She poured tea into three chipped cups and covered each of them with a cloth, tying it around the rim with a length of twine.
“Don’t spill it,” she said. “You don’t have the time to waste coming back for more.”
“We’ll do our best,” Solomon replied.
Celia returned to the common room and took her cup without a word. She moved toward the door, then stopped. She turned and walked back quickly to Greta, setting her cup down and wrapping the woman in a fierce hug.
“Thank you for everything,” Solomon heard her whisper. “I’ll find her if I can.”
“I know you will, dear,” Greta said, batting back the tears. “And send my old man home to me.”
“Promise,” Celia replied.
Then she picked up her cup and walked from the house without another word.
For his part, Solomon stopped to say goodbye to Christoph and the rest.
“You guys behave, right? And help Greta.”
“We will,” Christoph said. “But we could come, too. No one knows the city better than us.”
“I know that,” Solomon smiled. “And that’s why you’re staying. Watch out for her. And help Friedrich when he comes back.”
Christoph nodded. “We will.” He swallowed and then leaned in closer. “Thanks,” he whispered. “For the other kids, I mean. They were getting…” He trailed off, seemingly unsure of what to say.
“You’ve done great by them,” Solomon whispered back. “They’re lucky to have you. I’ll see you again.”
The boy nodded sharply once and stepped back, offering Solomon his hand. Solomon shook it, smiled once more, and followed Friedrich to the door, tucking the mask into his belt.
♦ ♦ ♦
“That’s it, huh?” Solomon stared at the boarded-up windows and closed door.
“Yep. It gives you the creeps, doesn’t it?” Celia said.
Solomon didn’t reply. In truth, he felt nothing. It was a large, old building with its better days behind it. Inside, there might be evil, but from here it was only a building.
He didn’t want it to sound like he was disagreeing with Celia, though. She had been silent on the way here and he could feel the icy disapproval coming from her. He didn’t know what it was about, only that it was directed at him.
When this was over, when they were back in the Greenweald and she’d had time to adjust, they’d talk. Even if they couldn’t be together, at least they could be friends. That much, he was sure of.
“All right,” he said, “let’s go.”
The three climbed the steps, and this time, the door opened easily, as if whatever force was inside the place knew it was useless to try to keep them out. Solomon noticed that Friedrich was sweating and breathing rapidly as they passed into the front room.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Great,” Friedrich replied. “Let’s get this done.”
Solomon patted his shoulder and started to move, but Celia pushed past him.
“This way,” she said, crossing the room and opening the door on the other side.
The hallway stretched before them, the door at the end open. The three others were all firmly closed, with only silence coming from behind them.
They walked down the hall, Friedrich holding his cudgel in one hand and his tea in the other. Moments later, they were at the stairs, peering down into the darkness of the lower level.
“Pretty dark, I’d say,” Solomon said. “Time for tea?”
He removed the cover from his cup and lifted it to his lips. It was still hot and smelled faintly of cloves and some other slightly spicy fragrance that he couldn’t identify. His sip sent an intense, herbal flavor washing through his mouth. It was ridiculously good and he couldn’t stop himself from taking another larger gulp.
Friedrich was doing the same, pure bliss on his face. Celia hadn’t even taken the cover from hers.
“Drink up,” Solomon told her. “It’s very good.”
“I’ll wait,” she said. “What if it wears off quickly?”
“Hadn’t thought of that,” he replied. “Good call.”
It was, and he was a little embarrassed that he really hadn’t thought of it. His confidence in Yag-Morah was such that it never occurred to him that her gift would be anything less than exactly what was needed.
He looked down the stairwell again, and, this time, could clearly see the cobblestone floor below. It wasn’t as if he were seeing it in broad daylight, but as if he could see through the darkness itself.
“Race you,” he said to Friedrich, and walked rapidly down the winding staircase, the other man on his heels.
He felt wonderful. They’d open the door below, find out what was in there, deal with it, and return Lyssa to her parents, as well as everyone else that was taken. And he was sure that was case. It didn’t make sense those who were stolen were actually turned into the hunters. No, they were in there somewhere, and Solomon would free them.
Then, they could all go back and have some of Greta’s fantastic cooking. Stay there for a short time before returning to the Greenweald.
The thought of having to take over as Head of House Towering Oaks caused a momentary grimace, but then it occurred to him that maybe Shireen would have grown into the role and would want to continue. That would be fine with him! That way he could spend more time healing the rift that had opened between him and Celia. When that was done, well …. what else was there, really?
The door at the bottom of the stairs was exactly as Celia described it. Thick wood with heavy iron straps running across it. He pulled on it slightly and found that was as she said, too. Stuck fast, with no sign of give.
He waited for her to come down the stairs, moving more slowly than he and Friedrich had. He smiled at the other man while they waited for her.
“Well,
