When Zann arrived at the swamp, Darb was waiting. So was Gliss.
Zann was still mad at Gliss. But he tried not to let those feelings show.
After today he might not see his friends for a long time.
In fact, he might never see them again.
He didn't want to leave on bad terms.
Gliss smiled uncertainly. "Hi, Zann."
"Hi, Gliss." Zann smiled back briefly. Then he turned toward Darb.
"I need a favor. Can you watch Zing for a few hours?"
"Sure," Darb said. "Why? What's up?"
"Right before the trouble with Morb started, I told Professor Nurt I'd do some extra credit work for Food and Drink Creation class," Zann said.
"I need to finish it before school starts tomorrow."
Gliss looked surprised. "I doubt Professor Nurt will care about that," she said.
"Everyone knows you've been kind of busy."
Zann forced a laugh. "I know. But I still want to do it."
"Wow." Darb grinned. "Saving Magica must have changed you, Zann.
You never cared that much about schoolwork before."
"Ha-ha, very funny." Zann was nervous. Were his friends suspicious?
Maybe he should have thought of a different cover story.
"Anyway, it will be easier to create puffberry soufflés without Zing there trying to eat them."
"No problem." Darb gave Zing a pat. "We'll have fun. Right, buddy?"
Usually Zing loved spending time with Darb.
But today he ignored him, staying pressed against Zann's leg.
"What's wrong with him?" Gliss wondered.
"Nothing." Zann gave Zing a nudge. "Go with Darb, boy."
The dragon whined and emitted a puff of smoke.
Zing refused to leave Zann's side even when Darb called him.
Finally Zann snapped his fingers and created a dragon harness.
He slipped it onto Zing's scaly body and then handed the leash to Darb.
"I'm sure he'll be fine once I'm gone.
He's just annoyed because he knows he'll be missing all those soufflés."
Darb chuckled. "You're probably right." But he looked concerned as he glanced at Zing.
Zann didn't want to give his friends the chance to ask any more questions.
"Thanks," he said. "See you in a few hours." He zapped home.
Soon he was stepping out of his room with his backpack strapped onto his shoulders.
He reached into his pocket to make sure the message stone was there.
As he touched its cool, hard surface, he shivered. What was he getting himself into?
But he couldn't lose his nerve now.
After taking one last look around the house, Zann hurried outside.
He'd already decided to walk to the wormhole instead of zapping there.
It wasn't far, and he would need all his energy for navigating the vortex.
Just as he reached the clearing, the wormhole let out a magical burp that rattled the branches of nearby trees and made Zann jump.
Could he really do this?
"Yes," he whispered. "I have to do it."
Taking a deep breath, Zann stepped toward the wormhole.
Its ragged mouth opened wider, and its chaotic energy reached out and began to suck him in.
"Zann!" someone shouted. It was Perda, and she sounded angry.
"You didn't think you really tricked me with that pathetic story, did you?"
Zann tried to pull away from the wormhole. But its pull was too strong.
"Perda, no! You have to get back!"
"No way." Perda rubbed her fingers together with one hand while she grabbed Zann's wrist with the other.
A second later a glowing band of energy appeared, linking their wrists together.
"A Shackle spell?" Zann blurted out. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I'm full of surprises." She smirked, tugging at the magical shackles to test them. "Now you can't leave me behind!"
Zann gritted his teeth, trying again to escape the wormhole's pull.
But it was no use. It was all he could do to stay where he was.
He had to convince Perda to back off before she got sucked in too!
"Listen," he said. "I didn't want to lie to you, but—"
"Then why did you?" she shot back.
"Perda, I—" Before he could go on, Gliss burst into view.
"Oh no!" she cried as she saw the wormhole.
"What are you two doing? Are you crazy?"
Zann glared at Perda. "Did you tell everyone I was here?"
"I didn't tell anyone," Perda said. "I don't know what she's doing here."
"I zapped to your house, Zann." Gliss took a step closer while keeping a wary eye on the wormhole.
"I wanted to talk to you. I saw you rushing off down the street, so I followed.
Now I'm glad I did. You can't do this—it's way too dangerous!"
"Too late," Perda said. "We're going, and you can't stop us!"
Gliss frowned. "Oh yeah?" She stepped forward and grabbed Perda's free arm, trying to drag her back. "Don't be stupid!"
"Get back!" Zann was still struggling to hold his position.
"The wormhole's energy is too strong. You'll get sucked in with us!"
Just then he heard a familiar whistle. Zing!
The dragon flew at Zann with a blast of irritated flame. His harness was trailing behind him.
"Zing, no!" Perda exclaimed, ducking her head to avoid the fire.
"Zing! Where are you going?" Darb called, rushing into sight.
He gasped when he saw what was happening.
"Hurry!" Gliss called to Darb. "Help me pull Zann and Perda out!"
Darb jumped forward, grabbing onto Gliss. At the same time, Zing latched onto Zann's backpack with his claws.
Zann felt the wormhole's hold on him loosen slightly.
"Fine, I give up!" Zann called. "Everyone pull back together, and—"
Whoosh! Energy suddenly expanded and contracted, sucking the whole group into the wormhole's gaping mouth.