Heart pounding, Whisper’s about to turn away in search of sparkling wine, or something to eat, maybe even someone to talk to. Checking the perimeter. Any distraction to restore his composure. But Rumi’s voice sounds in his head: Julien said to bring you to him when we got here. Rumi likes Julien a lot. He’s one of the few people she calls by their actual names, instead of a description or embarrassing pet name. Glaring, Whisper asks, “Are you conspiring against me?” Yes, Rumi replies smugly.
