waiting for you.”
They’re? There was more than one?
I didn’t bother asking her who was with Marvin. I swallowed the boulder lodged in my throat and opened the door.
Einstein was sitting behind his desk and Hawk was leaning on the windowsill with his arms crossed and a harsh look on his face.
“She’s the new pop-up. She’s only a Whimsy but she should suit your purposes, and she’s fresh, as you requested.” Marvin flipped through a folder that I presumed was about me. “You can buy out her contract for fifty coins.”
Fifty? He was worse than the dealers Loris dealt with.
“Fifty is a little steep, don’t you think?” Hawk asked.
Damn straight it was. He’d only paid Spike and Braid ten. Yes, they might’ve been arguing over my monetary worth, but years of haggling to get Loris a better price was scarred into my brain. I’d take affront to being sold later.
“I thought my contract was ten coins? Isn’t that what you paid?” I asked as if I were clueless to what I was doing.
“Ten, huh?” Hawk gave Marvin a stare that said fifty was a joke.
Marvin sneered at me and then looked at Hawk. “I’ve also had transport and training costs.”
Training? What training? What a load of bull.
Hawk looked me up and down as if he’d never seen me before. “Can you light a fire?” With a flick of his wrist, the fireplace went out.
“I’m not sure,” I said. Hawk hadn’t said anything about auditions. What was this crap? This better be part of the negotiations. If he left me here because I couldn’t light a fire, I’d… Well, I’d probably do nothing.
“Can you do it or not?” Hawk asked.
I walked to the fireplace and blew at the logs, the way I did with the dandelions. The only thing that burst into anything was Hawk into laughter.
“We’ve only just begun her training,” Marvin said.
“Training? A toddler knows how to light a fire. What kind of sham are you trying to foist on me?”
Einstein dropped the folder on his desk. “Okay, look, I’ll cut the price to help you out. You can have her for twenty coins.”
The three no-evil monkeys decided to chime in and giggle.
“Twelve, and only because I need a maid. I’d take it if I were you. I could walk out of here with her and give you nothing, and there wouldn’t be a damned thing you could do about it.”
The no-evils’ heads swung to Marvin, nodding in unison. “He’s right,” Speak No Evil said.
“Fifteen,” Marvin countered.
“Deal,” Hawk said.
The monkeys turned and shook each other’s hands.
“But don’t come looking for a refund if she’s dried up in a month. Not my problem.” Marvin turned to me. “Go. You’re his now.”
7
Hawk walked down the hall. I was right behind, not letting light in between where he ended and I started.
“That’s it? I’m out of—”
“Not here.”
Okay. I could wait. Not a problem. There was only one issue with leaving, and it was approaching fast on the door on the left. There was no way I’d disappear on Rabbit. Not only was I saying goodbye, I wouldn’t be saying it for long. I’d figure out what Hawk needed from me and then I’d leverage it to get her out of here, too.
“I need to make a quick stop.”
He paused, glancing over his shoulder. “Fine. You’ve got five minutes to meet me in front.” Hawk left, without even a glance over his shoulder.
I dipped into the dandelion room. Rabbit’s face lit up like it was Christmas and I was Santa. She waited until I got close, past all the listening ears who were watching me as if surprised I was in one piece. The bounce in my step flattened out before I took the seat next to her again. This was going to suck on an epic scale.
“What happened?” she asked.
I’d known Rabbit for barely a day and part of me already wanted to stay so she wouldn’t be alone. That wouldn’t do either of us any good, though. If I didn’t get out, I’d never get her out either. Now to deliver the news.
The longer I remained silent, the more the lines around her eyes crinkled up with worry. I had to get it out, no matter how hard.
“Something very good happened. That guy Hawk, the broker? He bought out my contract. I’m leaving.”
“You’re leaving. That’s good.” She forced a smile, even as her skin looked pale with a greyish hue.
I leaned closer, knowing the room was trying to listen to every word