I wonder, were these frantic travelers held up by unforeseen events or are they among folks who are habitually late to all?
And, although she's one of the good guys, Griffin can be as snarky as the subsequent teenager, especially to his mentor and surrogate father, Basil. https://faciet.com/groups/book-review-ms-hempel-chronicles-by-sarah-shun-lien-bynum-48189684/