Wrath's altered behavior in the Aerie was still all but unbelievable to Leslyn. When she was released from the flight cage with no restraints to speak of, she stalked right past the small crowd on a direct course to return to her keets. The Aeriemaster was several steps ahead of her to make certain her path was clear of onlookers, unconcerned that her beak was well within striking distance of his unprotected back. Leslyn marveled at his trust in the beast.

His admiring reverie was interrupted by a soft touch on his arm. "Einan, could you do us a favor?"

When he turned, it was Katharesa who was speaking. It was the first time she'd acknowledged him, beaming at him with wide blue eyes. "I'd be glad to help, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else. My name is Leslyn."

The redhead startled, a fetching look of gentle surprise crossing her face. "Oh! Apologies. You just look so much like him."

"No need to apologize. How can I help?"

"Please let the Aeriemaster know that Teryn and I will return this evening, hopefully in time for the event. We've something to attend to down at the harbor."

"Of course. I'll tell him as soon as we're back in Wrath's apartment."

She smiled. "Thank you, Leslyn. Koben, we're ready to go."

Koben turned at her call and tipped an imaginary hat. "Of course, milady. Leslyn, you do as she said, then stay here in case Gunu needs another hand."

"Will do, sire."

The Queen and her companion departed with the prince, and the procession continued back to the griffin's nesting place. Gunu entered the room and Wrath was about to follow, but the beast balked and her mane stood on end as voices suddenly rang out from inside.

"Stupid girl!"

"Stupid boy!"

Leslyn's eyes went to the ceiling and he stifled a sigh. Why was it so hard for Erin to just suck it up and behave?

He heard Gunu's grunt and Erin's cry as Wrath burst into the apartment, barely avoiding flattening the Aeriemaster in haste to reach her keets. The rumbling rhythm of her strides was steady between the hiss of exploding straw bales.

With some apprehension, Leslyn peered into the room when it was his turn to enter. It was as bad as he imagined. The meticulous rows of straw bale seats were destroyed where the huge mother griffin had plowed through them, entire bales flung clear across the space and loose straw littering the floor and nearly every other surface like a thick golden carpet. Erin and Kaleit were no exception, the both of them dusting and plucking their clothes in vain.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

There was a snicker from somewhere behind Leslyn, but no one else laughed. The Aeriemaster cleared his throat loudly but his voice sounded dull he announced, "Sitting room is to be reserved for royalty, the old, and the infirm only. Everyone else will be standing this evening. In the meantime, all hands to this mess."

As the workers set to cleaning up the straw, Leslyn went to Gunu. "Aeriemaster, the Queen wanted me to let you know that she and her companion have gone to the harbor with Koben."

"This close to the event? Whatever for?"

"Sorry, she didn't say."

He nodded, his eyes taking on that heavy look they had when Leslyn first met him. "No need for apologies. It can't be helped."

"Shall I join the others? Koben said I can work if you need me."

"By all means."

As he was too late to find any unused rake or broom for the work, Leslyn began to push the straw into piles with his feet, then scoop an armload into the nearest wheelbarrow. It wasn't long before Erin and her broom swept their way over to him. "We need to talk," she said quietly. He was about to ask why she hadn't said so earlier, but her wary glances toward the others told him well enough that something was wrong. The two of them slowly worked their way to a lonely corner of the apartment. "Okay, so don't yell or gasp or anything," she warned.

Leslyn braced for bad news.

"Last night, I got online with my tablet."

“What in the world are you talking about?”

"Shh!" She glared and doubled down on her sweeping in case anyone was looking. "I can’t explain how, but when I turned it on, it was still connected to the Emerrane wiki and my author page. All of our adventures are recorded there, somehow."

And there she went with more gibberish. Leslyn crossed his arms, then immediately realized he'd gone too still. He started shuffling straw with his feet again, taking the time to do a good bit of work before speaking again. "What was the point of telling me that?"

She looked at him as if he’d grown another nose. "I just thought maybe we could somehow use it to find a way to wake us up and get us home."

"You suddenly want to go home now? You’ve seemed strangely content with your lot since waking up on Koben’s ship, after surviving a wreck and all."

She shrugged and plucked a stubborn shred of straw from her shirt. "I was content at first. I was having a lot of fun, and I could walk and run again. But what about you? Don't you want to go home?"

"No, I don't. I count myself lucky to be in Koben’s service. Once I am granted citizenship in Nilvar, I will have many more opportunities than I ever could have at home." Then, something she’d said finally sunk in. “What’s this about walking and running?”

She stared at the floor, sweeping with pointed swipes. "Walking's overrated anyway. Doesn't matter much when I never need to leave the house."

"Is that so?" Leslyn couldn't help but snort at how little she’d thought that through. "You would refuse to work and make others slave away for you so you can be completely comfortable and never face another challenge in your safe, sheltered little life? How could you live with yourself?"

"Is that how you feel about me, Desmond?" She gave him a white-hot look. "You can’t tell me to my face, but you’ll tell me using a character in a story? I’ve been trying to work toward getting published so I could help out with money, but I guess it doesn’t matter. All this time, you've been faking the whole 'family sticks together' thing. You think I'm nothing but a burden, just a waste of oxygen."

"Erin, that’s quite the jump you’re—"

Suddenly, she was coming at him with a swing of her broom. The flinch was involuntary, and when Leslyn opened his eyes, he was covered in straw. Erin stomped away, growling and launching another golden pile into the air as she passed.

After she’d gone, Leslyn became aware that he was being stared at, a disapproving look from Aeriemaster Gunu and an odd cross between smugness and understanding from Kaleit. Clearly, the other youth had already seen something of that side of Erin while she was out of Leslyn’s sight.

He started to go after the obviously deranged girl, but Gunu stopped him with a dismissive wave. “Best to let her sulk,” said the Aeriemaster. “I doubt even Wrath would dare disturb her just now.”

With a nod both hesitant and grateful, Leslyn went back to work, mulling over the uncanny ability of every woman he’d met since leaving home to mistake his identity. If he ever met this “Desmond,” he’d have plenty of questions, that was for sure. What was “oxygen,” for one…