Chapter Thirteen
By the time we got back to the main floor and had wandered toward the dining area, it was empty. Obviously, whatever announcement Zahrias had gathered everyone to hear was long over. Just as well, probably. I didn’t know whether Julia was up to facing that many strangers at once. It would probably be better if she met them gradually, rather than in one big group.
I was explaining to her how we’d marked off the perimeter of the safe zone, making it easy to come and go within its boundaries — and also making it easy to go down to the plaza and “shop” for clothes and shoes and jewelry — when we ran into Jace and Zahrias, who had just turned a corner in the corridor that led to Julia’s room.
“How are you faring today, Ms. Innes?” Zahrias asked politely. He had the cane with
