Chapter 130: Pie and Tea
The enchantress stood in the doorway, the scarlet vestments she wore like a fiery beacon against the dark frame behind her. She held her hands together, hidden inside the large sleeves of her robe, while observing the crab with great interest and a discreet smile.
“Wow, you live here?” exclaimed Balthazar. “This place looks like a dump!”
The merchant’s bluntness did not seem to faze her.
“Ah, still a charmer as always, I see,” said Ruby. “Looks can be deceiving, as I’m sure you know. Shall we go inside?”
“If it will look less depressing than out here, sure.”
As the crab took a step forward, Rye placed a hand on his arm.
“Balthazar,” he said with a whisper. “What are we doing here? This could be a trap for all we know.”
“You’re worrying too much, Rye,” the crustacean whispered back. “I get why, even if you don’t. If you’d prefer to stay out here, that’s fine, but I’m going in to get some answers.”
The young man hesitated for a moment, as if struggling with his answer.