“She’s probably just making stuff up to get Aaron mad. You can let go of me.” Fifer yanked her arm from Thisbe’s grasp.

Thisbe raised her hands in defense. “All right. Sorry. Do what you want. I’m . . . I’m going inside to help Henry.” Troubled, she turned away.

Just then Crow came running up. “Thisbe, are you okay?” He seemed confused by the fake blood on her dress and the fact that a dagger stuck out from her chest. He hadn’t seen anything other than glass fall from the windows. “You’re covered in blood!”

“This is my costume,” Thisbe said. “I’m not hurt.”

“Oh,” said Crow, relieved. “That’s good.” Scarlet came up behind him with a cut on her cheek and a small splotch of blood staining her white-blond hair. The two appeared otherwise unharmed. “Henry is desperate for help inside. Are you coming?”

“Yes, I was just on my way there.” Thisbe started toward the door.

Fifer glanced over her shoulder at Kaylee and Aaron and the group of angry dissenters. Then she looked at Seth. “Maybe I’ll stay and help Aaron. It seems like he needs it.”

Seth shrugged. “Kaylee can handle Frieda Stubbs. And it’s not the worst idea for you to be seen helping the injured—after all, you caused this.”

Fifer cringed. She didn’t need that reminder. “Right. Let’s go help Henry.” They followed Crow and Scarlet into the mansion and went to the chaotic hospital ward. The place was overflowing.

“Does anybody know how to make this room bigger?” Henry called out as they went in. “Alex always used to do it.”

“I’ll get Lani,” shouted someone near the door. “She’ll probably know how.”

Soon Lani was there to cast the spell that made the hospital ward much larger. Beds fell from the walls and supply stations dropped from the ceilings. Talon, who seemed uncharacteristically winded, helped the waiting injured go inside. Carina began to direct the worst of them to the new beds.

The mansion was a mess, but at least the injured people were all being cared for. Thisbe and the others did what they could to stop the bleeding while Henry and the nurses came around with their magic-infused herbs and medicines and applied them to the cuts.

After an hour, Talon limped out of the hospital ward to help Florence and Lani clean up the entryway. As the bronze giant came toward them, Lani glanced at his feet and did a double take. “Talon! Are you . . . ?” She halted, then stared again, like she couldn’t believe her eyes. “You’re . . . bleeding.”

Dance Party

Talon stopped cold. “What? Where?”

“Your ankle,” said Lani, pointing.

“He can’t be,” said Florence. “He’s made of bronze. He probably just got someone else’s blood on him.”