The door flew open and Daniel marched in with a plastic box full of rice and some meat.

“Ooh, thanks! Where’s Furman? And you didn't bring me a fork.”

Milo Furman was their roommate and the owner of the pet chameleon, proudly named Camelot, that was currently lazing about in a tank by one of the beds.

“Still at dinner, trying to chat up some girl from his university building. He has forks in his drawer.”

Chris put the food on his nightstand and fell back on the pillow.

“Chris,” Daniel started, sitting behind the desk and turning on his laptop. “I feel like I have to ask... about that whole Jakkovost business...”

Daniel was, of course, well-informed of the situation; since they had known each other since Chris could remember being truly alive, and considering the things Daniel himself had shared, Chris would have trusted him with his life.

“Since it’s shattered, are you still... you know, King or whatever?”

“Uh, actually, the term Winter used was ‘Almost-King’,” Chris groaned.

“Yeah, that.”

“I don’t know... in theory... but... with things as they are now...”

“So, wait, if things hadn’t gone wrong and Winter had unlocked the sword...?”

“She would have been able to get her throne back, yeah.” Chris rubbed his eyes.

“And now?”

“I have no idea. I'm still waiting for her to come get me and tell me the plan.”

Daniel checked his e-mail, then proceeded to try and win a staring contest with Camelot. For a few long minutes there was only silence, until he exclaimed:

“That guy! Was he here because of your absence? Does he know anything?”

“Ah, no, actually...”

In short, Chris updated Daniel on his conversation with Adrian Settle. The other boy remained serious. Breaking eye contact with the chameleon, he said:

“That’s weird.”

“What is?”

“I don’t know, the way you described him… are police officials that straightforward? Shouldn’t he have gone to your mother first or something? And why did he come here and didn't call you over to the station?”

“I don’t know?”

When Chris thought about it, it did seem strange. But then again, everything about that man, from his toothy smile to his faintly ash colored skin, was strange to begin with.

“So... you’re an Almost-King with no sword, no princess and no plan, chased by a possible detective. Cool.”

“When you put it like that, Daniel, it makes me want to break my leg so I can go home.”

“Look on the bright side, you still haven’t been discovered by any Hunters or Stareaders from Northland.” He paused. “Do you think there’s any way they’ll find you?”

Chris covered his face and wailed. “How did I end up in this mess?”

“I think the answer is fairly obvious, loverboy...”

“Oh, shut up--”

The conversation was interrupted by the low ring of Chris’s cell phone. Not knowing whether to anticipate a panicked voice or just a clueless check-in call, he picked up.

“Hey, mom. No, it’s a good time. How’re you?”