reacted nervously to their intrusion. Each was a masterpiece of

thaumagenetic engineering.

Some were “bonsai beasts, ” creatures that occurred in nature,

only with their genes magically manipulated with a skill that only a

master thaumagenetic engineer possessed. They developed

normally, but never grew beyond a miniature size. Full-grown,

black-maned lions the size of gerbils paced back and forth in their

cages, their roars sounding like a house cat’s purr. There were

miniature panthers and tiny snow leopards, adult black bears the

size of guinea pigs, even an Indian elephant no bigger than a house

cat.

There were terrariums containing tiny replicas of jungle lagoons,

with hippopotami the size of box turtles partially submerged in the

artfully created pools. The shelves along one wall held rows of

saltwater aquariums containing different species of sharks and

porpoises and even whales, all no bigger than a carp. But most

striking were the thaumagenetic hybrids. Furry snats—little

catlike creatures with elongated bodies and antennae—clinging to

the walls and ceilings of their cages. Raptorgriffins—hawks,

falcons, and eagles, their bodies alchemical-ly transformed in

painstaking stages through düferent cycles of their growth;

creatures that were part flesh and blood, part living metal. They

sat on perches in their cages, their metallic wings glittering with an

iridescent sheen, their eyes, like living camera lenses made of

precious stones, following them as they moved through the shop.

“I’ve never seen anything like this, ” Wyrdrune said with

admiration. “The man’s a genius.”

“He’s also a killer, ” Kira said. “Keep your eyes open.”

They went through the shop and into the thaumagenetic

laboratory in the back. Fugisawa swept his flashlight beam across

the tables holding computers and surgical tools and jewelers

implements and chemistry equipment, the shelves holding books

and scrolls and various carefully labeled containers.

“I didn’t really expect to find anybody here, ” he said.

“There is something here, ” said Modred, frowning. He glanced at

Wyrdrune. “Do you sense it?”