It seemed to take a second for Arius to realize Lyle was no longer moving. He peered over his shoulder, frowned, then turned and closed the space that had opened between them. “I believe I startled him. But rest assured that I would never do anything that the all-powerful Comandanti would disapprove of.”
“Comma-whos?”
“Our great and unforgiving masters, wolf—”
Lyle sighed and rolled his eyes. “Could you please just call me Lyle?”
Arius chuckled. “My, my, said with a please and everything. How dreadfully polite.” He surprised Lyle by bending at the waist in a quick half bow. “And I, as you know, am Arius.” He straightened, smiled, and c****d his head. “Does this make us friends now?”
“Uh, well…” Lyle eyed Arius, hoping to get a read on Arius’s reactions to what he was about to say. “Ac
