Auckland, New Zealand

The brief stopover in Singapore was one of the more surreal experiences in Jules's life, as it was two o'clock in the morning when they landed. He had forgotten to sync his watch, and carried a sense of dread about how he was going to feel once they landed in Auckland. His watch read six PM, far from bedtime. I should be feeling tired when it's this dark out. "Uh, Millington? How do you suggest we deal with the jet lag when we reach New Zealand?" Jules asked.

"Well, you both should have started getting adjusted on the plane," Millington explained. "I don't have high hopes for your father's recovery to be smooth."

"How long does it usually take?"

"Depends on how many timezones you cross. In this case, several days."

"Days?"

"Days, lad. Don't worry. You'll adjust, though. Based on all my calculations, we will be in Auckland at nine PM tomorrow night."

"That's…" Jules did the math in his head. "It'll only be eight AM back in Britain."

Millington nodded. "Yes, it will certainly be a massive adjustment."

Moffitt made a displeased groan beside them. "I should be having my evening tea, but since I should be adjusting, perhaps I should hold off."

"Are you going to be a grouch, then?" Millington asked.

"I'm going to try not to be."

"Stick with water for now. You'll thank me later. You, too, Jules."

As Millington predicted, they finally landed in New Zealand when it was nine o'clock at night. Jules was too confused and groggy to look around at his new surroundings while trailing his father and Millington to their hotel. He had been awake the last couple of hours of the flight, unsure of when he should have been trying to sleep. This is going to suck, he thought. He wasn't fully listening while Millington tried giving them both advice on how to adjust. Moffitt was already very crabby from skipping his tea ritual. Anah seemed less affected by the whole thing, but her movements were more sluggish than usual.

The interior of the hotel was quite nice, but Jules wouldn't pay attention until he had some proper rest. He leaned against the wall of the elevator, his thoughts a slurry mess. He glanced over at his father, noticing he was holding his head. "You okay, Dad?"

"Headache," Anah answered. "Leave him be, dear."

Jules nodded, though he couldn't help worrying.

"Take it easy, both of you," Millington said, quietly. "Just settle in and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning. My room is right next to yours, so don't hesitate to come see me if you need anything."

"Thanks," Jules replied. He closed the door after his father and Anah were inside the room. Silence abruptly fell over the room, apart from car horns outside. Jules looked around, and set his luggage by one of the beds, effectively claiming it.

"Lie down and try to get some sleep, dear," Anah whispered to Moffitt as he sank down onto the other bed. He curled up, still holding his head.

"Are you sure he's okay, Anah?" Jules asked. "Should we get a doctor?"

"No." Anah kept her voice low. "His ability to sense snakes is a bit haywire at the moment, and it does not help that there are no snakes here. We are too far from the water for him to sense any sea-dwelling snakes, so, yes, he will have a bit of a headache for a time."

"I don't want to see him suffer."

"Sleeping will help."

"It's hard to sleep with a headache. Couldn't I get medicine or something for him?"

"Get a rag dampened with cold water. That will help, dear. You should get some rest yourself. You look awful."

Jules wouldn't argue with that—he felt awful. After getting the damp rag for his father, Jules closed the curtains and kept the room dark while dressing down to a pair of shorts. It certainly was summer here, and he wondered if that was another thing throwing him off. He lay in bed for a while, trying to make himself sleep by thinking of things that were calm and relaxing.

He did eventually fall asleep, though he kept waking up throughout the night. He felt more like he was taking naps than genuinely sleeping, and tried not to think too hard about it. By morning, he didn't feel fully rested, but he also didn't feel as terrible as the night before. He got out of bed, and tried to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake up his father. Moffitt's breathing was deep and even, and he was facing away from the windows, with Anah cuddled up with him. Jules cracked open the curtains just a little bit to let in enough light so he could get dressed. His stomach growled a reminder that he hadn't eaten much of anything the previous day, so he decided to head next door to see if Millington was up.

Jules didn't make eye contact with anyone heading through the halls of the hotel as he quietly closed the door and went to Millington's room. He knocked and stood patiently. If he's not up, maybe there's a place to get food downstairs.

Fortunately, he didn't have to go searching, as Millington answered. His gray hair was a bit unkempt from having recently woken up, and he wasn't wearing his glasses. "Jules, what brings you by?" he asked.

"Just wanted to see if you're up, and if you know of any place with a good breakfast," Jules replied.

"I know of several places, but I would highly advise you and your father go slow and stick with foods you're familiar with while you're recovering from jet lag." Millington stepped aside. "Come on in. I've got tea and some plain biscuits. You'll make better decisions on your main breakfast if your stomach isn't completely empty."

"I guess that makes sense," Jules said.

Millington already had a small kettle with water ready. He took out a second cup, and placed in a bag of black tea before adding water. "Is your father still sleeping?"

"Yeah. He really wasn't well last night." Jules sat in a chair by one of the windows. "Anah said it's because his snake sense is thrown off."

"I had a feeling that would play a part. It means we can't have him help find that sea krait just yet."

"I just hope he feels better soon."

"He will. Neither of you have ever traveled this far from home before, so this is definitely more than a minor adjustment for you."

"You could say that again." Jules graciously accepted a tiny plate of biscuits. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Millington sat at the table with his own tea. "I don't think I ever asked, what made you decide that you wanted to accompany us here?"

Jules shrugged. "Dad said it would be fun, and a good experience for when I'm out on my own. And, yeah, winter back home is bloody miserable."

"You could say that again. I imagine your dog is greatly enjoying all the snow."

"You should see the wild happiness in Livna's eyes when we let her run around in the yard after it snows."

Millington grinned. "Ah, yes. I've seen that many times with River. He is a very serene and well-mannered dog, but the moment you let him out in the snow—" He laughed a little. "Huskies are wonderful, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are." Jules began stirring his tea absentmindedly. He looked out the window at the traffic of Auckland in the street below, and pried the blinds apart to get a better view. He blinked at the brightness of the sun, but his eyes adjusted. The architecture was reminiscent of Britain. The tropical greenery told him he was somewhere else entirely.

"Your father told me you're a bit nervous about being on your own."

"A little bit. I don't know how to talk to people."

"You're better than you think you are. I was just as clueless growing up."

"I think Dad mentioned at some point that you spent time in India when you were a kid. I can't imagine moving to a different country helped with keeping friends."

"I did. My father worked in agriculture, but he developed an interest in snakes after having to help a number of workers deal with bites. He came to appreciate snakes as the years went on, even kept a few. Oh, my mother had the patience and tolerance of a saint, having a share a house with cobras and kraits and vipers. Needless to say, such unusual circumstances didn't win me many friends, especially when we went back to Britain. My father donated his pets to the Cambridge zoology department, under an agreement that they would be treated kindly. The… treatment I received at school as a boy was quite brutal, and for a long time, I felt ashamed. Something kept calling me back to snakes, though, and when I was about your age, I decided I would start putting in the effort to get accepted into Cambridge, so I could work with animals." Millington smiled a little. "I didn't feel ashamed anymore."

Jules focused on his tea for a moment. "I got picked on when I was younger, all because I mentioned Anah, and Dad's abilities. My mistake was getting defensive and arguing. I've never mentioned this to Dad, because at the time, he was still dealing with his problems with guilt, and I didn't want to make it worse, but… I felt ashamed. Really ashamed. I mean, I knew it was something that he didn't ask for, but it… it was still strange to think of sometimes. He didn't really do anything that anyone else's father did. Instead of encouraging me to play football, he was talking about North Africa and horses and, yes, snakes. We spent more time with books than anything."

"You're not ashamed of him anymore, are you?"

"No. After everything that happened with the magpie prophecy, I'm happy with what I have, and what he has." Jules suddenly felt cold while thinking of the magpies. That was three years ago, but he had moments where it seemed fresh on his mind, like it had happened yesterday.

"It was your father who played a significant role in saving Dietrich's life by providing antivenom when Dietrich let Mahlah bite him. Regardless of how strange or obscure someone's talents or abilities are, regardless if they're magical in origin or not, if they can use those talents and abilities to save someone else's life, that is not something to be ashamed of. Keep that in mind if anyone ever tries to tell you otherwise."

Jules nodded in agreement. "Thanks."

"I can completely understand if that's not something you want to discuss with someone you've just met. Meeting new people can be tough. Admittedly, it can be fun saying to someone, 'I work at the University of Cambridge,' and they assume something prestigious and respectable. They assume I'm a professor, or a librarian, or something else typically associated with academics. They ask, and I say, 'I take care of a very large assortment of venomous snakes.' It's a good conversation starter, but then you're left wondering if the person you're talking to is willing to accept your strangeness."

"I can't stand small talk. Dad, Mum, and Anah hate it, too."

"Small talk is greatly irritating, but a necessary annoyance, like many things in life. It's a hurdle you have to jump over if you want to get to the more meaningful parts of conversation with someone. I do think if you find something you're interested in, you'll be able to make friends. Like I said, there is a sizable horse culture here. I've never ridden, but I do know of a few places outside of Auckland that offer trail rides. Your father would certainly enjoy going to the sand dunes by Port Waikato."

Jules smirked. "I guess it's a good thing Troy didn't come with us. There's a reason he's nicknamed Dad 'Professor Sand' and 'Doctor of Sand.'"

"Well, speaking of your friends, don't forget to pick up a few jars of mānuka honey for Dietrich. I think he'll enjoy that greatly."

"If it's honey, he'll enjoy it. Not sure we've ever found a honey that Dietrich doesn't like. I've seen him eat it right from the jar with a spoon."

"That's why I said 'a few' jars," Millington said with a smile.

After finishing their tea and biscuits, Millington went over to his bedside table to check his wallet before sliding it in one of his pockets. "Go see if your father's awake. If not, that's alright. We'll let him rest a little while longer."

"Okay." Jules left the room and returned to his and Moffitt's. He was quiet while opening the door, and peered inside to see Moffitt still asleep. Alright, leave him alone. Jules slowly closed the door, then spotted movement under the blankets. He jumped when Anah rushed out, hissing with her hood flared. "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, Anah, it's just me!"

Anah's hood retracted immediately, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Good gracious, dear, what are you doing just standing there staring?"

"Sorry. I was just checking to see if Dad was awake."

"Well, I'm awake now," Moffitt growled as he emerged from under the covers.

"I apologize, dear," Anah said. "Jules startled me."

"And you startled me." Moffitt sighed, looking toward the windows and then at a clock on the nightstand between his bed and Jules's. "Is it really nine in the morning?"

"Yeah," Jules said. "You slept for about twelve hours."

"I did?" Moffitt groaned and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Curse this bloody jet lag," he muttered.

"Do you want to come have breakfast with me and Millington?" Jules asked. "I'm sure there'll be tea."

Moffitt made another sound as he kept trying to force himself to wake up. "Real tea. Oh, yes, please. And food, too. I'm famished."

"Is he up?" Millington asked.

"Yeah," Jules said. "Don't know how long it's going to take him to get out of bed, though."

"I will get him out of bed," Anah said.

"Don't you dare tickle me," Moffitt said through grit teeth.

"I was not going to, but thank you for giving me the idea."

"Damn it."

Fortunately, there was no tickling, and a very groggy-looking Moffitt was out of bed and dressed. Anah was around his shoulders and, of course, wearing a sunhat with a blue ribbon. Jules walked alongside his father, looking around at everything he missed from when he entered the hotel the previous night. There were large potted plants in each corner and photographs and paintings of Auckland through the decades hung in ornate frames all along the wall. There were also pictures of colorful birds that Jules had never seen before outside of books.

Millington led them to a dining room opposite the elevators and across the lobby. He pulled out chairs so his jet-lagged companions could sit. Jules was feeling slightly better, but his head still felt fogged and heavy. He blinked and rubbed his eyes while trying to read the menu. As much as he wanted to follow Millington's suggestion about eating light for now, everything looked quite good.

It was funny to see Moffitt's crankiness slowly begin to fade from his eyes once he had a cup of English breakfast tea in his hands. He gave a sigh of happiness and contentment after taking his first sip. "Finally. Some semblance of sanity has been restored."

"Dear, you do realize I am going to tell Troy everything about how you are acting when we go home, right?" Anah asked.

"Oh, I know, but I don't care. I have my tea and I'm less likely to tear someone's head off."

Jules bit back a smirk.

"A good cuppa soothes the savage beast," Millington added with a snort.

"Honestly, that is all it takes to get him to stop griping," Anah said. "Most of the time."

"Oh, stop," Moffitt muttered. "The milk here is very good. Goes perfectly well with English breakfast tea."

Jules greatly preferred his father musing about tea than snapping and being grumpy about every little thing under the sun. In the meantime, Jules decided to order a full English breakfast, while reading a pamphlet left on the table detailing various things to do around the North Island. He set the pamphlet down when he received his breakfast, and noticed the waitress smiling more at him than at his father or Millington. Unfortunately for her, I'm already taken, Jules thought. He started on the fried mushrooms, and looked at Anah. "I'm so used to these being fried in garlic that no other full English can come close to yours."

"Aww, thank you, dear," Anah said, smiling. "I am flattered."

"Anah's secret ingredient to everything—garlic," Moffitt added.

"Well, except my sweets."

"Oh, I'm sure Troy would eat a chocolate biscuit made with garlic."

Anah frowned. "He would."

"Gross," Jules said.

"Seconded." Millington made a face.

Despite the lack of generously-applied garlic, Jules did enjoy his breakfast. He kept reading through the pamphlet. As Millington had mentioned, there were indeed horse trails and all manner of horse-related activities, but a nagging voice in Jules's head kept telling him to try something different, something new, something he couldn't really do in Britain. "Hey, Dad? Would it be possible for us to go over to Port Waikato?"

"We can," Moffitt replied. "Any particular reason?"

"Well, I…" Jules nervously scratched the back of his head. "I'd like to… try surfing at Sunset Beach."

Moffitt looked at Anah. "What do you think?"

"I see no reason why not," Anah replied.

"Alright." Moffitt turned to Millington next. "What's our first order of business regarding the sea krait?"

"You need to recover from jet lag first, especially if it's throwing off your senses," Millington replied. "However, that doesn't mean we can't go up to Doctor Conwyn's office at the University of Auckland and talk to him more in detail about this krait." He looked at Jules. "Port Waikato is a bit of a drive from here, but I can arrange to get a rental vehicle. The sea krait takes precedence, so let your father and I meet with Doctor Conwyn, and then we will see about getting you to Sunset Beach."

"Alright. Thanks." Jules had never surfed before in his life, so he hoped he wouldn't come to regret this decision.

Moffitt hadn't paid much attention to the fact that he had fallen asleep the previous night without Vanora. His head was heavy, and felt like someone was repeatedly bashing a hammer against it. He had brief moments when the pain would cease and he could focus on not falling over. He couldn't comprehend what time it was, either here or back home. It was hard not to snap at anyone, and he collapsed in bed, unable to address Jules's worries.

At some point in the night, he found himself dreaming of water. Everything around him was dark and murky. He was cold and exhausted, and the strangeness of how his body felt told him he was dreaming of inhabiting the mind of a snake. The snake paused, and in the darkness, Moffitt saw the animal's tail lash around in front of it before it turned around. The tail was flat and paddle-like, and lined with black and bluish-gray bands. One of the bands near the base of the tail was broken. The sea krait, he thought. Where are you? He tried to reach out psychically.

The krait paused once, but then kept moving, disappearing into the blackness of the water. Moffitt could hear a faint voice whispering, "Help me."

The sounds of the water disappeared gradually as Moffitt slowly began to wake up. He felt Anah draped over him, and heard her soft snoring. There was still a dull ache behind his eyes, and he felt nauseated despite being hungry. He became aware of the fact that he was alone in bed apart from Anah, and his feelings of overall awfulness were worsened by homesickness and missing Vanora. He daydreamed of her doing what she could to help him feel better, by gently massaging him all over, and found himself wishing that he had convinced her to come along. Granted, she would probably feel terrible, too, after such a long flight, and he would do whatever it took, despite his own discomfort, to make her feel better.

He didn't force himself out of bed until a startled Anah hissed at Jules for checking to see if his father was awake. After getting dressed and contemplating whether tea and breakfast would actually help, Moffitt went with his son, Anah, and Millington down to the hotel's dining room. There, he had his tea, and all seemed right with the world.

He was a bit surprised at Jules expressing a desire to learn how to surf, but figured if that was something he wanted to do, Moffitt wouldn't stop him. However, Jules would have to be patient, as Moffitt and Millington first had to go to the University of Auckland to meet with Doctor Conwyn about the sea krait. Food, and especially a cup of tea, had helped wake Moffitt a little bit more, but it did nothing in terms of easing his longing for Vanora's company. Watching couples on a bus ride to the university only made him miss her more. At least, he told himself, she had Livna for company. Moffitt found it funny that there was once a time he would have abhorred the idea of a dog in his house. Now, after having Livna for a year and a half, he couldn't imagine life without her. He had a feeling he wouldn't be nearly as keen on coming to New Zealand if Vanora was going to be completely alone.

Moffitt pulled himself from his thoughts when they arrived at the university, especially in order to admire the iconic Clock Tower. He then turned to Jules in order to say, "I forgot to bring the camera."

Jules sighed. "Bloody hell, Dad."

"You can buy a camera while you're here," Millington said. "Or borrow mine."

"You don't have to be so generous while we're here," Moffitt replied.

"I invited you, and I'd like to make your stay as comfortable as possible."

"I know, but we're going to make it up to your after this."

"Oh, don't bother."

As they entered the university, Moffitt paused to look in the direction of the harbor. He couldn't tell if the strange little nagging feeling was due to his jet lag or if a sea snake was attempting to connect with him. He was mindful when focusing on the feeling, not wanting to give himself a headache, or worse, a seizure similar to those he had before learning how to use his abilities, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Jules asked. "You look… lost."

"I'm alright. Still tired, that's all," Moffitt replied.

Doctor Conwyn worked in marine biology. The ocean-themed décor and the large aquarium in his office was a stark contrast of Moffitt's desert panoramas and framed photographs of his and his father's expeditions to North Africa. There was something quite soothing about the colors and various water features, combined with the overall cooler temperature inside the building. Conwyn himself was seated at his desk, and stood to answer the door when Millington knocked. He stood slightly taller than Millington, but was shorter than both Moffitt and Jules. He had a bit more hair on his head, and although it was tinged with gray, his hair still retained a dark-brown color.

"Good to see you made the flight all the way down here, old friend!" Conwyn greeted Millington with a firm handshake. He then held out his hand to Moffitt. "And you must be Jack Moffitt, the snake whisperer himself. A pleasure to meet you in person."

"Pleasure to meet you as well," Moffitt replied, taking Conwyn's hand. He then turned to Jules. "This is my son, Jules. He's not taking part in the mission to find the sea krait, but he was curious about seeing New Zealand."

"How do you do, sir?" Jules said, shaking Conwyn's hand next.

"Very well, thank you." Conwyn looked at Anah. "And the lovely Anah. It's not often I have the pleasure of meeting a talking animal. Other than parrots. I've met many parrots. Please, come in, and have a seat. Would anyone like a cup of tea?"

"Another cup wouldn't hurt," Moffitt said.

Jules shrugged. "Sure. I'll have one."

Conwyn took care of getting the tea started while his guests took a seat. After the water was boiled and cups were set out with a tea bag steeping inside, he set a manila folder on his desk in front of Millington. "Right. The situation with the sea krait. I can't thank you enough for coming all this way to help. If there's anyone who can help with a snake, it's you."

"You frequently travel between here and Australia. There wasn't someone from Australia you could've contacted for help?" Millington asked with a slight laugh.

"I have many options, but this is truly a bizarre case. This isn't just people spotting a sea krait and panicking. This krait has been hanging around for quite a while." Conwyn opened the folder. "The first sighting occurred a few weeks after a major cyclone last year. It started as just sightings, some pictures were taken, a few people were nervous, no big deal. Then we started having bite reports. Sea kraits, in my experience, tend to be quite placid. You even showed me a few years ago that they are tolerant of gentle handling, even more so than most venomous snakes."

"Indeed they are. I think they're the only dangerous snake I've handled with only gloves and no hook," Millington said. "You said pictures were taken?"

Conwyn nodded, taking out a series of black and white photographs of a sea-dwelling snake. Its head was black save for a light-colored "mask" enveloping its face. Black bands went all the way down its body. Moffitt's thoughts turned to his dream when he noticed that one of the bands was broken at the base of the sea krait's tail. There was another broken band by the krait's neck.

"Has anyone been able to gauge how long this krait is?" Millington asked.

"Most witnesses and bite victims are saying just under five feet," Conwyn replied.

"That would make this krait a female, most likely. They tend to be much longer than the males." Millington studied the pictures carefully, and stopped at the clearest one. "I think… she might be gravid. Notice how the lower half of her body is much thicker compared her upper. Sea kraits typically don't lay eggs here in New Zealand. She's a very long way from where her species typically breeds. That may partly explain her aggression."

"So, we need to get out there and find her soon," Moffitt said.

"The chances of her developing dystocia are extremely high, since we are far from normal breeding grounds, so, yes, we do need to get out to sea and catch her." Millington looked at Moffitt. "That'll be your job. You can convince this krait that we're going to help her."

Moffitt looked down at his tea for a moment. "I… doubt that'll be difficult. Last night, I dreamt that I was observing the krait in her head, and she was saying, 'Help me.' I'm not sure if it was a dream, or she was trying to connect with me."

Millington turned back to Conwyn. "Where was the krait last seen?"

"About five miles north of Port Waikato," Conwyn said. "That report came in about three days ago. It's possible the krait is in the harbors around Auckland, but she could also be, well, anywhere."

"If we can sail around the coast, I'll be able to sense her," Moffitt said. "I have no diving experience, though. My field is the desert, after all."

"We'll get you adequate training. Don't worry about that."

"That leaves me to take care of setting up a suitable habitat for the krait," Millington said. "I'll also need access to an operating theater, to prepare for any worst-case scenarios this poor thing might be in."

"I can get all of that arranged. It might take a bit of time, but plenty of time for Moffitt to start dive training." Conwyn turned his attention back to Moffitt. "I was also told that you can provide your own antivenom."

"Yes. My… My own blood has magical properties," Moffitt said. "I'm completely immune to all snake venoms, but I'm not a universal donor. Anah has to convert it to a potion base in order to make it work. We would also need the venom of the snake in question. For anyone who's been bitten by the krait already, I can't provide treatment unless their blood type is either B-negative or AB-negative. In those cases, I can do a direct transfusion."

"Fascinating." Conwyn stood up. "I will get started on getting what you need, Millington, and I will talk with one of our diving instructors. Feel free to look around. I should be back in a few minutes."

Millington went back to looking through the pictures of the krait. "She must be frightened and confused," he said quietly.

"Where do sea kraits typically live?" Jules asked.

"Much farther north, around Polynesia, southeast Asia, and partway into the Indian Ocean. They do show up down here on occasion. The pelagic, or yellow-bellied sea snake is a bit more common."

"What was that word you used? Dystocia?"

"It means egg retention. A snake can become unable to pass eggs for many reasons. Illness, injury, unsuitable environment, deformity, or even something as simple as an egg being too big."

"That nearly happened with Zeresh a few years ago," Moffitt said. "She had a big egg in her clutch."

"I do remember that. We don't know the health of this krait, but being in an environment unsuitable for her to lay would definitely cause her to not lay them at all. An illness or injury on top of that would make things worse."

"So, we don't have a lot of time."

"We don't know. I want to treat this like we don't have much time, just to get this snake in a place where she's safe, comfortable, and in more optimal conditions before something bad actually happens. I can't bring the shores of Fiji here, but I can create something close." Millington looked at Anah. "I'd like you to keep the krait company when we bring her here."

"Of course," Anah said.

Moffitt faced Jules. "Well, you did want to go out to Port Waikato. Should be fun."

"Yeah," Jules replied.

"I think since it might be a little while since we'll need Anah for this task, she can accompany you to Sunset Beach."

"Okay."

"I know you'll listen to her, and, again, I trust you to not do anything reckless or stupid."

"You can, Dad."

"Thank you." Moffitt squeezed his son's shoulder. "Your job is to have fun and experience something new, alright?"

Jules nodded. "I know."

"Just… as always, please, be careful."

Jules sighed. "Dad—"

"I know, I know." Moffitt grinned, but his grin faded as he started contemplating the fact that there wasn't much time before Jules was ready to go off on his own. Rescuing the krait was important, but Moffitt also wanted to make time to spend with Jules, and make as many memories as possible.