowls from the large dish in the center of the table. He passed them around, and then sat down again.

Nora filled everyone's glasses with red wine, and refilled Gerda's glass.

When the glasses were filled and the soup was served, Gerda stood, raising her glass. "To the glory of The House," she declared in a loud voice. "May its roots grow deep, may its branches spread wide, that it may share its bounty with all, and bring life to this world and every other." Her words had the ring of a ritual. Gerda drank deeply from her glass, then set it down.

Everyone else raised their glasses and drank, like this was a regular occurrence. Hina hesitated for a moment with the glass to her lips, then took a sip. It filled her mouth with an overpowering harsh taste, which faded to a cool sweetness as she swallowed. It left her feeling warm and a little dizzy. And thirsty for more. Hina set her glass down.