As we quietly picked at our breakfast the next morning, I realized a presence I’d just barely become accustomed to was absent.

“Where’s Lynn?”

Ara stood alone in the corner, watching our interactions with a sharp eye. “She was reassigned where her talents are more warranted.”

“Why? She was doing fine here.” Even if we couldn’t speak openly in the house, Lynn was good at creating topics that we could discuss.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Master. I assure you, I will address your every need to your utmost satisfaction.” Ara grinned and bowed. “Whatever that may be.”

“Hey, we get it. Your snatch is open for business. Just stand quietly over there and let me eat,” Ravyn snapped.

Ara flushed, and her smile vanished. She averted her gaze and instead focused on dusting the already immaculately clean furniture.

Keke hid a grin behind one hand. Cannoli stared at Ravyn in horror.

I cleared my throat. “So, what new adventure should we have today?”

“I saw a shop yesterday I’d like to visit,” Cannoli replied timidly. “There were stuffed bunnies in the window. And games!”

A toy store in business with no man present? They’re not very good at hiding him. “Sure, we can check that out.”

“Hmm,” Ravyn tapped a finger against her teacup. “Is there a store for Cooking supplies?”

Ara remained silent.

“Ara ara!” Ravyn snapped, then paused, snickering at the irony. “Ara, you can speak now.”

Ara worked her jaw. “Yes, Miss. Indeed there is. Stationed by the Tailor.”

“Oh! What about Fishing?” Keke asked.

“Yes, Miss. Close to the dock,” Ara said flatly.

“Can we go there, too?” Keke’s eyes shined.

“I don’t see why not.” Better to fill the time with something while we figured out how to navigate the damn school. I finished my drink and stretched. “Let’s get started?”

Keke crooned over her new shiny tackle box as we browsed the store dedicated to Cooking. Sharpened utensils, expensive gadgets, and pots and pans lined the walls and shelves. Cannoli ooh’d and aww’d over every little thing like a kid in a candy store.

“Cannoli, come here,” Ravyn called, ushering Cannoli to a long display of pans.

Cannoli shuffled over to Ravyn’s side, staring at the options in wonderment. She traced the outline of one with her fingertips and shivered. “These are so nice.”

“Pick one,” Ravyn said.

Cannoli’s eyes nearly burst out of her head. “What?”

“You can’t feed this one to wrigglewrots, understand?” Ravyn stroked the quivering Ball on her shoulder.

“I-I couldn’t possibly. They’re too expensive!” Cannoli glanced at the price tags and shook her head. “I can find one on Ni—”

“What about this one?” Ravyn lifted a jet-black cast-iron beast with an inner lining that looked stainless steel. “It’s made of two different metals. That’s impressive craftsmanship.”

“Might I suggest a piece that is more novice-friendly?” Celestia appeared from behind the counter.

What the fuck? She wasn’t there ten seconds ago.

Keke moved to my side and whispered. “Why is she here?”

I shook my head.

Ravyn twirled the pan in her wrist, locking her gaze with Celestia’s.

Christ, please don’t hit her with the pan.

“It’s not for me, madame,” Ravyn spat.

“Yes, so I heard. You wish to purchase one for your friend?” Celestia grinned. “I can only imagine the quality of Cooking from a minor outlying island like Ni.”

“Her Cooking is better than any of the shit I have eaten here,” Ravyn countered.

“Oh! Might I suggest returning home post-haste, then? If we are not to your satisfaction?” Celestia clasped her hands at her chest. “We live to serve and fulfill your desires, Miss. We are a people of culture. I can understand the disconnect.”

“She’s ruthless,” I murmured. Keke nodded.

“R-Ravyn, it’s okay,” Cannoli whimpered.

“Give me the most expensive one you have,” Ravyn demanded.

Celestia peered down her long nose, eyes sparkling through the tiny frames of her glasses. “I am not certain you can afford such a piece.”

“Oh? Now it’s your job to assume?” Ravyn cackled. “I’d appreciate it if you'd wrap it nicely, too. It’s a gift after all.” She strode proudly to the checkout counter and seized a hefty bag of Bells from her [Cat Pack], holding them aloft and wiggling the pouch back and forth. “We can count them together if it’s too difficult for you.”

The haughty, prideful expression on Celestia’s face dwindled for a split second when Ravyn pulled out the Bells. She pursed her lips, seemingly holding back the things she really wanted to say, but it was clear she’d lost this fight. She procured a pan from the higher shelves and briefly showed it to Cannoli.

While any good salesman would have lived for the pitch, Celestia’s fell flat. “This piece is crafted from an advanced steel alloy. It contains a copper core, which distributes heat more evenly. The lid is perfectly shaped to fit only this pan.”

Cannoli’s excitement bubbled over all the same. She covered her mouth and looked from the pan to Ravyn, and back to the pan. “Really?” she squeaked.

“Let’s go, Celestia. Time is money.”

Keke and I watched in stunned shock as Ravyn counted out the Bells and Cannoli squealed in happiness.

Once they’d checked out, Ravyn handed the pan to Cannoli. “Just cook me another dinner with it,” she grumbled.

Cannoli carefully placed the delicately wrapped pan into her [Cat Pack], then tackled Ravyn in a tight embrace. “Thank you so much.”

Ravyn tensed, then hooked her arms around Cannoli’s back in a maneuver that avoided as much contact as possible. “Er, you’re welcome.”

“Holy shit,” Keke whispered.

“Took the words right out of my mouth.”

We escaped Celestia’s furious huffs and made our way to the other shop Cannoli wanted to see. It was definitely a toy shop: wooden cars, rubber balls, games, and brightly drawn pictures. Cannoli squeaked in excitement and disappeared between the shelves. Keke, Ravyn, and I hung back.

“Strange to have toys for a place with no kids,” Keke whispered.

“I was thinking the same thing,” I replied. I looked at Ravyn, who was whispering unintelligible words to Ball. “Is he okay? He’s seemed really weird since we got here.”

Ravyn shook her head. “Bally’s sensitive to magic. And it is crawling all over this city.”

I remembered Ferdinand and his insanely emotional parroty reactions to my mom leaving the house too early or returning too late. Ball’s non-stop trembling began to make more sense. As much as I still didn’t care for parrots in general, I’d grown pretty attached to the bright blue feathered member of our party.

“Hey, is that seriously her again?” Keke motioned behind the counter.

Celestia stood at attention, watching Cannoli peruse and test various games on Buttons.

“She wasn’t following behind us on the way here,” Ravyn murmured. “I had Ball keep an eye out.”

“So, what, she’s a better [Assassin] than Naeemah?” I asked, picturing Celestia sneaking through bushes and behind buildings beneath our attention.

“Or she always knows where we are,” Ravyn hummed. “I think we’ve figured out what else that Enchantment does.”

Keke rubbed a hand over her face. “I just had to touch the bell.”

I shrugged. “We didn’t know.”

“We might be able to use this to our advantage,” Ravyn continued. “Matt and I haven’t been affected, and I think Celestia knows.”

“Seems like that’s getting to her,” I chuckled.

“What do we do?” Keke asked.

Cannoli bounced back to us, a giant smile plastered on her lips and a parcel in her hand. From it, she retrieved a fluffy blue parrot plush that could have been Ball’s twin. “I got this for you, Ravyn. As a thank you for my pan!”

Ravyn carefully accepted the plushie parrot, blinking as she studied it. She blushed and cuddled it to her chest. “Thank you.”

“Yay! You’re so welcome!” Cannoli cheered.

Emotions I’d never seen cross Ravyn’s face took their time with her features as she idly stroked the plushie’s soft fur. Keke and I exchanged glances before stepping outside the shop to give them space.

“Weird day for Ravyn,” Keke whispered.

I nodded. “Not a bad one, though.”

“No. Not at all.” She leaned her head against my arm, snaking her fingers through mine. “Hey, can I see you later tonight?”

My heart sped, and I grinned like an idiot. “Yeah, of course.”

“Alright, break it up,” Ravyn called. She and Cannoli joined us outside before she lowered her voice. “I have a plan.”

We had little way of knowing where Celestia would be lurking, so our only option was to wait until nightfall. After dinner and Ara excusing herself for the evening, Keke and Cannoli stayed in the house while Ravyn and I left through one of the back doors, careful not to make any noise that could possibly alert our housemaid. We trekked behind estates once we were outside, avoiding the main path, using the tall hedges and enormous trees for cover. It felt wrong romping through the manicured lawns, but what about this place didn’t feel wrong?

There were lamp posts along the sidewalk that dimly illuminated the backyard, but Ravyn and I both hugged the shadows just in case a certain madam had a sudden stroke of insomnia and patrolled the streets.

“You said we should get a layout of this place. But how?” I whispered while we moved. “They’re not going to let us inside.”

“No. I just need to get Bally in there,” Ravyn murmured.

Ball flew overhead, a dark shadow against the moon. I imagined he was stoked to be so far away from the Enchantment hell.

“Ball?” I asked.

“Mm. [Farsight] will let me map the rooms. If I get lucky, we’ll find the guy.”

We hunkered down across from the school behind a line of hedges shaped like stars. “How do we get him through the door?”

“We wait.”

This could be a long night.

I shifted to a more comfortable position on my knees, ensuring that I still had a clear view of the door between two points of a star. Ravyn followed suit, smoothing her dress in her lap.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn’t exactly awkward, but her thigh touching mine was hot and shapely and—

Not right now, Kelmer. I forced my eyes away, returning my focus to the school. “That was really cool what you did for Cannoli.”

“Cannoli fed her fucking pan to roaches. Who does that?” Despite her sour words, Ravyn chuckled. “She needed a new one.”

“Still, though. You’ve done nice things for all of us, really.” I feigned a quiet gasp. “Are you going to drop the F-bomb on us?”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed. “Don’t think you’re that lucky. Not yet.”

“So, you’re saying there’s a chance?”

She lightly bumped her shoulder against mine. “Baka.”

The creaking sound of a door snapped both of us to attention. A catgirl with tied-back hair smoothed her apron and stepped out onto the porch.

“Kehehehe. There we are,” Ravyn snickered, then pointed to the sky.

I followed her hand, and, as if on cue, Ball Gag performed an impressive nosedive into the school’s backyard. His bright blue outline glimmered in the moonlight before vanishing behind the building.

“[Displace]!” Ravyn hissed.

The girl on the porch disappeared, replaced by a preening, unfazed Ball.

“Go, Ball,” Ravyn whispered.

Ball flapped inside, rising high past the door frame.

The bushes around the yard rustled, and the catgirl stumbled through, whipping her head back and forth and brushing the leaves from her skirt.

“Annabelle! Are you fucking with me again?” she cried. “The madam will have your ass!”

Wow. Much etiquette.

Ravyn closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders. “[Farsight].”

The catgirl visibly shivered beneath the cone of lamplight and covered her chest with both arms. “Annabelle! I swear to fucking Saoirse if you don’t stop this! ” she squeaked.

Very manners.

I remembered very well the feeling of [Farsight] from San Island. Like something was stripping and scanning your entire body inside and out.

“Come on, c’mon, c’mon,” Ravyn whispered and shivered.

“Anything?”

One curt shake of her head. “I have the hallways mapped out but,” her words cut short, and she grinned. “Found him.”

“Great, get Ball out of there.” I was afraid if the maid-in-training went back inside, we wouldn’t have an easy time explaining why Ravyn’s very identifiable parrot was inside Venicia’s School of Etiquette.

“[Displace]!” Ravyn murmured.

The catgirl vanished once again, and Ball returned to the sky without hesitation.

“Annabelle!” the shriek echoed through the manor.

“We’d better go before she wakes up the whole damn city,” I said, hustling to my feet. “Nicely done.”

“What did you expect, boy? I’m the real Master here.” Ravyn snickered and stood. “Back to the house, then.”

The four of us once again sat around the dining table with a stack of parchment and quills for each of us. Cannoli had brought along Buttons and one of the toys she must have purchased from the earlier shop. A tiny wooden ball and an object shaped a lot like a miniature soccer goal.

I was able to map the entirety of the school with [Farsight]. I have located the young man of this island. -Ravyn

Nice going, Ravyn! You’re amazing! :D -Cannoli

Cannoli propped the wooden ball in front of Buttons, watching as he rolled it with his face between the posts and into the net. She squeaked with happiness, then clapped her hands over her mouth.

Keke stifled a laugh before scribbling her piece.

Yeah, good job. So, what’s next? -Keke

Ravyn tapped her quill against the table in thought.

Buttons swapped his face for his tail, shooting an impressive goal. Damn, he’s better at sports than I ever was.

Before we can try even talking to him, we need to break the Enchantments on both of you. If Celestia finds us inside, our time on this island is done. -Ravyn

How do we do that? Buttons spun in place, adding a flare to his next tail shot. Oh my gosh! Buttons is so good at this! Ah! -Cannoli

Neither of us has touched the bells since we talked about it, but Celestia found us just fine. -Keke

Yes, your fire-lizard can aptly use the ten brain cells the goddess gifted him with. And unless we can get the caster of the Enchantment to break it, we need to find [Dispel] scrolls or potions that will do it. -Ravyn

I think Buttons is pretty great. Anyway, do any of you have stuff that can [Dispel] with you? -Matt

The note made its way around the table, and the girls shook their heads. Buttons made another shot but missed. Keke blocked it with her palm and carefully reached across the table to replace it in front of Buttons’ scaly body.

I have not seen a magic shop in Venicia. But we can ask the locals tomorrow. -Ravyn

Wouldn’t it be okay if just Matt and Ravyn talked to him? -Cannoli

Yeah. We could keep guard or stay here again. -Keke

I don’t see why not. -Matt

What if he does decide to come with us? Do you think they will let him go so willingly? Or, if they do, would we truly want them to know our location as we travel? It is too much of a gamble. We would have to [Dispel] the Enchantments on him as well. -Ravyn

You think they would follow us? :o -Cannoli

Celestia does seem pretty damn determined. I think Ravyn’s right. -Keke

I had nothing of merit to add to the conversation. I pulled the goal post further away from Buttons and gestured for him to try again. He scooped the ball up with his tongue, tossed it into the air, then swatted it with his tail. It flew into the net with a tiny swish, and I pumped a fist for him.

Matt! Quit playing with the lizard and pay attention! Alright, let us locate the nearest magic shop before we attempt to intercept our target. Once we know we can [Dispel] these Enchantments, we can continue our plan. -Ravyn

Okie! -Cannoli P.S. Great job, Buttons!

Sounds good. -Keke

I am paying attention! That’s fine! -Matt

We nodded our silent agreement and packed up our writing implements. I handed Cannoli the net, and she scooped Buttons onto her shoulder with tiny praises and scritches. Scratches. Dammit.

Keke moved to my side and looked up at me with a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She slid her fingertips down my forearm, and a trail of goosebumps followed. I returned her smile and gave her a quick nod.

The night wasn’t over yet.