The moment the front door clicked shut behind Primrose, the atmosphere in the daycare shifted.
It wasn't a bad shift. It was the specific shift that happens when the Teacher leaves the classroom and the Substitute Teacher (in this case, a recovering Merman King and a Fox Spy) is left in charge.
Lady Ellia sat on the sofa, clutching the quilt. She looked around nervously. Without the anklet, the room felt brighter, but also louder. She was used to the silence of the West Wing. She was used to servants who bowed and backed away.
She wasn't used to... this.
Arjun was currently standing on top of the coffee table, wearing a colander on his head like a helmet.
"Attention, civilians!" Arjun roared, pointing a wooden spoon at the group. "Chef Prim is gone! Protocol Alpha is in effect!"
"What is Protocol Alpha?" Ellia whispered to the boy next to her.
Vali, who was currently tying a napkin around his forehead like a bandana, leaned in. "It means we can jump on the furniture."
