The worst thing possible was happening; I had to sneeze.

My nose tickled and I could feel it in the back of my throat. Alarmed, I pinched my nose with one hand and gripped my pant leg with the other. Why? Because if I sneezed, I would be butter on The Feared One’s toast. So would Sao. Nervously, I glanced at her. She seemed to realize my sneezing problem, because there was immense fear in her eyes. Or was that a reflection of mine? For the life of me (which wasn’t much to gamble at the moment) I couldn’t tell. The sneeze suddenly came. I screwed up my face, a vain attempt to stop it. As quick as it came, it went. Without a sound. I had done it. We were safe.

I looked at Sao from the corner of my eye. She seemed genuinely relieved- until The Feared One looked our way.