The dinner table at Zann's house was crowded that night.
Boz and Teplo were there, along with Teplo's assistant, Fala. Teplo's sniffer goose was there too.
The foul-tempered bird lurked under the table, honking at Zing and biting Zann's feet.
Boz had also invited his friend Saffa and her husband, Staz.
Like Boz and Teplo, Saffa was a very skilled Magic Master.
"I can't remember the last time I was at a table with so many Reds," Staz commented with a chuckle.
"I hope Laddno and his anti-Red followers don't find out."
Teplo looked up from his food. "Is Laddno part of the anti-Red crowd now too?
I thought he was only involved with Void rights."
"Maybe so." Boz stirred his puffnut soup, his long nose quivering.
"But he's getting people awfully riled up.
The mood here in First City feels tense, especially with all those powerful relics at the lab sending out extra magic energy."
"The king and queen are quite concerned about all the unrest," Fala said.
Nax nodded. "Venna keeps muttering about the anger Laddno is churning up between Voids and non-Voids."
He looked around the table. "There's also a certain amount of anger between Reds and non-Reds."
Zann was surprised by the worry in his father's voice.
Sure, he knew there had been some anti-Red sentiment in First City lately. But that was nothing new.
Even back in Swamp Bottom, a few people seemed to resent the fact that Reds had stronger magic than everyone else. He thought about Jev and grimaced.
"Is your soup all right, Zann?" Asta asked.
"Sure." Zann pushed Jev out of his mind. That was one good thing about moving to First City.
He would probably never have to see that jerk again!
His mother returned her attention to the conversation. But Zann stopped listening.
He had more important things on his mind than politics.
He hoped Gliss' parents would change their minds about the dragons.
After all, Zann, Perda, Darb, and Gliss had ridden dragons to First City before.
And Darb was friendly with a local dragon breeder.
Zann was sure the breeder would let the kids borrow a couple of dragons again.
"Oh!" Saffa said suddenly. "There's news." She snapped her fingers, and a large floating image appeared above the table.
It showed a crowd of people shaking their fists and yelling.
Many of them held signs about Void rights.
"Oh dear," Saffa said. "This image is from the future.
It shows a protest that will take place soon."
Boz read the words appeared on the image.
"Laddno says it will be the biggest protest yet."
Zann was reading too. "Ugh! It's going to be on my birthday!
I hope Gliss' parents don't hear about it."
"Who's that, boy?" Teplo peered at him.
"Gliss . . . You mean your Red friend? Isn't she in favor of Void rights?"
"Yes," Zann said. "And her parents are too, I think.
At least they seem to like Darb just fine. But they're kind of overprotective."
"I see," his father chimed in. "You're afraid all the unrest will make them worry about letting Gliss come to the big city."
"Right." Zann yanked his foot away as Teplo's goose bit it again.
"And if they won't let her come, the others might not be allowed to come either."
Fala looked sympathetic. "That's tough, Zann. I know you four are awfully close."
Suddenly Zann had an idea. "Hey, if my friends can't come here for my party, why don't we go to them?"
He quickly grew excited. "We could celebrate my birthday in Swamp Bottom!"
His parents traded a look with Boz and the others.
"I don't think that will work right now, Zann," Asta said. "I'm sorry."
"Why not?" Zann said. "It would be so much easier for us to just zap out there."
"No, your mother is right," Boz said.
"It's not a good time for any of us to leave First City."
"But don't worry," Nax added. "We'll figure out something to get your friends here."
Zann wanted to ask his father how he planned to make that happen.
But Nax was already turning to tell Saffa and Staz about something Venna had said the day before.
Zann clenched his fists under the table, ignoring the goose as it yanked on his pant leg.
It wasn't fair! All his parents thought about was their work.
They were almost as bad as Venna herself, and everyone knew her whole life revolved around her role on the Red Council.
Zann couldn't sit there anymore. He nudged the goose away with his foot and stood up.
"May I be excused?" he said. "I want to take Zing out for a walk before it gets dark."
"Good idea, Zann," his father said, barely looking at him.
Soon Zann was wandering along the quiet street near his house.
Zing had played for a long time at the park earlier, so he wasn't as hyper as usual.
But when a heat hornet buzzed by, Zing shot out a burst of flame and flew after the bug.
"Wait up, Zing," Zann called. "I don't want to—hey, what's that?"
A bright image had appeared in midair when Zing flew past, but now it was gone.
Zann stepped closer, assuming the image would appear again. Nothing happened.
Zann moved around the sidewalk, but still the image wouldn't reappear.
Zann conjured a dragon treat. "Zing, come back here!" he called.
When Zing came near, the image appeared again.
But when Zann stepped closer to it, it disappeared.
"Weird," Zann murmured. "Why does it disappear when I'm nearby?"
"Because you're a Red, that's why," a voice said from behind Zann.
Surprised, Zann spun around. He was even more surprised when he recognized the figure stepping out of the shadows.
"Jev!" Zann blurted out.