doing that.' Renee stepped closer to Lilly. `One thing these smart-mouthed bitches didn't consider. It means we're just about invisible to everyone.'
`Get...him off...me,' Lilly gurgled, no longer struggling to escape but clutching at Mason's arm, to hold her own weight up. `Sister Ivy, do something.' She glanced behind them. Ruth turned with Nikki to see an older woman watching.
`No,' the woman said softly, her eyes on Mason as she slipped past Ruth towards Lilly. She smelt of flowers and had a fluidity that made Ruth watch her closely. `You were foolish to provoke the house of Eleanor.' She glanced at Renee. `Even if I agreed with you, I would have not been disrespectful.'
`Sister Ivy.' Nikki touched the woman's arm with great care, `please accept my apologies.'
Ruth understood Ivy was someone of importance, so she took Nikki's hand in support.
`These children, my younger sisters, from the House of Flowers have done a great disrespect to you and your house.' Ivy turned her eyes to Ruth, then to Nikki. `Punish them as required. If it were me, I would.
`But it is a dangerous path you are on, Magi.' Ivy glanced at Mason. `Is it true that he is here as your guest?'
Ruth felt Nikki tense. `Yes. They both are, Ivy. The House of Eleanor has no quarrel with the Douglas clan.'
`And I wish that were the case for my own House as well.' Ivy half-smiled at them both. `Lilly and Rose are young, and uneducated in seeing what is right before them. They will learn from this mistake, but I ask they still be at tonight's ceremony.'
`They will,' Nikki said, letting go of Ruth's hand. `But they must be punished.'
`So be it, Magi.' Ivy stepped back, then addressed Ruth. `You are not as I expected. Nor is he.' She nodded at Mason. `I saw him in London once.'
Ivy touched her chest, her lips tightened. `Even from a great distance I could feel his hatred, but now…' She shrugged and shook her head. `Here I stand, not ten feet from him, unharmed. Tonight is full of surprises.' Ivy nodded to Nikki and moved off without a backward glance.
`Come here, you little bitch!' Renee lunged at Rose struggling to her feet. `You're going to be the freak now.' She slapped Rose hard then grabbed a fistful of long blonde hair with one hand while her other hand went around Rose's throat.
`Let me go, you— Ow fuck!' Rose screamed as a fistful of hair and scalp came free. Rose lashed out but Renee punched her hard. Teeth flew, one bouncing off Ruth. Excited by the violence, Ruth didn't care. Renee had come alive. Mason watched, an odd grin on his face.
`Renee! That will do.' Nikki tried to stop her.
`No, let her go. I don't even know Rose but I want to hurt her.' Ruth pulled Nikki back as Renee grabbed another handful of hair, laughing. The back of Nikki's neck was so close Ruth wanted to kiss it. Long fingers dug into Ruth's thigh.
`We'll try slow this time.' Renee hauled and Rose screamed. A long strip of hair and scalp peeled away with a wet tearing sound. The bloody mess fell to the floor as Renee reached for some more.
`Stop her.' Lilly writhed in Mason's grip, legs lashing out at Renee, who caught one in her free hand.
`Here, hold this, Mason.' Renee shoved Rose at him. He caught her by the neck, and Rose joined Lilly in mid-air. His easy acceptance of Renee's request quickened Ruth's heart.
`Don't kill her,' Nikki said. She pressed back into Ruth.
`You like this?' Ruth whispered, slipping a hand inside Nikki's blouse. Hard nipples greeted her.
`I've never…felt like this before.'
Renee smashed her fist into the side of Lilly's knee. Bone punctured the skin. Lilly howled, twisting against Mason's grip. Renee let her go.
`Renee is enjoying herself.' Ruth didn't say what she saw on Mason's face.
Rose's head snapped back as Renee drove a fist into her face. Ruth let Nikki go as Renee grabbed yet another handful of hair.
`Mason,' she warned as he squeezed Rose's throat.
`Crush her throat. Shut the little bitch up,' Renee snarled.
Flecks of sweetly scented blood sprayed across Ruth. Mason's fingers dug into flesh, blood seeping around them.
`Mason,' Nikki ssaid, moving towards him. Ruth held her breath. Would he listen? `Please stop. No more with Rose. She is punished enough.'
`She's still got some hair left,' Renee said and tore out two more handfuls of blond hair.
`Treaty. Please stop.' Lilly sagged in Mason's grip. `Treaty.'
`Enough!' Nikki grabbed Renee. `She has called treaty. No more. Mason, let Rose go. Please.'
Rose crumpled onto the floor and Ruth let go of the breath she didn't realise she was holding.
Renee poked the girl with her foot. `Not so smart now, are we?'
`Lilly too, Mason.' Nikki touched his arm and Ruth saw her flinch. `Let her go. She's called treaty. You can kill her if she tries anything.'
Renee wiped her hands on Lilly's dress, leaving stark smears against the pastel blue.
Mason looked down at Nikki's hand on his arm. `What's the magic word?'
`Magic word?' Nikki looked back at Ruth, her face creased in a frown. Mason winked.
Ruth sighed, relieved that he was in control. `Please. The magic word is please.' Ruth waved her hands at him. He smiled.
Lilly staggered when Mason let her go. `Well. That was fun, girls.' He stepped across Rose towards Ruth. `You okay?'
`I'm fine,' she said, `more than fine, actually.'
`Good. You looked a bit crazy when you snapped Rose's arm. Otherwise you were amazing.'
`You're sick, the lot of you.' Lilly dragged the bloodied Rose to her feet. `There's something wrong—' Lilly's head shot backwards and she dropped Rose.
`Renee!' Nikki stamped her foot at Renee, who was standing over Lilly. `Enough. Stop punching her.'
`I didn't hear an apology, so every time she opens her mouth and it's not one—' Renee smacked her fist in her hand.
`Good point.' Mason grinned when Ruth poked him. `They seem to be slow learners.'
`Stop it, Mason. Let Nikki handle it now.'
`Like you were going to stand back and let Nikki handle it?' Mason raised an eyebrow.
`About that,' Nikki said. `Your help was unexpected, but thanks. I think. Renee, move away from her, will you?'
Renee stepped back and Lilly staggered to her feet, blood covering her face.
`We,' Lilly pressed her lip, `We may have been hasty in our words.' Rose made a gurgling sound.
`Hit her again, Renee,' Nikki said.
`No!
