Page 141 of Beyond the Cottage

She dropped her head to his shoulder. “Anyway. Nat gets by. But I always felt we were kindred spirits, or something. That’s why I always wanted to help him undo the spell so badly.”

“I understand. My repellent holds more significance than a simple business investment.” Ansel’s perspective on the manremained shoddy at best, but he’d put his heart into the demonstration.

The carriage stopped and they got out. They walked a short, crowded promenade bustling with men in suits and ladies holding parasols that matched their gowns.

Ansel felt like a hayseed beside Gretta. She wore a simple navy skirt with an unadorned blouse, yet still looked like she kept the keys to the city in her reticule.

They wove between people of various species. Like Antrelle, the capitol was more diversely populated than the rest of Merecia. Gretta waved at a woman wearing a traditional, diaphanous fairy gown and nodded at two men with slitted pupils. They tipped their bowler hats at her.

“Are these politicians?” Ansel asked.

“A few. But on weekends, it’s mostly tourists.”

They entered the capitol through massive oak doors. Gretta flashed a paper badge at the flustered woman behind a desk. The woman waved them off and continued arguing with two goblins.

Gretta took Ansel’s arm, leading him to the building’s soaring atrium. His breath caught. He’d never seen anything so…grand.

The dome was made of plate glass that bathed the space in sunlight. It even smelled stately, like wood polish and parchment. The marble floor had a red carpet running down the center, its color as vivid as fresh blood.

When Ansel’s feet stuttered, Gretta tugged him along.

“Come on,” she said. “We can sightsee another time.”

They climbed a double staircase and trekked through hallways lined with glossy benches and potted ferns. She led him through a door, into an anteroom with an empty desk, then through another door to what he presumed was the senator’s office.

Aside from a blue carpet, the room was as colorless as the senator’s name, and it appeared unoccupied. Then Ansel’s eyes landed on an antique monstrosity of a chair behind the desk.

The chairmoved.

“Nat,” Gretta said, sweeping her hand. “Meet Ansel Wallenfang. Ansel, this is Senator Grey.”

Chapter 49

Gretta watched Ansel’s reaction with morbid interest. She’d gotten used to Nat’s appearance a long time ago, but she remembered how jarring it could be at first.

Ansel collected himself quickly. He sat beside her on the leather sofa, close enough that their legs touched.

Nat’s carved eyes looked him over. “So. This is the dust thief.”

“He’s thescientist,” Gretta said. “The one who’s going to make you even more godawfully rich.”

“Indeed? I’d like to say it’s a pleasure, Mr. Wallenfang, but I don’t generally smile on men who incarcerate my friends.”

Ansel didn’t flinch. “I’d like to say I have a reasonable defense. Unfortunately, I don’t.”

“Brave of you to show your face in my city, then. I can’t decide if her bringing you here makes her underhanded or addled.”

“There isnothingwrong with her.”

“Underhanded, then.” Nat’s arms creaked as he settled them on the desk. “I don’t bother with the police. I’ve a mind to call in a favor and ask one of my former associates to deal with you.”

“Please do. They’re probably old friends of mine.”

Gretta sighed. “Can we skip this part, please? No one’s asking you idiots to pal around over weekend brunch. You’re both here to help each other.”

Silence greeted her. After a few ticks of Nat’s grandfather clock, she sensed a slight dip in the room’s hostile energy.

“Alright,” Nat said. “As a favor to Gretta, I’ll entertain a demonstration of your product without bias.”

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