Part 11 (1/2)

”Hi,” the woman said when Meg opened the door. ”I'm Merri Lee. Can I come in far enough so you don't lose all the heat?”

Still feeling raw about Simon's reaction to Asia-and feeling a touch defiant because this woman was holding up a pa.s.s that said she was allowed to be in this part of the Courtyard-Meg stepped aside.

”I brought your midday meal,” Merri Lee said as she came in. ”Things are churned up today, so . . . Wow.” Her eyes widened as she looked around. ”Is the other room any cleaner?”

”A little. Not much.” Meg looked around too. ”It is pretty dirty, isn't it?” She thought it was, but she hadn't been sure other humans would see it that way.

”Here.” Merri Lee handed her the carry sack. ”Look. No one but the Liaison and the terra indigene are supposed to be in this office, but I wouldn't want to work here until it's clean.”

”There's a lot of mail that needs to be sorted,” Meg said.

”And you have to do that,” Merri Lee agreed. ”But A Little Bite is closed today, so I could put in my work hours by helping you clean this room at least.”

”If you're not allowed to be here, you'll get in trouble.” There was a natural warmth to Merri Lee's friendliness, so Meg didn't want her to get hurt.

”Not if I get permission from a member of the Business a.s.sociation.” Merri Lee looked nervous. ”Can't ask Simon or Tess, and I'd rather not ask Vlad or Nyx.” Her face cleared. ”But if Henry is working in his studio, I can ask him. Are there any cleaning supplies here?”

”Not that I found.”

”Not even for the toilet?”

Meg shook her head.

”Oh, G.o.ds. Well, I'll pick up some supplies after I talk to Henry.” She glanced at Meg's hands. ”What did you do to your finger?”

”I was cutting up carrots for the ponies,” Meg replied. ”Got a little careless. It's not a deep slice.”

Merri Lee nodded. ”I'll get some cleaning gloves to protect your hands. The cleansers will sting if they get in that cut.” She held out another carry sack. ”That's my food. Could you stash it someplace until I get back?” Giving Meg a smile and wave, she darted out.

Meg put the carry sacks on the sorting table. It felt uncomfortable to lie to someone who was being kind. She hadn't known a lie could have a physical weight. But she wasn't going to tell anyone the truth about the cutting and the prophecies until she had no other choice.

Having decided that much, she unzipped the compartment that held her food. Before she could remove a sandwich, something small and brown ran across the floor and darted into the pile of packages that still needed sorting.

When Merri Lee returned a few minutes later with Henry Beargard and two females, Meg was kneeling on top of the sorting table, staring at that corner of the room.

Merri Lee stopped in the doorway and looked ready to run. Henry and the females stepped into the sorting room.

Meg pointed a shaking finger. ”Something is hiding in that corner.”

Henry moved silently to that corner and sniffed. ”Mouse.”

”Oh, G.o.ds,” Merri Lee said.

”They're easier to catch if you leave food in the middle of the floor,” the brown-haired woman said.

”Why would you do that?” Meg asked.

”Fresh snack,” the black-haired woman replied brightly.

Merri Lee said, ”Oh, G.o.ds” again before clamping a hand over her mouth. Meg just stared.

Henry studied Merri Lee, then Meg. ”Humans don't like mice?”

”Not in the building!” Meg said.

”And not around food,” Merri Lee added.

The three terra indigene looked baffled.

”But it's fresh meat,” the brown-haired woman finally said.

”Humans don't eat mice,” Merri Lee said. ”Or rats. We just don't.”

Silence.

Finally, Henry sighed-a big, gusty sound. ”We will put aside other work today and make this place human-clean for the Liaison.” He pointed at Merri Lee. ”You will show us how this is done.”

”I'll go to the Market Square and pick up the supplies we'll need to put some s.h.i.+ne on these rooms,” Merri Lee said.

The black-haired woman cawed. ”You can make things s.h.i.+ny?”

”In a way.”

So the Crow went with Merri Lee while Henry began excavating the mailbags and boxes piled in the corner of the sorting room.

The brown-haired woman was an Owl named Allison. She was quite pleased to catch two mice-and less pleased when Henry made her go outside to eat them.

When five people cleaned three rooms-and one of them was a man as strong as a bear-the work went quickly, even with Allison taking two more breaks to devour mouse snacks. Some of the packages in that corner had been nibbled; others were smashed. Meg noticed how many of them were addressed to people living in the Chambers, which made her wonder who the Sanguinati were that the previous Liaisons wouldn't deliver packages to them.

On the other hand, Jester had said the previous Liaisons hadn't been encouraged to make deliveries to anyone in the Courtyard. But something should have been done to get the packages to the people waiting for them.

She had made excuses for not eating while they were working-especially when there was still the possibility of finding another mouse. Since Merri Lee was also making excuses, despite a growling stomach, the Others accepted the strange behavior.

Finally, all the old packages were neatly stacked on one of the hand carts; the counters, tables, cupboards, and floors were washed; the wave-cooker and fridge were clean; and the bathroom didn't make her shudder when she used the toilet. Allison went back to the Owlgard Complex to report this peculiar aversion humans had to mice. Crystal Crowgard ran off to Sparkles and Junk with rags and the spray bottle of cleaner that would make all their display counters s.h.i.+ny.

Henry pointed at Meg. ”The rooms are clean. Now you will eat.” He pointed at Merri Lee. ”You may sit with her in the back room and visit.”

Meg looked at the clock on the sorting-room wall. ”It's almost two o'clock. I need to take deliveries.”

”You will eat,” Henry said. ”I will watch the counter until you are done.”

Meg went to the back room and frowned at the small round table and two chairs. ”Those weren't here this morning.”