“Yes,” chimes in James, “you and your family have been most gracious in allowing us to stay here with you.”

She turns a warm smile to James as she says, “It is the least we can do for having our Nate back. I had given up all hope of ever seeing my son again.”

“Miko will be going with us as well,” he tells her. “I told him of your offer to have him stay here, but his mind is set to continue with us.”

“That’s too bad,” she says, “Nate has grown awfully fond of him. We all have to tell the truth, he’s a good lad.”

“Yes he is,” agrees James.

She begins to leave but pauses and turns back toward them, saying, “We’re having a banquet tonight in your honor, to send you off properly. I took the liberty of arranging for suitable attire to be brought to your rooms later this afternoon.”

“Thank you lady,” James says to her graciously.

“You’re welcome,” she replies as she again turns and makes her way out of the atrium the way she’d come in.

James turns to Jiron and says, “You’d better stay away from Miriam until we leave.”

“I don’t intend to do anything with her,” he assures him. “Truth to tell, she was the one who found me. I was sitting here just relaxing when she shows up and starts talking to me. Before I even knew it, she had me relating the tale of our escape from Al-Kur.”

“Be that as it may,” he says, “we’re not out of here yet and an angry mother can screw up our way back to Cardri.”

“I’ll do my best to avoid being around her, okay?” he asks.

James nods his head in reply, “That’ll be just fine.”

“Wonder what ‘suitable attire’ is?” Jiron asks.

“Don’t know,” he replies, “but it’s usually stiff and uncomfortable.”

A groan escapes Jiron as he rolls his eyes upward.

He walks with James back to their room and as they near their door, they see one of the servants coming out of their room. The servant fails to notice them as he shuts the door and walks down the hallway in the opposite direction.