Imogen sped as we left the zoo. I didn't blame her for rushing, but watching the gates my Familiar was locked behind disappear into the distance hurt more than I cared to admit.

"I should warn you," Imogen said after a few minutes. "The Maples are a little... strange."

"How are they strange?"

She sighed. "In a way that's hard to describe. They might seem detached or uncaring, or maybe just distracted."

I thought about Olezhka stuck in his enclosure. "They'll help us ...