Fifer and Sky agreed to the plan. They got into the hammock, and the birds took them up through the trees.

Florence, Ava, and Lukas watched them go. After a moment Florence turned and called out to Panther and the rock to let them know what to do next if summoned. Then she hoisted the children up, one in each arm, and started the trek toward the Quillitary grounds, each step causing the land to tremor slightly. Heavyhearted, she knew that even with Simber on their side, the small group of them who weren’t trapped didn’t stand a chance against an army so brainwashed they couldn’t tell right from wrong.

Meanwhile in the Lounge

Seth went behind the lounge bar and tried to figure out how to get the orange-cream dispenser to work.

“What are you doing?” asked Ibrahim in a hushed voice. He didn’t want to disturb Lani and Carina, who were nearby, deep in conversation about how they were going to escape their entrapment. Others sat in the booths in small groups, brainstorming. Sean brooded by himself, no doubt worried about Ava and Lukas.

“If we can’t get out of here, we may as well eat something,” Seth replied, jiggling a tap handle. It clicked and stuck forward, and orange cream started pouring out onto the floor. “Crud!” he cried, and Ibrahim ran for a tall soda glass and a towel.

Seth filled the glass, then pushed the handle into the upright position, stopping the flow. “That was easier than I expected,” he said. “I could totally work here.” He licked the sticky mess off the back of his hand and offered Ibrahim the first sip from the glass. “I used to help in the kitchen sometimes, you know. Thisbe and Fifer and me. We sent the room service food up the elevator to the proper rooms.”

“I’m not sure that qualifies you to work here, but okay,” said Ibrahim. “I mean, licking orange cream off your hand might be a bit of a turnoff to your customers.” He slurped on the drink and nodded approvingly. “Are you any good at food design?”

“Food design?” Seth had never heard that term before, but he nodded. “Sure. I’m good at a lot of things. Pottery, um, food design, like you mentioned, and… other food-related things.”

“Pottery is food related?”

“Obviously.” Seth rummaged under the counter and brought out a ceramic serving bowl with fruit in it. “See? Pottery. Food.”

Ibrahim’s thick, tented eyebrows were the most expressive part of his face, and when he raised one, as he did now, his skepticism was glaringly obvious. He grabbed a piece of fruit and polished it on his shirt.

“Hey, Seth, Ibrahim,” said Carina. “Can you bring that fruit bowl over here? And anything else you can find. We need fuel for our minds to figure out how to get out of here.”

Seth and Ibrahim searched the cabinets and found loaves of bread, nuts, and other snacks. Seth filled several glasses with the orange-cream drink and put them on a large round tray, then carefully brought it over to where Lani, Carina, and the others sat. There were close to twenty-five people and statues milling around.