Jack reappeared in his chair, and Boots fell over screaming. "How'd you get back here! I saw you disappear! I saw you! I saw you! I saw you! I saw you! I……" he kept screaming. By this time, everyone in the small restaurant was staring at him, and people were coming in from the street to see what all the noise was.
"Boots," Jack began, "just shut up. I didn't disappear. Okay?"
"Yes," Boots said with a crazed look in his eyes. Then he ran out of the restaurant and onto the streets of New York City, laughing insanely.
--
Ista never answered Gardrania's plea. "What?" Blink asked when he saw the strange look come over the girl's face.
"She's not answering," Gardrania replied in bewilderment.
"She's not dead, is she?" Qik asked.
"Quit whinin', kid," Race said to they boy. Medda kicked him. "Ow! What was that for!"
"Race, he's not more than eleven years old. Give the kid a break!" Medda replied tightly.
"Cat fight," Blink commented dryly.
Mush glanced at him before saying, "You guys! It ain't that big a deal. Let's not fight, okay?"
Race nodded sheepishly and Medda sighed resignedly. "You're right," she said to Mush. "Sorry, Race."
"Yeah. Me too. I mean, sorry about that."
Gardrania, meanwhile, stood stock-still in the hallway. Blink approached her. "Hey, you okay?"
She turned her deep brown eyes on him. "Blink, I can't hear her. What's happening?"
"Maybe she's just sleepin'," Blink suggested. "Or maybe she's talkin' to someone else."
"Yeah. Maybe," she said, smiling for the first time. "I hope you're right."
--
When Dominic returned with Stamel's drink, Stamel was reading over a piece of paper. "Thank you," he said absently. "Oh, and, uh, what is it, Dominic? You're supposed to check on the dragon. You do know how to get there, don't you?"
"Yeah."
"Well, then, go!"