"Amber," I said, putting force in my voice.
"Give me the key." She was dead, right? Did she have to listen to me, too? She hesitated.
I saw her do it.
Then she gave me a bright smile.
"Naughty, Mercy.
Naughty.
You'll be punished for that when I tell Jim." She took the bucket and whistled when she shut the door.
I could hear her whistling all the way up the stairs.
I needed more practice, or maybe there was some trick to it.
I bowed my head and waited for Blackwood to bring the oakman back with my arms crossed over my middle and my head turned away from Chad.
I ignored it when he rattled the cage to catch my attention.
When Blackwood came in, I didn't want him to find me holding Chad's hand or talking to him or anything.
I didn't think there was a rat's chance in a cattery that Blackwood would let Chad live after everything he'd seen.
But I didn't intend to give the vampire any more reason to hurt him.
And if I lowered my guard, I'd have a hard time keeping the fear at bay.
After a time, the oakman stumbled in the door in front of Blackwood.
He didn't look much better than he had when Blackwood had finished with him.
The fae looked a little above four feet tall, though he'd be taller if he were standing straight.
His arms and legs were oddly proportioned in subtle ways: legs short and arms overlong.
His neck was too short for his broad-foreheaded, strong-jawed head.
He walked right into his cell without struggling, as if he had fought too many times and suffered defeat.
Blackwood locked him in.
Then, looking at me, the vampire tossed his key in the air and snatched it back before it hit the ground.
"I won't be sending Amber down with keys anymore." I didn't say anything, and he laughed.
"Pout all you want, Mercy.
It won't change anything." Pout? I looked away.
I'd show him pout.
He started for the door.
I swallowed my rage and managed to not let it choke me.
"So how did you do it?" Vague questions are harder to ignore than specific ones.