The soft tinkling of wind chimes gently caressed at the edges of Justin's conscious, followed by the twang of string instruments that washed down Justin's entire body, bringing back sensation. His fingers twitched, and he opened his eyes.

He sat in a chair with his hands bound behind his back. He was in a small room that looked like a greenhouse. The walls and ceiling were all glass and the entire city sprawled out below. The amount of green surprised him, with only a few large buildings rising into the air.

"Nivuyaru?" a voice asked, bringing Justin back into the room. A woman wearing a black business suit sat at a desk in front of Justin. Two strands of gray hair near her temple wound through a high, elaborately braided bun. Her lips, painted bright red, exaggerated her frown as she tapped a golden pen against the desk.

"Nivuyaru?" she asked more firmly this time.

"Avanu inglis, matanaduvudilla," came a familiar voice next to Justin. He glanced to his right. Ramya sat in a chair next to him, his hands also tied behind his back.

Smiling, the woman leaned against a large black leather office chair.

"Oh good, you're awake," she said in a raspy voice

"Hello, Yuktvaa," said Ramya.

"Ramya," she replied.

"Why such the show?" he asked, fidgeting with the rope tying his hands together. "You always trusted me in the past."

"Who is your companion?" she asked, and her eyes met Justin's. She stared without blinking, and Justin got the feeling that she was prying into his very core. He turned his gaze away and her smile widened.

"You brought me a wizard? You're too kind."

Shoulders slumping, Ramya shook his head.

"What is your name, wizard?" the woman asked.

"Justin," he replied, looking at the desk, not wanting to meet her eyes again.

She tapped her gold pen against the desk again. "And why are you here, Justin? I've searched you both. I expected you to have weapons or magical artifacts."

"He is looking for a beast," Ramya answered for him. Yuktvaa returned her gaze to the man.

"And what does that have to do with you, Ramya? A lowly nurse?" She spit the word nurse out as if it were rotten food she had just bitten into.

"This beast," replied Ramya, "it took Niraj, and Nitara has gone after them. Please, we need help tracking it."

The golden pen dropped from Yuktvaa's hand and clattered onto the desk. "Where is Anouka?" she asked.

Ramya shrugged. "I haven't seen her for days."

"Idu kettaddu Ramya. She is the only one who could protect those children."

"I know," Ramya whispered.

"Oh Ramya, how could you lose Jahan's grandchildren? You are in trouble."

"I know."

"What does the beast look like?"

Ramya shook his head. "I don't know."

"That is helpful." Yuktvaa crossed her arms and looked at Justin. "Have you seen it?"

"Glimpses, like a black wolf, only as big as a tree with long white fangs."

For a brief second, Yuktvaa's eyes widened and then her face went blank.

"I am afraid," she said, "that I cannot help."

"Dayavittu!" Ramya shouted. "Enu madabekendu nanage tilidilla!"

"I'm sorry," Yuktvaa apologized. "I haven't heard anything about this beast or I would tell you."

Ramya rolled his eyes. "People don't come to you for information, Yuktvaa. They come to you because you are the best tracker in all of India, if not the world."

This, Justin could see, pleased Yuktvaa. She sat a little straighter and batted her eyes coyly, but the words that came out of her mouth contradicted this.

"Flattery will not work on me. Even from someone as beautiful as you. No, I will not get entangled in your uncle's politics."

"My uncle is not involved..." started Ramya, but Yuktvaa held up a hand silencing him.

"Please, the beast has his grandchild, his wizard grandchild no less. I am no fool. I know where I shouldn't interfere."

Yuktvaa pressed a button on her desk and said, "Tanvi, Kirapa karake mere mahimanam nu bahara ka! O."

Ramya struggled harder with the rope around his wrists.

"Dayavittu," he said, "I will do anything."

One of Yuktvaa's brows arched. "Anything?"

For a brief second Ramya hesitated, but then he nodded. Yuktvaa pressed the button again. "Kol gala nahim."

She released the button and smiled. "I want the boy."

"What?" Ramya shook his head. "Illa."

"It's not up to you," she said, looking at Justin. This time, Justin met her gaze.

"Do you want to find this beast?"

"Yes," Justin replied.

"There is a price, there is always a price."

Yuktvaa picked up her gold pen again and caressed it with one long purple nail.

"What is the price?"

"No," said Ramya, "Justin, don't listen to her."

"Oh shut up Ramya, this is better than him getting into the hands of Jahan and you know it. I will protect him."

Ramya snorted. "Yeah, until he isn't worth anything to you, that is."

"What price?" asked Justin, raising his voice. He was tired of not knowing what they were talking about.

"After I help you find the beast, you must come and work for me." She touched the tip of the pen to her forefinger and smiled.

"For how long?"

Yuktvaa shrugged." As long as I see fit."

Justin's stomach clenched. "That doesn't seem fair."

"Ha!" Yuktvaa smiled, slamming her free hand onto the desk. "Did you realize the moment you stepped into that dark alley, you became known to the whole magical world? You're a marked wizard now. Nowhere is safe. And your friend Ramya here knew this, but he brought you anyway."

Even though Justin barely knew Ramya, Yuktvaa's words stung.

"You knew I would be in danger if you brought me?" he asked Ramya.

Ramya sighed. "Yes. But it was the only way, and I will protect you."

"Ha!" Yuktvaa exclaimed again. "He can't protect you." She stood and walked out from behind her desk. Oddly, she wore no shoes, and she walked with a sway in her hips that somehow conveyed that the ground she walked on was sacred. She approached Ramya and patted him on the cheek.

"He is just a nurse. I am a magician." She turned to Justin and tapped her right palm with the gold pen. "What will it be? Hurry now, time is precious if you want to find that beast."

For a second Justin hesitated, then an image of a beautiful girl dancing in the air floated across his mind. He could feel the string tied to his heart tug at this image.

"I will do it," he announced.

"No," said Ramya, closing his eyes.

"Excellent," said Yuktvaa. Clapping her hands together, she approached Justin. "Now, give me your hand."

"What?" asked Justin.

"Bidugade," said Yuktvaa, pointing her pen at Justin's arms. Bright yellow light shot from the end of the pen. The rope binding Justin's hands snapped, and Justin's arms fell to his side.

"Give me your hand," she ordered.

Justin reached out his right hand and Yuktvaa clutched his wrist tightly, her purple nails digging into his skin. He flinched, but she held on. With the other hand, she raised the gold pen. Now Justin could see that the pen wasn't actually a pen but a thin golden wand with a needlepoint tip. He gasped and Yuktvaa plunged the needlepoint into Justin's pointer finger. He tried to pull away, but she was too strong and held his hand still.

"Sevis," she whispered, and the wand glowed yellow before she pulled the tip out of his finger. A small bead of blood appeared in the wand's place.

"There, all done." She stepped back and, to Justin's horror, she licked the point of the wand and wiped it on her pants. "Now, once you have saved your friends or whatever, you will return to the hot dog stand and order a hot dog, no relish and a side of mayo. Don't think you can run away. I will find you."

She glanced at Ramya and pointed her wand at his arms. "Let's get your niece and nephew back. Bidugade."