How it Ends ▸ House of Anubis [4]

chapter five. house of quakes

☾ ☽

"So," Patricia begins her tour of the cellar to the newbies, "to the right is where Victor stuffs all the pets he's killed."

"I don't think Victor would like us snooping down here," Erin points out.

"Aww, you scared?"

"N-no. Of course not."

I laugh lightly, shaking my head. "Anubis rule number one, newbies: Victor doesn't like us doing anything. Anubis rule number two: buy a couple of spare toothbrushes. You'll need 'em."

Cassie and Erin glance at each other, both confused. It makes me laugh again. And apparently the rest of Anubis has caught on to Patricia's act, freaking out the newbies, because Joy adds, "You know he spends most nights down here brewing potions, gassing butterflies."

KT adds, "Dressing dead weasels in tuxedos."

And finally, Patricia states, "Hanging from the ceiling like a bat."

"You think she's joking," I comment, shining my light on their faces, "but the man's a hundred years old. He's Count Dracula." But before I could share a smirk with anyone in Sibuna, all who know that I wasn't lying (about his age, anyway; I'm quite convinced Victor's not actually a vampire), there's a distant screaming that echoes throughout the cellar. I mean, even that's a little weird for this house.

"What was that?" Mara asks. I look around the cellar, eyebrows furrowing. Where are Alfie and Jerome? "It came from over there." Mara, Cassie, Erin, and Dexter, all with their torches pointed towards the area the scream seemed to originate from, step toward it. I count heads again, just to make sure I didn't overlook them—four newbies, six Anubis girls, two Anubis boys. Two missing.

And just as I'm about to point out to the others near me that Alfie and Jerome are missing, the pair jump out of a armoire against the wall and scare the newbies and Mara half to death. I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head again. Idiots.

"Jerome!" Mara shouts.

"What?" Jerome retorts, doubling over in laughter. "What? It's good training! They don't call this place Creepy Towers for nothing, Erin. You can let go of Cassie now."

"Alfie, that wasn't funny," Mara berates.

Willow's the only person besides Mara to be upset by the prank. She doesn't say a word as she walks out, leaving us in the cellar. Sophia goes after her. I walk over to the two boys, clapping my hand on their shoulders. "Well," I say slowly, "you've upset Willow. Not a good thing. Oh, and Mara—she looked just about ready to kill you guys."

"It's Mara," Jerome says, in an obvious tone. "She can't even hurt a fly."

I look at them, blinking as I smile politely. "Are you sure? Because she publicly embarrassed her ex-boyfriend for cheating on her, but I don't know if you remember, seeing as how you two were too busy publicly embarrassing each other at the time. Moral of the story is—the girl will tear you two down if you scare her again. Enjoy the rest of the party."