Orff stood panting behind the stairs on the ceremonial fountain. When he saw the detective walking away, he came out again. There was still Odd to find, and he needed to redeem himself for the botch earlier. He headed back toward the carnival, thinking Odd might still be hanging around there.

Mr. Lyon, the man in the swirling cape, accidentally bumped into Orff. “Whoops,” he said. “Pardon me, my boy, pardon me, I do beg your pardon. Step lively now, see that it doesn’t happen again!”

“Yes, sir!” Orff said. “That’s a very Northern accent.”

“Course it is!” Mr. Lyon said. “Wouldn’t have it any other way! Raised in the jolly old North, I was, up near Hellia, but North of it, way North indeed, my boyo!”

“But your coloring is Southern,” Orff pointed out. “Black hair and eyes, like any of us. I thought Northerners had blonde hair.”

“Common misconception,” Mr. Lyon said. “Easy mistake, my boy! You see, the normal Northerner is blonde, red-headed or brunette, but the Hellians came up much later than the rest!” Orff was shocked to find that Mr. Lyon was actually SINGING his explanation. “A normal Hellian, you see, if of finer filigree! His hair is often black as jet! For the Hellian breed came up on rough-run seas, they came around, many centuries overdue. The normal evolution of the pigment leaves us well-bred Hellians just as dark as you!”

“I see,” said Orff. He blinked a few times to clear his head. “Are all Hellians tenors?”

Mr. Lyon laughed. “No, indeed, my boy, my lad, though we are all gifted with the sweetest, most melodious vocals you ever did hear, top quality, along with the insatiable urge to display for all to hear. Good day, to you, my good chap, and do come back for Lyon and Zyphur’s Magnificent Skyblaster Carnival!”

With an elaborate bow, he handed Orff a free, all-day ticket and swept off to oversee the set-up.

Orff stood there staring for a moment, then pocketed the ticket and continued his search for Odd, looking around the animal cages as they were unloaded from the caravan. Odd was helping unload a beautiful Gold Phantom. “Odd!” Orff called, hurrying over. “Odd, come on! We need to go—“

“Sh!” Odd hissed. He reached his hand through the bars.

“Odd, are you crazy?” Orff demanded. “That thing’ll bite your arm off!”

“You don’t believe that,” Odd told him.

Orff looked at the Gold Phantom. They were beautiful creatures. Phantoms were like large cats, with high, proud shoulders and thick, soft fur. Easily ten feet long and usually weighing over a thousand pounds, they were the second biggest common cats in Silvamorde. Lendridyls were the largest, but they only spanned a few hands taller at the shoulder, though most weighed a good, solid ton. Phantoms were more inclined to magic, and much more susceptible, due to the receivers on their bodies. Much like demons and unicorns, a Phantom’s receivers were in the form of horns, three or five cresting their brows, and a good two or three on either shoulder blade, making a good handhold for riding, if ever they could be tamed. They also possessed very sharp claws and, of course, teeth. Gold Phantoms in particular were notoriously vicious, and had much keener senses and skill with magic. And thanks to Perelian hunters, they were the fastest-dying species in the country.

The Gold Phantom gazed with mild interest at Odd’s outstretched fingers. It got to its feet and stretched mightily, muscles rippling beneath its fur. It approached Odd slowly and deliberately, taking its time, then sat down just out of reach of his long arms. It sat there motionless for a moment. Then lunged forward, jaws wide and ready to devour!

Odd pulled his hand back just as the saber-fanged maw snapped shut with all the power of a steel trap.

The Phantom sneezed with laughter and turned its back on the two white-faced boys. “Odd,” Orff whispered. “Weren’t you scared?”

“Nay,” Odd replied. “I am now, though.”

“Oh, Bravo!” called a sarcastic voice from behind them. The two boys turned and saw the black-haired drummer woman. She had changed into a skin-tight black uniform, over which a long red robe was draped. War symbols had been drawn upon her face with red dye. She frowned disapprovingly at the boys. “Try getting him to respect you now.”

“He’d’ve bitten me arm off!” Odd insisted. “What’d ye ‘spect me to do?”

“He wouldn’t have harmed you,” the woman said. “Not with me here. I’m Zyphur.”

She stalked past the boys and stared up at the Phantom, who sat defiantly out of reach. “I trained him from a cub. Hard discipline is what teaches them. It worked with his mother and works just as well with him. He breaks a rule, he gets the rod, just that simple.”

Orff felt Odd shrink away from the woman as she turned to regard him. “You like cats, boy?”

“Aye,” Odd replied.

“Are you afraid of this one?”

“A bit.”

“You are, I can tell,” the woman said with a smile. “Do you like him?”

“Oh, aye!”

“Would you like to help he take care of him?”

Odd’s eyes widened. He nodded vigorously, his long hair bobbing behind him. “Good boy,” Zyphur said. “Why don’t you go and talk to Mr. Lyon about it, and we’ll get you fixed up with a position. He ought to be by the House of Freaks.” Odd started off toward the right, changed his mind, and headed left.

“Wait, Odd!” Orff called, starting after him. Zyphur grabbed hold of Orff’s shoulder.

“Woah, boy,” she said. “I’ve got something much more interesting for you. Come with me.”

She lead Orff to a small trailer, apart from the rest. Inside was a hammock, counter, trunk, and bookshelves full of old books and scrolls. “Do you live here?” Orff asked, dreading what sort of job this strange woman might have in mind.

“I do,” she said, closing the door and drawing the curtains. “I also practice my arts here, and there is something I must know before I lose you again.”

She pulled several scrolls out, laying them out on the floor. From the cabinets she took seven candles, a rosewood alter, a crystal orb, a rose, and two long knives, one white and one black. She sat cross-legged on one side of the alter, instructing Orff to sit opposite her. Orff sat, awkward, not quite understanding what this woman before him was trying to do.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting her lungs fill with air before breathing out again. “Now,” she said, keeping her eyes shut. “Let us begin.”