Zann and Perda rushed back to the main room.
Elbi was staring out the window, along with the students and the Void.
The young researcher had disappeared. A second later he zapped back into the lab.
"Everything's okay," he announced. "I went to the palace square to see what's going on; it's just another protest.
The anti-Reds set off a banner cloud that said 'Letting Reds rule is inside out! Brains matter more than hair.'"
"Ugh." Elbi rolled her eyes. "There've been so many protests lately. I'm getting really tired of them."
The Void glanced over. "The protests only started yesterday," she reminded Elbi.
"And some people think the anti-Reds' concerns are valid."
Just then one of the students shouted. "My notes!"
Zann turned and saw Zing standing near some burning papers.
"Oops, sorry about that," said Zann. "He shoots flames when he's startled."
The student glared at Zing. Rubbing his hands together, he touched his papers. "Restore!"
"We should probably go before Zing burns the whole place down," Perda whispered to Zann.
"We can come back tomorrow and talk to Olpa."
Zann nodded. Nothing in the closet had looked like a clue, except maybe that weird bird sculpture.
But still, he wished he didn't have to wait until tomorrow to find out more.
Zann and Perda thanked Elbi and then hurried outside with Zing.
"Let's go see how Darb and Gliss are doing at the zoo," Perda suggested.
Zann sighed and glanced back at the lab.
"Okay," he said. He rubbed his fingers together. "Zap!"
Splash!
"Drat," Zann grumbled.
He climbed out of the zoo's fishpond and rubbed his hands together.
"Dry," said Zann, placing his hands on his pants.
He felt a small lump in his pocket.
"Double drat!" Zann mumbled.
Perda appeared just in time to hear him. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I meant to ask someone at the lab about this."
Zann pulled out the stone Wyssa had given him.
"I thought they might know if it came from a different magical world.
I think it's a clue to where my parents are."
"You still have that?" Perda looked surprised.
"I thought Wyssa told you to give it to Boz."
Zann shrugged. "I haven't had a chance yet.
He's been really busy, in case you haven't noticed."
Perda frowned. "We've been running around looking for clues, but that stone might be the only clue you need!
You really should ask Boz about it."
"I will." Zann put the stone back in his pocket.
"Look, Darb and Gliss are over there."
Darb had volunteered to help restore the wild dragon pen at the zoo.
He knew a lot about dragons. Gliss was helping him by providing the magic to make repairs.
They looked up when Zann and Perda approached.
"Good, you're here," Gliss said with a weary sigh.
"We've been working hard since lunchtime, and I'm exhausted.
I could use your help creating friction."
"Did you learn anything useful at the lab?" Darb asked Zann.
"Not really." Zann filled him in on what had happened.
"I wonder what the burnt bird sculpture is," Darb said.
He was interested in anything related to animals.
He even seemed to get along with Teplo's ill-tempered sniffer goose.
Zann and Darb, as well as Boz, had been staying at Teplo's house since Morb had disappeared, and the goose still honked suspiciously every time she saw Zann.
"I don't know," Zann told Darb. "I'm not even sure the sculpture belonged to my parents.
I never saw it before. Maybe someone put it on their shelf by mistake."
Perda held out her hands to join friction with Gliss.
"You can ask about it when we go back to the lab tomorrow."
Zann sighed. "I hope Boz doesn't zap us back to Swamp Bottom before tomorrow."
He clenched his fists with frustration. "I can't go back!
There aren't any wormholes within a day's walk of Swamp Bottom."
"Wormholes?" Gliss said. "Why do you need to be near a wormhole?"
Zann shrugged. "My parents disappeared in one."
Gliss gave Zann a funny look. "Yeah, but it's not as if you can just jump into a wormhole to look for them."
"Why not?" Zann shrugged again. "Maybe I should do exactly that!"
"Really?" Perda sounded excited. "Hey, that reminds me—you promised to tell us what it was like when Wyssa took you through the wormhole!"
Gliss ignored her. "You can't be serious, Zann!" she cried.
"Wormholes are way too dangerous to mess around with."
"She's right," Darb said. "Jumping into a wormhole isn't exactly a smart plan for finding your parents."
"Well, it's the only plan I've got," said Zann.
"Not really," Perda said. "You haven't shown Boz that stone, remember? Maybe that would—"
"You haven't shown Boz what stone?" a familiar voice interrupted.
Zann spun around. "Boz!" he exclaimed. His grandfather had just zapped into view. Teplo was with him.
"Hello, kids." Teplo greeted them with a smile.
"We came to let you know that we're all invited to dinner at Saffa's house tonight. We're meeting there in an hour."
Boz wasn't paying attention to Teplo. He was still looking at Zann.
"What stone?" he said again. "Zann?"
Zann pulled out the stone. He explained how Wyssa had told him to pass it on to Boz.
"Could it be a clue to where my parents are?" Zann asked.
Teplo leaned in for a look. One bushy eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Why, that's a—"
Zip! A flash of energy shot from Boz's fingertips, sealing Teplo's lips shut. Teplo's eyes widened in surprise.
Boz turned to Zann. "Wyssa can't be trusted," he said grimly, plucking the stone from Zann's hand. "This stone means nothing."