“Of course, Auntie,” Chichi said.

Sunny nodded. “It’s a lovely room.”

And it was, with its large leafy plants winding up a pole beside the curtains, creeping out through the cracked door over the balcony.

“Have you been good with your brother, Sunny?” her auntie asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean, honey. Are things okay with his school? We don’t need you dragged off to the library basement again.”

Chichi snorted with laughter.

“I’m still here,” Sunny said, embarrassed.

“Good,” Chichi’s auntie said, patting her on the back. “I know it’s hard for free agents. You know the Lamb world better than us, and Leopard People can be assholes, so your kind can be short-tempered. For good reason. It’s not easy living on the border of such different worlds.”

A black cat smoothly skulked from beneath the bed and stood in front of Sunny and looked up at her. Waiting. Sunny ignored it as Chichi’s auntie spoke.

“But you’ll get used to it,” she continued. “And you better do it fast, because I think something big is expected of you.”

“I guess,” Sunny said, glancing at the cat. It was still sitting there.

“Pick her up,” her auntie said. “What do you think she’s waiting for?”

Sunny bent down and slowly picked it up. She wasn’t too familiar with cats, so she held it like a baby. It turned and twisted into a comfortable position in her arms. She petted it, and it began to purr.

“That’s Paja,” Chichi said, taking one of the cat’s front paws in her hand. “See her paws? Cool, right?”

The cat had six digits on its paw.

“Is it . . . what if Chukwu sees it?”

“So?” Chichi said. “These aren’t magical. Well, all cats are of the Leopard People, but Lambs have these cats, too. They’re called polydactyl cats. It’s a natural mutation. They’re really smart, too.”

The cat purred and rested its head against Sunny’s chest, and Sunny nearly melted with delight. She sat on the bed with the cat in her arms and she stroked its soft black fur.

“I’ve contacted your mother,” Chichi’s auntie told Sunny. “She’s glad you made it.”

“Thank you,” Sunny said. She’d also send Ugonna a text. He’d probably heard from her parents that they were okay, but she’d told him she’d keep in personal contact with him.

“Are you sure about this trip?” Chichi’s auntie asked.

Sunny nodded.

“Okay,” she said. “No more talk of it. Let’s go have dinner.”

Sunny brought the cat with her.

The dining room was in the back and also completely made of glass, various types of plants and potted trees stationed in the corners of the room. The table in the center was large and made of thick wood, as were the chairs. And the chairs were grooved with intricate designs, their edges smooth with age. Sunny found them extremely comfortable. The wood even felt warm.