Another wave of dizziness washed over Aventurine. He swayed slightly, then held his head, an irritated expression crossing his face.
So far, the plan had gone smoothly. Only Harmony's means of restraint had been unexpected-at least, it felt much worse than he had imagined.
All sorts of consciousnesses, thoughts, and countless minds overlapped and whispered in his head, carrying some irresistible magic. It made you feel like a precocious child who arrived in the classroom early in the morning and looked around at your classmates, swaying, making strange noises, and even eating their boogers, as the thought rose unbidden: How am I surrounded by so many fucking idiots?
It was an awful feeling. Aventurine gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath. "You want me to investigate, but won't give me a single clue... You've really outdone yourself, you wing-headed bastard.
"But I imagine Robin's death and Little Fish's disappearance both have you on pins and needles right now. Dr. Ratio is bound to tell you something."
Thinking this, Aventurine could almost see the head of the Oak Family looking troubled and nursing a headache. From their brief acquaintance, he found it hard to imagine Sunday panicking, but even that was enough to improve his mood considerably.
Just look: two unexpected incidents had put him on the edge of a cliff, with nowhere to go in any direction. All it would take was one tiny extra push, and the Family would jump off Penacony's highest tower as though committing suicide.
Putting away the capsule Dr. Ratio had given him, Aventurine composed himself again.
He began walking among the crowd, handing out his "gift money" and putting on a show of "investigating."
He knew perfectly well that the Family's little birds had never left. Sometimes, appearances had to be maintained.
Still,