But there was no Billos.

“Billos, are you drowning?” she cried.

Only rising bubbles answered.

Now she became truly worried. “Billos!”

He came out of the water like a rocket, gasping and grinning at once. His skin was again pink. Gabil thrust a wing at the sky and cried with delight. “Yes!”

“What are you waiting for?” Billos demanded.

Darsal smiled dumbly and fell forward like a log. The pond accepted her, then swallowed her dusty, graying body. Then she was under with Billos, who dunked himself for a second bath. Gabil paced on wobbling legs, eager to jump in himself. But he had a mission to finish. Mustn’t forget the mission.

When they rose from the water moments later, Darsal threw her arms around Billos and squeezed him tight. “I could kill you!”

“For what?” he demanded, but he was laughing.

“For leaving me! Don’t you ever do that again. Swear it!”

Gabil could hold himself no longer. “Hey, you two.”

They whirled around, eyes like full moons. “Where did you come from?” Darsal asked.

“I’ve been around since the legends,” he said. “Question is, where did you come from?”

Billos looked as though he’d seen a ghost. Gabil was the first Roush he’d seen. “What . . . what’s that?”

“A Roush,” Darsal said.

They looked at him, dripping wet, minds spinning.

“Do the words ‘Black Forest’ conjure up any images?” Gabil asked. “How about nasty black vampire bats with rotting breath and slimy noses? Run into any of those lately, by chance?”

“Johnis,” Darsal said.

“Now you’re getting the picture,” Gabil said. He waddled back and forth in front of them. “It seems the sight we granted you is easily compromised. Thanks to the cleansing pool, it’s back. We don’t have much time, so I need you to listen to me very carefully.” He wagged his finger at them. “No nonsense this time. Just trust me and listen.”

They slopped out of the water, and he jumped back to avoid being splashed. Not that he minded the water, but they were still smeared with stubborn dirt and could use a proper bath.

“Now, Darsal, do you remember me showing you a karate move or two?” he said. “You’ll need that when you go back in.”

“Back in where?” Billos asked.

“The Black Forest, of course. The one thing these black beasts do is come at you with their teeth and claws first. So I suggest you perfect the dodge-duck-kick routine that I am best known for. I’ll show—”

“We’re not headed back in!” Billos cried. “We should take these catalina cacti and head back.” He pointed to a group of seven large cacti on the other side of the pond. “The Horde is marching by now! Or soon. And they are coming from this side, not the other. We have to tell Thomas!”

“This book is more important than Thomas,” Gabil said.