Elliot stood first, dragging Kane up with him. Adeline followed and, after a stiff nudge, Ursula stumbled up, too. Poesy, dressed in a fur-fringed house coat, watched with bright eyes across the room. In her hands was a tea tray, the teapot already steaming. Ms. Daisy trotted up to them with a bone clamped in her jaw and placed it cordially at Ursula’s feet.

Kane tried to sound tough. “We didn’t come for tea.”

Poesy gave a patronizing smile. “Yes, Mr. Montgomery, I know. You came for Ms. Helena Quigley’s charm, and I see you’ve got it. You’d think I’d have this place alarmed but, alas, with no discernible entrance I don’t get too many unsolicited guests, never mind haphazard trick-or-treaters like yourselves. If you’d given me a little more notice I’m sure I could have summoned a charcuterie board.”

“We’re not staying,” spat Adeline. For the second time she nudged Ursula, now because Ursula was patting Ms. Daisy on the head.

“Yeah,” Ursula stammered. “We’re leaving.”

Poesy lifted one eyebrow. “How?”

Confidently, Adeline brandished the whistle.

“Hmm,” Poesy watched the charm without concern. “Whistles are for beckoning. You appear to be in need of a key.”

Kane opened his mouth, then closed it. His eyes flickered to Poesy’s bracelet, where he remembered there was a small, white key. This was a very bad plan indeed.

“You come and go as you please,” said Elliot. “You’ll let us go.”

“Will I? I am not so sure.”

Elliot elbowed Kane. “Threaten her!”

“Oh, right.” Kane stretched out a hand, producing a cloud of vaporous light. Instantaneously, the cases of charms began to whisper as they sipped the ambient magic.

The whites of Poesy’s eyes glistened as she scanned the heights of the room. “That would not be a wise move, Mr. Montgomery.”

“Then let us leave,” Kane demanded.

“Come now, child. There is no need for savagery.”

Adeline gawked. “Savagery? How about what you did to Helena Quigley? How’s that for savagery?”

Poesy’s eyes lowered, brimming with menace. “Don’t,” she seethed. “Do not call my ethics into question, Other. What I do and how I do it is founded in necessity.”

“Necessity?” Adeline spat. “Was crushing an old lady’s dreams a necessity? You might as well have murdered her.”

“Murdered? Ha!” Poesy let out a throaty guffaw. “And I suppose she was safer under your dubious protection? It didn’t look that way, when Mr. Montgomery invoked my intervention. But he did, and I rid reality of the fantasy you four poisoned, and now Ms. Helena Quigley is safe. She would thank me if she were awake to my mercy. You should thank me, too.”

Adeline gripped the settee. “You’re evil. All these charms are evil.”