One evening brought a surprise at dinner. As Teddy approached his seat at the far side of the table, he noticed instantly that the seat at the very end was no longer vacant. Grimm was leaning back in his chair, one arm tossed over the side, the other supporting his chin. His expression was unreadable, half-hidden beneath his scarf; he seemed deep in thought, lost in his own mind. But whatever it was agitated him - Teddy could see his fingers beating a rhythm against the arm of his chair.
Just as Teddy offered the master a respectful nod, Janus swooped out of the gloom behind Grimm's chair, speaking urgently into his ear. If Grimm was agitated, the butler was annoyed. He seemed to be trying to convince the master of something, because Grimm gave a sharp shake of his head, his red-tipped hair slipping over his strange, glittering eyes.
When Teddy took his seat, Baz leaned over beside him and pointed his chin at Grimm.
"So that's the master of the house," he murmured in his quiet voice. "He looks... cute. And scary."
Teddy blinked in surprise and stared at Baz, who lifted his eyebrows as if asking, "What?"
Teddy shook his head.
"Cute?"
"Yeah," Baz replied. "Like he wants to smile all the time, but more often than not, finds himself kicking ass instead."
Teddy stared in wonder at his neighbor.
Everyone was quiet at dinner, all attention focused on Grimm at the head of the table. It was obvious how rare it was for their meals to be joined by the master of the house. Any conversations were short and hushed. Everyone waited for an explanation of his presence.
Finally, after a delicious dessert that Teddy was sure nobody enjoyed as much as they normally might have, Grimm fixed his gold eyes on Janus at the opposite end of the table. The butler reluctantly got to his feet and tapped the side of his glass, calling everyone's already fixed attention to the master's announcement. As the butler sat back down, his eyes gave an odd, fiery flash of annoyance.
Grimm cleared his throat and lifted his chin from behind his scarf.
"First, I'd like to welcome our newest Spooks. Master Baz, Master Teddy." Grimm offered a nod to the young men at his side. "And I'd like to thank everyone for continuing to keep our mansion running smoothly."
He lifted his glass, and everyone did likewise, toasting their efforts. That done, Grimm leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together and placing his chin on top.
"We all know that living here has its risks. Not just in the mansion, but in the park as well. Here inside those gates, there are fearsome things that might not even exist in the world outside, where we could run from them. Here, we are trapped with people twisted by their own desires and the overflow of magic, here at the heart of it all."
Silence reigned over the room, the shadows seeming to creep closer. A chill ran up Teddy's spine - he knew some of what Grimm spoke about. Once again, he saw the cruel gleam in Raf's fiery eyes, heard his oath.
I'm gonna burn this place to the ground.
"In order to stay as safe as possible inside our mansion," Grimm continued, "we follow our rules, and some brave few volunteer to defend us if ever the need arises."
People who had been staring down at their plates or laps picked their heads up to look at Grimm. Teddy in particular felt drawn to Grimm's words.
"It has been a long time since I asked for volunteers," the master said, voice quiet. "Many of you have no idea such a group exists among you. They are called Ghouls, and they are the ones who will take up arms against the likes of the Lost Boys, should they ever come calling at our gates."
Teddy glanced around, searching for the faces that didn't seem surprised at Grimm's words. Wren's stoic nod didn't surprise him, and when he looked down the table, he saw Nick give a half-salute. Teddy looked at Hayato next, and his roommate smirked at him, shaking his head. Cass frowned at him and crossed her arms.
"It has slowly become apparent that the need for our Ghouls is growing, but as it stands, their small number will only be so effective."
Beside Teddy, Wren clenched her jaw and stared at her plate.
"So tonight, I would like everyone to search their hearts and see if the duties of a Ghoul are something you can offer the mansion. Be warned - it will not be an easy title to bear, and it is certain that you will be called upon to defend your fellow Spooks, should you feel you have the ability."
Grimm lifted his chin and met the eyes of everyone at the table, lingering a beat on Teddy.
"It is an honor and a burden to protect others, and only a few are called to that position. But if you volunteer, you will have our full gratitude and respect."
Grimm nodded to Wren and Janus, and then rose to his feet.
"If you are interested, speak with our esteemed butler. Now, I bid you all a good evening."
The master left them all sitting in a heavy silence and disappeared into the hall.
Everyone headed for the billiards room. The usual few who went off to their rooms after dinner opted to join the rest of the Spooks in the game room.
Only Nick and his roommate actually started a game of billiards, however. The clack of the cue hitting the ball echoed around the room, sharp against the quiet murmurs of everyone's conversations. There were small groups scattered around the room, quietly discussing Grimm's words.
Teddy joined Cass and Hayato, who were bickering in fierce whispers.
"I don't owe anybody anything," Hayato hissed, gray eyes dark.
"It's not about owing anybody, Yata," Cass was urging. "You are incredibly talented with passing through barriers and vanishing. Not every Spook can do that, and we could use -"
"Drop it," Teddy's roommate stated firmly.
"Why is Grimm asking for new Ghouls now?" Teddy asked as he joined them, ignoring Hayato's scowl.
"Wren would know," Cass replied promptly, looking around for her roommate. "I wish she'd keep me more informed..."
Hayato cleared his throat and smirked at both of them as he leaned against the arm of the nearby chair. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, looking between the two of them. Cass pointedly ignored him, but Teddy rolled his eyes.
"Alright, what do you know?" He asked his roommate.
"Oh no," Hayato crooned. "You two are doing a stellar job without me."
Teddy just stared at him, unblinking, until Hayato rolled his eyes and snickered, holding up his hands.
"Excuse me while I enjoy the feeling of knowing something the Dream Team doesn't," he said, at which point, Cass finally swatted him over the head. "Oi!"
Glaring at her, he explained.
"Well, while you lot have been nice and warm inside our murder house, the Lost Boys have been having some fun in Adventureland."
Cass frowned and Teddy's eyes darkened.
"They've been camping out in front of the Tiki Hut, antagonizing the pirate patrols. Abraxas says it's only a matter of time until they attack someone for real. He thinks the standoff over Teddy sparked it. Raf doesn't like being defied."
Hayato's voice was cool as he stared at Teddy, who knew without a doubt that he was to blame for anything the Lost Boys did - at least in Hayato's eyes.
"I assume Abraxas' warning is why Grimm wants more Ghouls," he finished. "Especially seeing as they know Doe-Eyes over here decided to become a Spook."
"How do you know they know?" Cass asked quickly, eyes narrowed.
"Because they threatened him and all of us."
Wren was perched on the side of the billiards table, legs crossed, watching the three of them. Her voice was strong, and it carried across the whole room. Everyone stopped talking, turning to stare at her. Everyone except Nick and his roommate, who continued their game, faces grim.
Teddy felt the hair on his arms lift under the weight of Wren's words, the matter-of-fact tone of her voice. This really was his fault.
Wren didn't look around as she continued, acting as though she was just taking to Teddy, Cass, and Hayato, even though she spoke loud enough for every Spook to hear.
"For the first few nights, it was just a couple of Lost Boys hanging around the Tiki Hut and tossing rocks at anybody who came too close to Main Street. But when the pirates brought Abraxas along on a patrol, Raf himself showed up and planted him and his boys right beneath the arch. And they waited.
"When Abraxas confronted them, Raf just laughed off everything he said and then pulled his sword on him."
Everyone held their breath, and Teddy could see it as it happened. The furious, wild flicker in Raf's eyes, his hollow laugh. The dull gleam of his blade in the lamplight. He could see Abraxas drawing his pistol, cocking it, aiming at Raf's head, expressionless.
"'Take one more step,' he was taunting. Of course, if Abraxas passed the arch, he'd be in Raf's territory, and nobody knew how many Lost Boys he had hidden around. The pirates just stood there, waiting for orders, and Abraxas asked Raf what he thought he'd get out of lurking around in the shadows, safely out of danger."
Wren smirked, rolling her head so her hair slipped over one shoulder, glowing almost-blue beneath the chandelier. Nick put up his cue and hopped up onto the table beside her. Wren glanced at him and nodded.
"Ark and I were on guard," he said, reaching up to tighten his ponytail. His roommate - Ark - winced, eyebrows puckering. "When Raf showed his face, the first mate sent one of the pirates running for us, just in case. We showed up just in time to see that little bitch sic his fairy light on the archway."
The Spooks were staring at Nick, disbelief etched on their faces. Teddy knew the light Nick was talking about, but he didn't understand the implications.
"The arch went up in flames, and Raf just looks at Abraxas, who is ordering his patrol to get water and put it out. And Raf says in this dead serious voice, 'I want that kid you took from me, and I'm gonna get him. I'm gonna skin him alive. Him and everyone who gets in my way.'"
Teddy felt the stares turned on him, and kept his face emotionless. He refused to show weakness in the face of such a direct threat.
"Then he looks right at me," Nick said, "with all those boys smirking around him. And Raf calls out, 'You tell your master that once I skin his newest pet, I'm gonna stick the head on that gate of his so he'll know I'm coming for him next. He owes me, he knows it, and I'm gonna take everything from him.'"
Teddy found himself staring at his feet, fists clenched. He knew people were watching him, waiting for some kind of response, but he didn't know what to say.
I'm sorry that the Lost Boys burned the archway? That Raf wants to kill everybody? That he seems to really hate Grimm?
Then he knew.
Teddy looked up and met Wren's stare head-on.
"Sign me up for the Ghouls."