Mari inhaled deeply, then looked at her mother, who was sitting to her left. I’d filled them in, telling them as quickly as possible about everything that had happened over the past couple days, save for our encounter with the mysterious Netjer. And my whatever-it-was with Garth. TMI is very much a real thing.

I glanced at Nik, sitting on my left, but his eyes were locked on Mei, too. Probably because she was staring at him just as hard. I didn’t know much about Nik’s relationship with his daughter, but based on appearances, it was a tense one.

Seeing that she wouldn’t get any help from her mom, Mari returned her attention to me. She blew out a breath and threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, why not.” She pointed a finger at me. “On one condition.” She redirected her pointer finger to Nik. “You agree to help me, even after we save Kat’s boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I said reflexively, and Mari snorted. I looked at Nik, begging him with my eyes to agree to her condition. It was hard to do when he hadn’t even glanced my way. Losing patience, I reached out and touched the back of his wrist with my fingertips.

Finally, he looked at me, his expression hard.

“Please,” I whispered. “Nik . . . please.”

His features softened, and he closed his eyes and bowed his head in assent.

A sly grin spread across Mari’s face. She slapped her hands together, then rubbed them back and forth vigorously. “Looks like you’re not dying today, Connie,” she said to Constance, who was lying down on the mid-century couch in the “living room.” She was running a fever already, and she’d practically collapsed on the couch as soon as Mari suggested she get some rest.

Constance held up a hand, giving us a thumbs-up over the back of the couch.

“Gather whatever you need. We’ve got to get back to Bainbridge right away,” I told Mari, then looked at Mei. “Can you teleport us there?”

“You three, no problem,” she said, then looked at the couch. “But I can’t teleport her. She’s human—the trip would tear her apart.”

I sighed, then scooted my chair away from the table. “Alright, well, a gateway it is, then.” I stood, hoping I had it in me to make one more today. “Which wall do you care about the least?”

Mari and Mei exchanged a confused look.

“Her power’s evolving,” Nik explained. Oh, right, because I hadn’t included that part in my flash update, either. “She can draw a sort of doorway from one place to the next.”

Both Mari and Mei looked at me, eyes opened wide and lips parted. Boy, I sure do love surprising people. Maybe it’s why I always try to make sure their expectations are extra low. Because I totally do that on purpose. Really.

“Wall preference?” I asked, nudging them out of their shocked states.

“Oh,” Mari said. “Um . . .” Brow furrowed, she looked at her mom, who shrugged.