granceoffood.Heraisedhisheadandsniffedhungrilyasifhewantedsometoo.Charinaobliginglybrokeoffapieceofcake,offeredittohimandwatchedasheateithappily.ShesatacrossfromDimitridrinkinghercoffeeinareflectiveandreminisgmoodasifmentallydraftinghermanuscriptandasked

    “FromwhereIwassittingintheruinsofthepace,thereseemedtobeaboutathousandbarbariansoldiersatthegoldpace.Wasthatabht?”Dimitrismiledandreplied,

    “Yes,butit’sclosertofour,fivethousandifyouincludetheelderly,thewomenandthechildren”

    “Thetwofiercetigers,KojakandCortes,areextremelyloyaltoyou.Didyouraisethemfromtinycubs?”Dimitrishruggedandsaid,

    “Theyusedtobetwospes.Ipeoneachsideofmythroneasors.Somehowtheycametolife.YouknowthatinmyKingdomofDreamsanythingispossible.”

    “Andwhataboutthatwhiteflyinghorseyouride.IhaveonlyheardofflyinghorsesinmythologyandneverdreamedIwouldactuallyseeohmyowheKingdomofDreams.Whatyoutellmeabouthim?Likewhatishisinandsuch…”

    “Astothat…”saidDimitriseemingtosinkintoareverie.“IfyouwanttowriteaboutthestoryoftheflyinghorseLightning,itwouldhavetobeanotherseparatestoryaltogether.Heisaveryuniquecreature.”

    Charinasatbeforeherptopputer,fingersflyingnimblyoverthekeyboard.Dimitrismiledatherinreliefbecausehekhatnowcreativethoughtswererushingthroughherbrainsinanunstoppableflowandthatherwriter’sblockofthepastyearwasover.Butafterawhilehissmilevanishedasherealizedhewasfeelinganinexplicablenervoustensionthesourceofwhichhecouldnotfathom.PerhapsitwasbecausehewasworriedaboutthetwolittlepeopleVioandMr.Finger,wwheretheywere…Justthentheringingofthecellphoartledthemboth.Whocouldbecallingthisteinthenight?Charinatookouthercellphoneandasked,

    “Hello,whoisthis?”

    10

    “Sorryfordisturbingyouthisteinthenight”saidaman’svoiceattheotherend.“ThisisRichard.IsDimitrithere?Ihaveamessagethatmustbegiventohim.”

    “Ofcourse.Holdonaminuteplease.”Sayingso,shehandedhercellphooDimitri.

    “Whatisit,Richard?It’sveryte.Hassomethingimportanthappened?”

    “JamazwasbadlywoundedandisincriticalditionattheERofthehospital.”

    “What?Tellmepened.”Inthedeepandquietnight,thewordsfromthecellphonecouldbeclearlyheardintheair.

    “ItwasMr.Fingerwhodidit.Iknowitwashimeventhoughhegedhisappearandassumedanormalhumanshape.Iamquitecertainofit.Healsostabbedmyarmairardenshears.Heisreallyruthless.”

    “Whichhospitareyouatnow?I’llberightover.”

    “No,no.Don’te.QueenAishaishere.Shefaintedandlostsciousnessforawhilebuthasnowrevived.WhensheheardthatJamaznearlydiedprotegher,sheinsistedonremainingattheERtoseehowthesurgeryturnsout.Ifyouehereyouwillmeether.Doyouthinkthat’swise?”

    “Oh…QueenAishaisthere.Toseehernowmayhebestthingtodo…LetmeknowhowJamaz’ssurgerygoesassoonasyouknow.”

    “Ofcourse.Iwillletyouknowassoonasthedoctortalkstome”saidRichardandhungup.DimitriwasdevastatedbythedisastrousnewsandwonderedhowthingscouldhavedeterioratedtosuchadegreeandwasextremelyworriedfoodfriendJamaz.SeeinghowstunnedDimitriwasattheuedturs,Charinacouldnottrateonherwriting.Turningtohimshesuggested,

    10

    “Let’s

granceoffood.Heraisedhisheadandsniffedhungrilyasifhewantedsometoo.Charinaobliginglybrokeoffapieceofcake,offeredittohimandwatchedasheateithappily.ShesatacrossfromDimitridrinkinghercoffeeinareflectiveandreminisgmoodasifmentallydraftinghermanuscriptandasked

    “FromwhereIwassittingintheruinsofthepace,thereseemedtobeaboutathousandbarbariansoldiersatthegoldpace.Wasthatabht?”Dimitrismiledandreplied,

    “Yes,butit’sclosertofour,fivethousandifyouincludetheelderly,thewomenandthechildren”

    “Thetwofiercetigers,KojakandCortes,areextremelyloyaltoyou.Didyouraisethemfromtinycubs?”Dimitrishruggedandsaid,

    “Theyusedtobetwospes.Ipeoneachsideofmythroneasors.Somehowtheycametolife.YouknowthatinmyKingdomofDreamsanythingispossible.”

    “Andwhataboutthatwhiteflyinghorseyouride.IhaveonlyheardofflyinghorsesinmythologyandneverdreamedIwouldactuallyseeohmyowheKingdomofDreams.Whatyoutellmeabouthim?Likewhatishisinandsuch…”

    “Astothat…”saidDimitriseemingtosinkintoareverie.“IfyouwanttowriteaboutthestoryoftheflyinghorseLightning,itwouldhavetobeanotherseparatestoryaltogether.Heisaveryuniquecreature.”

    Charinasatbeforeherptopputer,fingersflyingnimblyoverthekeyboard.Dimitrismiledatherinreliefbecausehekhatnowcreativethoughtswererushingthroughherbrainsinanunstoppableflowandthatherwriter’sblockofthepastyearwasover.Butafterawhilehissmilevanishedasherealizedhewasfeelinganinexplicablenervoustensionthesourceofwhichhecouldnotfathom.PerhapsitwasbecausehewasworriedaboutthetwolittlepeopleVioandMr.Finger,wwheretheywere…Justthentheringingofthecellphoartledthemboth.Whocouldbecallingthisteinthenight?Charinatookouthercellphoneandasked,

    “Hello,whoisthis?”

    10

    “Sorryfordisturbingyouthisteinthenight”saidaman’svoiceattheotherend.“ThisisRichard.IsDimitrithere?Ihaveamessagethatmustbegiventohim.”

    “Ofcourse.Holdonaminuteplease.”Sayingso,shehandedhercellphooDimitri.

    “Whatisit,Richard?It’sveryte.Hassomethingimportanthappened?”

    “JamazwasbadlywoundedandisincriticalditionattheERofthehospital.”

    “What?Tellmepened.”Inthedeepandquietnight,thewordsfromthecellphonecouldbeclearlyheardintheair.

    “ItwasMr.Fingerwhodidit.Iknowitwashimeventhoughhegedhisappearandassumedanormalhumanshape.Iamquitecertainofit.Healsostabbedmyarmairardenshears.Heisreallyruthless.”

    “Whichhospitareyouatnow?I’llberightover.”

    “No,no.Don’te.QueenAishaishere.Shefaintedandlostsciousnessforawhilebuthasnowrevived.WhensheheardthatJamaznearlydiedprotegher,sheinsistedonremainingattheERtoseehowthesurgeryturnsout.Ifyouehereyouwillmeether.Doyouthinkthat’swise?”

    “Oh…QueenAishaisthere.Toseehernowmayhebestthingtodo…LetmeknowhowJamaz’ssurgerygoesassoonasyouknow.”

    “Ofcourse.Iwillletyouknowassoonasthedoctortalkstome”saidRichardandhungup.DimitriwasdevastatedbythedisastrousnewsandwonderedhowthingscouldhavedeterioratedtosuchadegreeandwasextremelyworriedfoodfriendJamaz.SeeinghowstunnedDimitriwasattheuedturs,Charinacouldnottrateonherwriting.Turningtohimshesuggested,

    10

    “Let’s