The girl stood in front of the Custodian, Dresden, and Mohon, hands on hips.

The Custodian cleared his throat. "I sensed you cast powerful magic inside this house, young outsider," he said, "and none of my defenses so much as stirred. By the Highest, what are you? And why can't the boy do the same as you?"

"Your defences can't harm I," Sonic said. "And the boy is not the same as my... I."

The Custodian studied her closely, his lips pursed. "You may take the boy at once," he said, "and return to whence you came."

Dresden looked at the Custodian, concerned. "Custodian Aris, she is no threat to us."

"Sire Faramay, we cannot be sure of anything," the Custodian said sternly. He had not taken his eyes off the strange girl standing in front of them.

Sonic met his gaze. "I not take the boy at once," she said. "I am no threat to you, Custodian Aris."

"Then tell us what more you want. You have brought the boy back to consciousness and healed him, so you may leave now, yes?"

She folded her arms. "I not leave with the boy."

"Why not?"

"Aris," Dresden interjected, moving to stand next to the girl. He faced the Custodian. "She is a guest here. Both she and the boy are now guests of the Hepstraad."

"Dresden – " the Custodian began ominously.

"I invoke the hospitality of my mother and my father, Custodian," he said. "Would it be so much to ask that you offer the same?"

The Custodian looked at Dresden, then at the girl. He grimaced, then exhaled loudly, puffing his mustache out. "Very well, Sire Faramay," he said, "but if this girl or her friend turns out to be hostile – "

"They are not hostile, Custodian," Dresden said firmly, and looked at the girl. "She has already said she comes in peace."

The Custodian eyeballed Dresden for a moment. "You do know where your mother is right now, Sire Faramay," he said matter-of-factly.

"I do," Dresden said, "and are you implying my mother's sojourn is somehow connected to the arrival of these strangers?"

"It is my job to be cautious, Dresden," the Custodian said, thinking: The girl has made an impression on the prince. Not good. "But you may do as you please. Perhaps teach the girl here our language, then. Allow her to explain herself."

"I shall."

"But I must ask you take her outside first," the Custodian said. "The defensive spells I have here are idle, but they may come to life soon."

"The defenses in this house cannot harm I," Sonic said.

The Custodian smiled broadly at her, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "In the spirit of hospitality," he said, "I do not wish to put your assertion to the test." He turned to Dresden. "You will be an excellent teacher to her, Sire Faramay. But as you have invoked your father's name, surely it would be a good idea to bring him into this? Mayhaps with as many of the Hepsguard as can be mustered?"

"I will not bring my father or the Hepsguard yet, Custodian Aris," Dresden said. "I would like her to learn more of our language and make her case. Surely this would be acceptable?"

Sonic glanced at the young man, and thought: Diplomatic. But not gonna work, hombre. "I means no harm," she repeated, then to Dresden: "Bring your father with as many Hepsguard as can be mustered is not a good idea, Dresden, Sire Faramay."

"The Lord Faramay and the guard will not hurt you, young lady," the Custodian said to Sonic with no small measure of condescension. "But you do understand why they should come? As a precaution? We have never had visitors like yourselves... nay, outsiders such as yourselves, come upon these lands."

This, the Custodian knew, was a lie. He had dispatched a number of outsiders not so long ago.

"Besides," he continued, "seeing as you will meet Lord Faramay and the Hepsguard soon enough, it is best we get the acquaintance done sooner rather than later, wouldn't you agree?"

Sonic grimaced, but not at the Custodian's patronizing tone. She had noticed the lie but could not determine the details. And while now was not the time to point out such things, she decided she would probe the man nonetheless.

The Custodian really had no idea who he was dealing with.

"Wouldn't agree," she said.

The Custodian sighed, then returned his attention to Dresden. "Son of Faramay, there is no telling what she can do, and I'd rather have the Hepsguard involved. But if you insist, I will give you some moments to teach her."

"Outside," Sonic said. She was looking directly at the Custodian, readying herself.

"Outside, yes," the Custodian said. He met her gaze – and felt a force assail his mental faculties in a giant wave, pummeling his mind like a hammer. The psychic power she bore down on him was almost palpable, and he gasped. The girl was probing him with astounding and frightening strength!

Defy, hold! Defy, hold! Defy! Defy! His mental chant of the greater shielding spell seemed to be working, but it was weakening already... no, crumbling! By the Highest! The power! –

– then Dresden took the girl by her arm and her eyes slipped away from the Custodian's, releasing him. The Custodian was flooded with tremendous relief, and he swallowed hard, willing himself to regain whatever composure he had left. Praise the Highest for Dresden! Who, fortunately, was far too enraptured by the girl to have noticed the exchange.

Sonic said to Dresden, "But the boy not go outside. Boy here."

"The boy will stay here, yes," Dresden said. "Come, let's go outside, and I will teach you what I can. And no Hepsguard, I promise."

The Custodian, still recovering, did his best to roll his eyes in a gesture of feigned exasperation. "Dresden, you would do well to exercise caution. This outsider – "

" – is powerful, yes, Custodian," Dresden interjected. "You seem to be intimidated, Custodian, but I am not."

Sonic removed Dresden's hand from her arm – gently, so as to not cause offense – and said: "Priturpotisnipal." She turned and walked over to the boy on the bed, and briefly spoke to him in their strange, lyrical tongue. Then she came back to Dresden. "Go outside," she said. "Teach my... teach I more of your language."

The Custodian stood there, watching Dresden and the girl walk down the corridor to the front door. The girl did not so much as look back, giving no hint whatsoever of her psychic assault. And how the Custodian was afraid – no, he was terrified! The pair rounded the corner and vanished from view, leaving him, the boy, and Mohon, alone.

Mohon, meanwhile, was looking down the now-empty corridor with an unmistakable glare of contempt. "Girl," he grunted. "Great. Power."

"Yes, I agree, much power," the Custodian said. He looked over at the other outsider, the boy sitting on the bed, who appeared to be studying the room in disbelief. "Much, much power," the Custodian continued, more to himself than anyone else. "Imagine that! To learn a language as it is spoken!"

Among other things, he thought, but did not say. It was supposed to be this boy only! The Emissary told me it would be just this boy! The Custodian swallowed with a dry click. The day was not going to plan. He would have to put his ideas into action.

"Mohon, would you do me the favor of bringing Lord Faramay here?" he said to the katarn. "I'll lead you out the back door to the Lineward road."

Mohon cocked one ear. "Send magic?" he asked. The Custodian was familiar with the reduced vocabulary of the katarn, and knew that Mohon meant 'use magic to send word to the Lord?'

"I was going to cast a requesting, but I think..." The Custodian glanced around the room, then down the corridor that Dresden and Sonic had just traversed. The defensive spells, invisible to all eyes but his, were fully intact. Not a single one had broken ranks, despite the girl not only performing what seemed to be significant healing magics right under their powerful watch, but actually trying to get into his mind. While he had reduced the potency of these spells by inviting the girl into the house (a dire mistake!), they should have reacted to her spellcasting! At the very least!

"I think," he continued, "I best keep magic to a minimum. The girl might sense it and, oh, I don't know, fight back in some way. Best to do things with our feet on the ground, my friend. Literally and metaphorically."

"Yes," Mohon woofed. "I. Go."

"Follow me. And don't worry, I won't say anything to Dresden."

Mohon grunted. It was clear he knew Dresden was distracted.

The Custodian led the creature away from the healing chamber, completely oblivious to the other outsider within.

"Hey," Rusty called out, bewildered. "Where're you guys going? What's going on?"

But the two – the paunchy old man and the dog-thing – paid him no heed. He was, it seemed, of no concern to either, and was left totally alone.

He leaned back against the wall. Back in five minutes, was what Sonic had told him. Something's not right with the old dude, but I didn't get a good look in, darn it. Like punching a wall. So, stay alert, okay, amigo? And don't worry, I'll take care of you. Just don't leave this room, I don't want anything weird happening to you!

Rusty merely nodded in response. He had, after all, just woken up in a weirdo place with weirdo people and an even weirder frog-headed dog-thing. How much weirder things could get, really? Just what the heck was going on? And, more importantly, how the heck did he end up in this place?