Tantomile, still cradling Quaxo's head in her lap, had opened her eyes, and Sillabub had taken this as an invitation to address her.
"When he wake up, Miz Tanto?" she asked anxiously.
"Patience, little one," said Tantomile. "He will wake when he's ready."
"Jis' yew keep'oldin' 'is paw, Silla, that's the ticket," Teazer nodded encouragingly. "'E'll be glad of it when'e wakes, I know'e will."
"Teazah…"
Rumpelteazer looked around, startled and somewhat sheepish, at the sound of her brother's voice. For the moment she'd quite forgot he was there. "Yes, Jerr'? Y'needn't stan' there like a lemming," she added, patting the floor next to her. "Quax's yer friend as much as ours. Mus' be nice t'wake up surrounded by friends…"
"Err, act'ally Teazah, Oi was finkin'…"
Tantomile glanced up sharply, as if she had already detected what he was thinking and was displeased by it.
"P'raps we…" Jerrie gulped. "P'raps we oughtta be goin'."
"Goin'?" Teazer asked, startled. "Goin' where? Yer not still finkin' of…?"
"It's jus'," Mungojerrie persisted, "it seems we…I…caused enough trouble fer these folks an' supposin' Lady Mothah…"
"Tha' monstress is gone," Teazer growled. "What d'ye fink put Quax' in this state? 'E sent'er somewhere far, far away. 'E's the greates' magician evah. 'E's Magical Mistah…Mistah…wotever-'e-called-'imself. 'E c'n conjure fings an' unconjure 'em as well! So y'see, we're free!"
Sillabub clapped her paws. "You're free," she repeated, mimicking Teazer's excited tone, "'cause Quaxy's magical!" Her smile faded. "I likes you two. You's funny. I don't want you to go'way."
"We won't," Teazer assured her. "Y'can't get rid on us," she added with a giggle.
"But, Teazah… What I did… I 'elped…"
"You are where you belong," Tantomile said firmly, "and let us not hear anymore about leaving. You are family now."
"An' ev'ry'un knows," Teazer added, "yew an' Vitie'ad no choice."
"Not ev'ry'un," Jerrie muttered.
Suddenly, Tantomile waved a paw to shush them all and leaned her head towards Quaxo's so that her ear was right near his mouth. "He's said something."
"M'cVitie," the tuxedo tom mumbled again.
Sillabub began rubbing his paw, as if that would help. "Talk again, Waxy!"
"Shh," said Tantomile. "It may have just been a dream…but it's good…it means he is sleeping more normally now…"
All at once, Quaxo's eyes snapped open. He immediately tried to sit up, but the three queens held him back. "You supposed to rest," Sillabub ordered, mimicking Jenny's best no-nonsense tone.
"Glad to'ave yew back, Quax'," Teazer murmured, giving his paw a squeeze.
But Quaxo had his gaze fixed on Tantomile, as if trying to convey something mentally. "You've got to let me up," he pleaded. "There's something…" He frowned. "I don't understand what happened… Can you see…" He trailed off, confused.
"It's a'righ', Quax'," Jerrie ventured, "any'un'd be confuzzled after wot y've been through…"
"I think I can see what's happened," Tantomile said, "but…I can scarce believe it. It still may be a figment of your imagination, but I see you'll have no peace until you investigate for yourself. So we will go. Slowly." As Quaxo seemed about to protest, she added, "The danger—if there was danger—is past, Quaxo."
Quaxo seemed to concentrate a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Fine. Slowly."
"Oi," Teazer objected, "we're coming too!"
"Of course you are," sighed Tantomile, "or didn't you think I'd need your help? Quaxo's legs are more useless than a jar of preserves. We'll have to more or less walk for him."
"An' wot about the babby?" Jerrie piped up.
"I'm not a baby an' I'm gonna help too!" Sillabub glared at him.
"Of course you are," Tantomile repeated. "I need you to keep holding Quaxo's paw so he doesn't become afraid." She looked round at all of them. "As I said, the immediate danger is past. As long as we all stay together, it will be all right."
"Oi don't fink Jenny er Jelly'd approve…" Teazer suggested.
The slightest glint of mischief shone in Tantomile's eyes. "They are both rather occupied at the moment." Her face sobered once again. "You know that if we did not take her along, she would find her own way, which would be far worse."
"Miz Tanto knows I'm growed up," Sillabub declared proudly.
"All right," Quaxo cut in, "but we said 'slowly,' not 'at a standstill.' Tanto, I…you're right, there's no immediate danger to us, but something…something still isn't right."
