Nix looks at her watch-chain again. "Gettin' on for fifteen minutes," she says. "That's not too bad. I'm not sendin' search parties until Jack gets back with the dogs, anyway."

"Romilly can look after herself all right," Eden says jauntily, but she can't quite hide her unease. "She'll be fine."

Gryff frowns. "We could send the rest back and go'n have a look for her ourselves, Nix?"

His best friend thinks about this, then shakes her head. "We're better off not splitting up any further. If there is trouble, then I want the kids as secure as possible - and besides, without the dogs we could be lookin' all day and not find them, not now night's coming in. Give 'em five more minutes, and we'll see."

"Might as well join back up with the rest, then," Gryff nods. "You lot, keep the rest busy? I don't want Carmody and Suicide askin' too many questions about our guest, like. They'll be asking enough as it is."

"Got it!" Threnody chirps, as the others nod, and wanders off ahead along with Eden and Ariel.

Nix slips her arm through Reid's again, albeit a little self-consciously this time, letting the others get a short way before she, Reid and Gryff start after them.

"Rom's probably just lost her way back," she tells Reid. "Probably. She's on Medical, so she doesn't get above ground that much."