Douglas sensed that something was off with Kismet. He lowered his head to look, but the latter wore a contented expression, letting the evening breeze ruffle his silver hair and sweep it across his forehead. He didn't look unhappy at all.
Douglas considered himself very familiar with Kismet. "Are you complaining that I still haven't given you back?"
"Yeah," Kismet said lazily.
"Don't worry. Once I've accomplished my goal, I'll make you whole again."
Kismet's fingers stopped moving. Downstairs, the puppets also came to a halt not long after the music stopped.
"Then please rest assured, sir. I'll finish all the... Wind Eyes before the day you need to accomplish your goal."
In response to Kismet's disgruntled complaint, Douglas merely smiled and shook his head. He didn't actually hurry Kismet along.
Kismet was a clever man. He knew perfectly well what would happen if he failed to complete the task Douglas had given him.
Douglas stopped paying attention to Kismet and turned his thoughts to what would happen after today.
"Those who were going to leave have already left. Those who want to survive are about ready to lose their patience."
"No rush, no rush. I'll send you a feast right away."
At the Underground Base, Keri stood beside the pool where the Red Worm Queen was confined, staring into space.
She was one of the few who had guessed that Speaker Alik wouldn't take her with him. But even if she had guessed, she couldn't let on. High-ranking Wizards had plenty of ways to make sure she could never speak again.
So every successful practical experiment meant that the day those high-ranking Wizards left was drawing closer.
Keri had felt restless all night, so she had returned to the Worm Queen.
Mental Power couldn't spread in this place,