At the same time, all of them laughed. Even Sato broke into a smile for the first time since they’d met, looking back at Tick just as it turned back into a frown.

Tick had the strange feeling that maybe he was glad Sato had taken the pilot’s seat after all, since he seemed to already have the hang of it. I probably would’ve slammed us into the ground already, breaking all of our legs.

Sofia tried it next, shooting straight upward until Paul’s head slammed into the branch overhead.

“Ow, watch it!” he screamed. “I’m tall, remember!”

“Sorry,” Sofia said through a snicker. Tick could see her push down and forward on the handlebars as the Windbike came down and flew around the same tree he and Sato had just circled. She came to a stop by pulling back with her hands, hovering right next to Tick.

“Told you it was easy, I did,” Mothball said. She revved her humming motorcycle. “Follow me!”

Her Windbike shot forward into the forest before she’d finished her sentence.

~

“You’re sure of the meeting time and place?” Mistress Jane asked from her perch on the throne, glancing at her brightly yellow painted fingernails one by one.

“Absolutely,” Frazier replied, trying his best to remain calm and professional, even though he knew how unpredictable his boss could be. He’d been put in charge of counter-spying on Annika since he’d returned and he had discovered some very interesting letters in the back of her closet. His relief at being right about her had far outweighed any fear he felt about damage she may have done. His hide had been saved and that was all that mattered.

“Tomorrow morning,” he said, looking at the floor. “Dawn. Where the river meets the Forest of Plague. Annika will take the Barrier Wand from your throne room while you sleep, then deliver it to the Realitants.”

“Why doesn’t she just wink away with it herself? Why all the drama?” Jane said the last word with a low and sarcastic drawl.

Frazier swallowed despite his dry mouth. “She’s under orders to keep her cover, stay infiltrated. Keep spying on you.”

“Perhaps we should hide the Wand, end the plan this very minute.” Jane lifted her hand and a small plate with a cup of steaming hot tea floated up from a nearby table and rested on her palm. She took a long and slurping drink.

“We could, Mistress, but then we might lose our chance to capture any Realitants who may have escaped George’s Command Center before your attack. If Annika is not there with the Barrier Wand, they might suspect something and flee before we arrive.”