Belinda seemed a little offended. “Well, if you don’t like it, that’s not a problem. If Kyrine accepts you, then you will be able to change it as you see fit.”

I blinked a few times as the massive implications of what she’d just said came home to me.

“Hold on a minute, let me get this straight, once and for all,” I said. “You’re saying that if I’m the Keeper, then this entire mansion will be mine to do with as I please? And that Kyrine can change it at will, according to my instructions?”

Belinda nodded. “That’s correct.”

“Wow…” I let out a long, slow breath. “And all I have to do is just convince Kyrine to like me. I don’t want to end up like the other Keepers.”

“Or the burglars,” Astrid muttered.

“Burglars?” I asked.

Belinda said, “The team who found Kyrine hiding in suburbia were not the first to stumble upon the mansion. A group of opportunistic thieves believed the mansion was unoccupied. They were very wrong.”

“Did they…?

“None got out alive. Kyrine devoured them.”

“Can’t say I blame her,” I said. “I’m all for the castle doctrine. Still, I’m hoping Kyrine doesn’t view me the same way.”

“I’m hoping the same thing,” Astrid said quietly, almost a whisper. She was looking at me with wide eyes. She seemed genuinely concerned for me.

I didn’t like the slight sound of fear in Astrid’s voice. Less than an hour ago, I’d seen her stare down the barrel of a spell-rifle without the slightest trace of fear. Whatever scared her was bound to be trouble. Sure, she’d been somewhat jovial when referring to Kyrine earlier, but now that she was in the mansion, any sign of levity was gone.

Belinda nudged her. “He’ll be fine,” she said reassuringly to Astrid. “Kyrine likes him already. Look at her showing off with the candles, and making sure he saw her monster paintings. None of the others got that kind of treatment.”

She smiled at me, but it looked a bit forced. Then she put a hand on my shoulder and urged me toward the stairs. “You should get moving and introduce yourself to Kyrine before she changes her mind. Go on. The dungeon core is located in the cellar. That’s where you need to go. You can find the entrance behind the staircase over there.”

”I think I hear Kyrine’s stomach growling,” Astrid said. “Keep your rifle.”

I glanced at the magitech MP5 in my hand. Would it do any good, I wondered, against whatever tests Kyrine might decide to throw at me? Well, I’d keep it anyway.