Page 77 of Office of the Lost

Minkis made a sympathetic chittering noise.“Keep the tail bushy, Chaos Man.”He winked again and scampered offscreen.The TV clicked off.

Slightly heartened, Leopold returned to Chaos-fishing.

29

Crispin

Crispin took in his surroundings.They were in the same park where he and Leo had arrived—had it been only a couple days before?Time seemed stretched beyond all meaning.

In some ways, it seemed like he had known Leo forever.Perhaps he had, if what his mother had said about the relationship between Chaos and Order was right.But in other ways, Crispin felt as if he hardly knew anything about him.

Juzir’s apartment was across town, and Crispin was tired of wasting time.“Fromlith, if you don’t mind?”

The giant nodded, lowering a massive palm to the ground.

Crispin stepped up nimbly.

“Giant man.”Minkis chittered.“Friend?”

“Yes.A good one.”Crispin still wasn’t used to Minkis actually talking.How did he know Giant man… Fromlith?And where had he disappeared to when they’d first arrived on Vlotho?A problem for later.If he were keeping a ledger, it would be stuffed full of problems for later.

Fromlith lifted them smoothly into the air and then offered his other hand to Cerillia and Aspin.The latter climbed eagerly onto the flattened palm, but Cerillia regarded it with a level of disgust she normally reserved for Crispin and his “lifestyle.”She didn’t approve of tree living.

“Can’t we walk?Although a nice litter wouldn’t be unwelcome….”She looked around hopefully, as if a team of handsome, muscular, well-oiled men might materialize, ready to carry her through the city in the manner to which she was accustomed.

There was only a large—and growing—crowd of archosaurs, snapping photos and pointing at the giant in their midst.

Crispin was breaking six laws and about forty-three regulations by bringing Fromlith here and “cross-contaminating” the worlds without prior permission, but he didn’t care.If he didn’t act—and soon—there would be no worlds to protect.“Hop on, mother.It’s surprisingly comfortable.”

Fromlith curved his hand, and Crispin settled in.Minkis made a show of scrambling around the edge of the great palm, looking out over the forest below.

“That tickles.”Fromlith’s hand twitched, and Crispin grabbed hold of his pinkie finger to avoid being dumped over the edge.

Still excited, Minkis chattered, “High, so high!Higher than home tree!”

Fromlith’s chuckle dislodged a flock of golden birds from a nearby tree, and they rose with squawks of protest.

“Minkis!Back to my shoulder!”

The squirrel hung his head, but complied.“Chaos Man misses you.”

Crispin blinked.He hadn’t realized that Minkis had thoughts on the matter.“Maybe so.We’ll find him.I promise.”

His mother finally gave in and climbed up onto the giant’s other hand, her mouth distorted in a moue of distaste.

“Where to?”Fromlith brought Crispin up to get a better look at him.

“See that tall white building with the golden spire?He lives there, on the tenth floor.”He wondered if Juzir would hear them coming.Did they have quakes here?“Oh, and Fromlith?”

The giant paused mid-step.“Yes?”

“Try not to crush any of the natives.”

“You got it, friend.”Fromlith squinted at the ground far below.“Excuse me, coming through.”He eased his sandaled foot down, giving the archosaurs time to move out of the way.

“This is going to take longer than walking,” Cerillia complained.

“But look at this view!”Aspin was perched at the edge of Fromlith’s hand, entranced.

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