Page 31 of The Nowhere Witch
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“We’re tense. We need to blow off some steam,” Speak No Evil said, and then hit his little drum.
“Where’d you even find a band set to fit you guys?” I asked.
Speak No Evil shook his head. “We stole it off some kid. She was wasting it on some stupid dolls. Totally ridiculous. If she’s going to treat her things that badly, then she deserved to cry.” He went back to strumming his little guitar.
I choked as the dust bunny hopped onto the arm of the couch. Its little face came nose to nose with mine. Even the dust bunny felt bad for me.
Looked like I was going to be moving back to the broker building, but I wasn’t doing it alone.
If Hawk thought he was going to force me to do things his way and there wouldn’t be a price, he was dearly wrong.
I sat up, coming to terms with what needed to be done.
The monkeys were already perked up and waiting when I turned to them. Turned out, they had done me a favor.
“You got a plan?” Speak No Evil asked.
“She’s definitely got a plan,” See No Evil said.
“Pack it up. We’re bringing everything, especially that stuff”—I pointed to their instruments— “to the broker house. We go tonight.”
“We’re moving to the broker house?” The three monkeys hopped up and down, holding hands and making a little circle.
A small squeak came from the dust bunny, who was sitting on the arm of the couch.
“Oh, you’re coming too. Especially you.”
* * *
We walked to the broker house like the vagabonds we were. I had all my possessions in a bag slung over my back. The monkeys followed in a row, all with their little luggage, except the bad musical equipment, which I’d offered to carry for them. Didn’t want that to get damaged in the move. I wasn’t sure I’d have the stomach to steal some kid’s toy, and they’d be playing a lot if I had my way. The bunny hopped along, trailing behind us, leaving mud in its wake.
I pounded a fist on the door, and it swung open a second later. Why bother waiting for an invite when I’d be living here anyway? Hawk walked out of the back room, as if he’d been waiting. Of course he had. He’d gotten me kicked out and knew I’d be back shortly. He had also probably guessed I wouldn’t wait until the morning to leave.
“I got kicked out, but you probably know that, don’t you?” I stopped on one side of the room. He stopped on the other.
“I do what’s needed. Right now, I need you working on the wall.”
We eyed each other up like the adversaries we were. Or maybe that was my take on it. In his mind, I was still an employee. If he thought that was the way this was going to work, that I’d sit here and willingly take orders, he was drinking fairy juice.
“I guess I can’t work on the wall unless I’m here?” I raised a brow.
“You’ve made quite a few enemies. I can’t let them kill you before it’s done.” He said it with a shrug, as if he was funny.
“I won’t be working onanythingfor you.” He could kick me out right now, too. I’d sleep in the alley before I’d let him boss me around.
“Consider it free rent while you think things over.” He moved to the side, stepping out of the direct line of sight to the door that would lead to my old bedroom.
“I’m not considering anything. I have nowhere else to live.”
He walked over slowly, because Hawk never rushed anywhere. He stopped a couple of feet away, his hands in his pockets, relaxing.
“Then just consider it free rent,” he said.
At least I was killing his humor. He looked to be stewing in a pot of venom, right alongside me. That was something.
“I’ll need an extra room for my companions,” I said, trying to sound like I was all steely resolve instead of wondering if I should’ve fought with the landlord or tried to find somewhere else.