The book lay beside the pillow. Shade kept the blanket over himself, braced one hand against the bed, and leaned his head down to peer beneath it.
Because the room was dimly lit, it was pitch-black beneath the bed. And when Shade stared into that darkness, two nearly fused-together female heads suddenly rushed out from underneath.
Shade froze, then spoke toward the underside of the bed:
"Megan, Audrey, weren't you next door at 7 Saint Derain Square? How did you suddenly appear from under the bed?"
The four arms of the smiling sisters clung to the edge of the bed, revealing their two bodies in nightgowns:
"Of course, it was to keep anyone else from noticing that we left the room. Oh, the others aren't here yet? Then see you in a moment."
As they spoke, Miss Edwardz hid beneath the bed again. After holding their breath and concentrating, even Shade could barely sense their presence.
He sat upright on the bed again. Just as he was about to discuss who would arrive next with "her," the cat in the wardrobe suddenly cried out.
"Sorry! Little Mia, I really didn't know you were in here!"
Sylvia apologized to the cat as she emerged from the wardrobe, while Shade hurried out of bed to soothe Little Mia. Once the wardrobe doors closed again, the young Black-haired Witch smiled:
"Well, Shade? That entrance was pretty original, wasn't it? I was originally planning to scare you, but Little Mia ended up scaring me instead."
"You can't scare me. You're late."
"Yes, yes, I know you're very brave. Are the others not here yet? Then let's give them a surprise later."
With that, she crawled beneath the bed, followed by the sound of Megan and Audrey startling her again.
"They really are..."
He returned