Part 88 (1/2)
The steps were empty.
”I thought I told you not to open that while I was gone.” Claire stepped out of her sitting room as he jerked back and closed the door. ”What was out there?”
”The ghost of my granddad.”
”He's dead? Sorry, stupid question.” She went out into the lobby and searched his face. ”It wasn't actually him, you know.”
”Yeah. I know.”
”You don't look so good. Maybe you should go to bed.”
”Will they keep coming?”
”Yes. Probably until dawn.”
He lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. ”Then I'll stay.”
”What was that?”
”Fachan. They've gone back to the cla.s.sics.”
”That roast was for tomorrow's supper.”
”Trust me, he wouldn't have been happy with candy.”
Dawn seemed a long time coming.
”Any candy left?”
Claire tipped the bowl up on its side and tried to focus on the contents. Half a dozen empty wrappers fell out. ”Looks like I've finished it.”
”What were those last two things again.”
”An ogre and a Duergar. Why?” She blew a weary bubble.
Dean pulled off his gla.s.ses and rubbed his eyes. ”Did you really spin straw into gold?”
”It was going around in a circle, so technically it was spinning.” The Duergar hadn't been entirely happy, but since it had the treat, it couldn't trick. The ogre, on the other hand, had ripped the railing out around the area and tossed it and the hotel sign out into the street. Treating an ogre meant feeding it dinner.
Ogres were man-eaters. The trick was knowing that.
Austin lifted his head off his paws and yawned. ”Sun's up. And the candle just went out.” He leaped off the windowsill as the pumpkin collapsed in on itself, smoking slightly.
Shoving his gla.s.ses back on approximately where they belonged, Dean stood and headed for the door. ”I think I'll get that stuff off the road before there's an accident.”
Dragging herself up onto her feet, Claire waited a moment until the world stopped spinning. ”I think I'll go throw up.”
THAT'S IT? YOU SCARED THEM A TIME OR TWO AND YOU DID A LITTLE DAMAGE AND YOU TIRED THEM OUT, BIG DEAL. THE KEEPER FIELDED EVERYTHING YOU THREW AT HER AND NEVER ONCE DREW POWER FROM LOWER THAN THE MIDDLE OF THE POSSIBILITIES.
SO LET'S SEE YOU DO BETTER. The rest of h.e.l.l sounded miffed.