Henry Rider: Clown Hunter

Chapter Four

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Chapter Four

My footsteps echoed ominously as I entered the council chamber, Ethan following reluctantly behind me. We passed McGus, who stood leaning against the wall beside the door, face grim.

The council chamber was a circular room with four raised desks around the edges, each placed in the perfect spot to make me feel like a lab rat under observation. Grandpa Teddy was already back behind his desk on the far left. Victoria Verde, representative of the Greens, sat to the right of him, a sharp and scrawny klaon with her green hair tied in a bun so tight I wondered if she could even blink. She glared down at me with pursed lips, like a librarian about to snap at me for using a slice of bacon as a bookmark.

Next was Patricia Nolan, the Purple representative. Sitting straight backed with her hands clasped in front of her, she was the only one who didn't look upset at being woken up to do their job. I searched those violet eyes for any sign of compassion. If I could at least convince her, she would—

"Now that our guest of honor has arrived," said another voiced, dripping with contempt, "can we finally get started?"

I turned to see the klaon on the far right. Ichabod Hench, representative for the Reds, sat with his feet propped up on his desk. I groaned softly. Would it have been too much to ask that he be home sick today? A harmless case of violent, uncontrollable diarrhea would have done us both so much good.

"Henrietta Rider, it is two thirty in the morning," he sneered at me. "Whatever you've screwed up this time, couldn't you have waited until a more decent hour to tell us?"

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my intestines were suddenly determined to double knot themselves, and spoke.

"I need—"

"The girl has never called on us this early before," Victoria snapped, giving Ichabod the stink eye. "Whatever has happened, she must believe it is of the utmost importance."

I fought to keep my lip from curling. Victoria was a two headed snake, hissing and biting at the same time. Sure enough, as soon as she was done scolding Ichabod, she turned her daggerlike eyes on me.

"Well?" she demanded. "Don't waste our time. Tell us why we're here!"

I clasped my hands behind my back in an effort to keep them from grabbing Splatsy — a nervous habit that had been violently misinterpreted more than once — and took a deep breath. I could do this. No matter how judgmental their eyes were, no matter how hard my knees were knocking together, I could do this. I was the Hunter, after all. I did not get scared by a bunch of old, cantankerous—

"Did you forget how to talk?" Ichabod barked.

"No, sir!" I squeaked, and then immediately blushed blue. Clearing my throat, I said, "Less than an hour ago tonight, there was a maiam attack at the house of Ethan Griggs, who—"

"Ah, yes, the human," Ichabod turned to Ethan, who shrank back. "I'm very curious to know why he is here."

"Ichabod," Theodore spoke up softly, "p- perhaps she would tell you if you, ah, stopped interrupting her?"

The thick armed, potbellied Red glared at him, and Grandpa Teddy shrank back, falling silent.

"I brought Ethan here for a reason," I went on. "He's, well...I think he needs our help."

"We don't interfere in the affairs of humans, Henry," Patricia spoke up for the first time.

"Ah, er, beyond rescuing them from maiams, of course," Theodore put in.