“The locks are booby-trapped,” she announced glumly, in case we hadn’t picked up on it. “So much for my new skill.”

“My new skill was no help either,” said Angel.

“And since we’re not surrounded by snow, I’m still blind.” Iggy sounded bitter, but then he perked up. “On the other hand, this carpet is a tasteful ecru, with a thin cinnamon stripe close to the wall.”

I glanced at Fang, who was totally visible against the walnut paneling of the room. He shrugged.

“So now I guess we wait,” I said. Which, you know, I’m so good at.

Chapter 64

64

BEING IN THIS TALL BUILDING was interesting for us, because we were up high but not flying. Outside, it was really storming — huge crashes of thunder and lightning that I remembered from the last time we were here in the wishfully named Sunshine State. Gusts of wind buffeted the building, and it was so tall it actually swayed.

“Good thing this building’s rated for hurricane-force winds,” Nudge said, looking out the window nervously. “It’s really blowing out there.”

They fed us. I was hoping they’d send in actual humans with our food, because they’re easy to jump and pretty fragile. No problem getting past them, unless they have guns.

Instead we got Transformer-bots with trays, under Gozen’s watchful laser eyes.

They gave us a variety of food, apparently never having fed mutant bird kids before. We had oatmeal, sandwiches, fruit, bread, a bowl of dog kibble, which Total pushed toward Akila, and . . .

“Oh, my God!” Nudge squealed, removing the cover on a tray. “Oh, my God!”

“What? What?” I hurried over, hoping for chocolate.

Instead I was confronted with a large bowl of . . . well, birdseed.

“It’s just seeds!” Nudge said. “Not even like a granola bar. It’s birdseed!”

For a couple seconds we all just stared at one another, and then we cracked up, really howling with laughter.

“Oh, God, no!” I said, holding my bruised ribs. “Don’t make me laugh!”

“Nummy!” Gazzy said, poking the seeds with his finger. “Could I get some worms with this?”

“Stop! Stop!” I begged.

Even Fang, who as you know is Mr. Personality, was actually laughing out loud, bent over, his hands on his knees.

“What? Seeds?” Iggy asked, feeling the contents of the bowl. “Is this really birdseed? ’Cause we’re birds?”

I nodded, tears running down my cheeks. I gasped for air, saying “Ouch” with each breath. “I’m nodding, Ig.”

“This is too much,” Fang wheezed. “Too much! Birdseed! Oh, God.”

“What’s for dessert? Caterpillars?” I said, barely intelligibly. This set off a new round of shrieking laughter.

“This sandwich isn’t half bad,” Total said, his paws up on the table.

“Did they bring us a bunch of nesting material?” Gazzy asked. “’Cause I’m beat.”

More laughter. Angel almost fell onto her hurt arm.