“It sounds to me like you are preparing for a siege, young man,” Aunt Khora said.
“That is exactly what I’m preparing for,” Marish said grimly. “But don’t worry. The interior light fixtures at this place are very bright, and kind of fun to play with.”
Itana saw what he meant a few minutes later, when they were settled in the hotel suite with the overnight bags Aunt Khora had cleverly packed for both herself and Itana. The lights in the bedroom and the living room were elaborate wall sculptures that changed brightness with the twist of a dial, and changed color with the flick of another dial.
“Not bad,” Aunt Khora said approvingly. “I don’t think we’ll be bothered by vermin in this place.”
“Only the human kind, and only if things go wrong,” Marish said as he disassembled and cleaned the
