"Liya," Teige said, out loud, and saw the girl immediately start at the sound.

She turned around to find Teige--taller than her, a black-furred goblin with a ram's head and eyes that were nothing but huge, glowing white sockets--staring at her. Parker had turned as well, looking at them both questioningly.

"Yeah, what?" Liya said, when Teige didn't say anything else.

He gawped at her for a long moment, unable to find the words, but then very suddenly snapped out of it. "N-Never mind," he said, his ears swiveling back against his horns. "Different...different Liya, I meant, there. My mistake."

She gave him a sort of puzzled frown, and then turned again, shooting him a suspicious look over her shoulder as she continued on down the path. Teige stared mutely after her, as Parker sidled up on his shoulder.

"What the hell was that about?" she asked.