“My mentor always said that magic began at the point of intent and purpose, the wielder conducted the flow of power,” Saha replied. “You’re smarter than you look, Big Guy.”

Drubbins could carry the dogs on his shoulders but several suspects were still on the loose. The crowd was dispersing, the dogs ambled away now that he had stopped whistling. She thought to grab two herself but animals could be unpredictably aggressive at her, so she asked Drubbins, “The house is in these couple of streets. Do you think you can keep whistling - quieter - so that the mutts will follow us?”