Sassafras turned and bowed his head to Max as the tear in the veil closed behind him. In turn, my big friend nodded, the light from the swaying bulb overhead catching the faint scales on his bald pate. Glittering diamond eyes swiveled to me, a faint smile on his face.

"I'm interrupting." His deep voice always sounded like there was a song behind it, the musical language of his people bleeding through.

"Not at all." Sassafras ...