“Explain to me again,” Zora says after a long pause. She exchanges a look with River. We spent a couple of hours at the wall, trying and failing to find a way in. Now that we’re back at the cottage, we’re relaying the story to Zora and River. They believe us, but they’re struggling to understand what it was exactly we saw.

Because it sounds totally fake. Like we’ve decided to play an elaborate practical joke on the two who had been left behind.

It doesn’t help that we don’t have any proof. The moment we stepped through that illusion barrier of trees, the cameras on all our bakus stopped working. We can only relate what we’ve seen with our own eyes, without any video evidence.

“We found Lake Baku,” says Ashley.

“It’s a freaking enormous dome,” says Kai.

“But we can’t see what’s inside the dome,” I say. I alternate between elation and fear, my emotions swinging wildly. I can’t believe we’ve found Lake Baku. That means Monica might be close by…

My teeth chatter with nervous energy, and I find myself pacing around the room.

Zora and River blink almost in synchronicity, staring at us in turn. “So just over there, there’s a big dome?” River asks. He points in the direction we walked, where all that is visible is a blanket of trees.

“Yup,” Kai replies. “And it looked like it could cover a huge surface area. So who knows what is inside it?”

“Did you see anyone around?” Zora asks.

“No one,” I reply. “But this has got to be the right place. Why else would they go through so much trouble to hide it? All that technology used to disguise it… All we have to do is figure out a way in before the convention.”

“So…before tomorrow?” says Zora.

“Um, yeah. Before tomorrow evening at least.” I glance over to Tobias, who still hasn’t said a word. He’s stroking Aero’s back, lost in concentration.

A little face wriggles its way up out of my jacket.

“Jinx!” Zora squeals. I grin. His presence is reassuring, to the others as much as me. “But…how is it safe for him to be here?” She looks up at me.

“He’s disconnected himself from the Moncha cloud—for now. He can’t access it, but they can’t access him, either.”

Jinx squirms all the way out and leaps from my arms, then dashes over to where Zora is sitting. He and Linus curl up around each other, and my heart warms.

“And we have to get through the party first,” reminds Ashley.

“That’s right. We need to give Jinx a makeover, in case Eric recognizes him,” I say.

>>A temporary one.

Jinx says it in a warning tone.

“You’ll just have to stick close to people so you blend in with the other bakus.”