The lights flickered again, and this time it wasn’t of Marina’s doing, no sir. This time it was something else.

The doors flung open, and there he stood, Bobby Felix, Boss Authority himself. Cecily Bob and Mr. Hugo to his left, Drusilla Fey on his right. They had come finally to Marina’s Place, just waltzed right in through that magic like it was nothing. They had finally come for my pop.

They had come for me.

16

BOSS AUTHORITY STOOD SMALL AND monstrous in the doorway, his boots clanking on the floor, that great clockwork fist grinding and whirring. He was scarred and foul and weird-eyed, and just his presence in the room made all my hairs stand on end, all the magic he carried with him.

The room cleared. I mean, folks scattered, whether to the infinite backrooms of Marina’s Place or out into the swamp itself, I didn’t have a clue. Fact is, they fled, and they fled fast, and wasn’t hardly anybody left in that room except us.

“Marina, my dear. It’s been too long,” said Boss Authority.

“It’s only been five years, Bobby Felix,” said Marina. “Barely a blink of an eye.”

“And my old pal Davey Boy,” he said, clapping his hands together. The metal one donged like a church bell.

“Bobby,” said Pop, nodding his head, grinning as best as he could.

“The rest of these fellas I ain’t acquainted with,” said Boss Authority. He clomped through the room toward me and Tally.

“These are just two kids I picked up,” said Marina. “Strays that done lost their way.”

“Strays, huh? Well children, you sure picked the wrong place and the wrong time to be there.”

“That’s my luck,” I said. “It’s my durn hexed luck,” and I shot Pop a look ugly enough to shatter glass.

Harlen the dog-man crept on all fours toward Boss Authority and let out a low growl.

“You best call that fella off,” said Boss Authority, “whatever ails him.”

Marina whistled and Harlen came running back to her. She scratched him behind his ears. Harlen rolled over on his back and she rubbed the belly of his ragged overalls.

“Dog-brained,” said Lawrence. “That’s what ails him, Mr. Boss.”

“Dogness is an improvement,” said Johnson. “I knew him back in the war!”

“You mean to tell me this man here wasn’t always canine-inclined?” said Boss Authority.

“I’m saying this is my place, Bobby Felix,” said Marina, “and in my place you treat me with respect.”

“You always did have a penchant for dogs,” said Drusilla Fey.

“And you never could keep your traitor mouth shut,” said Marina. “I don’t know how you got in here at all. My magic should have kept out the both of you, until the sun burned out and all the stars crashed in on themselves.”

“Could be you were that powerful, say five years ago,” said Boss Authority. “But things change, Marina. Times change. I change.” He brought his clockwork hand up and wiggled the fingers, his long ponytail swishing back and forth like a snake.