"...I do not know if I can do that," Yoshi murmured.

"Hey, don't talk like that!" Liya said, startled. She scrambled forward off the bed and situated herself next to Yoshi, peering at her face. "It can't be that hard to get you a ring or somethin'! Heck, I bet I can make you one myself, now. If this device thing is gonna help, we can make it happen!"

Yoshi finally looked at her, putting on a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "You are very kind," she said gently, "Maybe it doesn't matter, though. The spellwork on something like that would be so very expensive, anyway. I do not even think Shinobu could afford it for me, if I asked."

Liya frowned. "Hmm."

"Absolutely not," Numair said.

They were strolling across green grass under the boughs of fir trees. Numair held something wrapped in a cloth in his arms and bore a small bag on one shoulder; Hawk carried a picnic basket in one hand.

"What, really??" Hawk said, surprised. "I'm not gonna drop you or nothin'."

"No," Numair said. "No, no."