Imogen caught up to me quickly.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Standing up for us," I answered. "He's not actually in charge, and he wasn't going to give us what we wanted any time soon. I'm not staying here. Let's find the Matriarch, make our peace, and get out."

The witch I'd yelled at scampered up to us, keeping a wide berth when Olezhka threatened him with another growl.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "But the Matriarch is unprepared for visitors at the moment. ...