“I don’t know what’s out there,” Ted said slowly. “I don’t know who you two really are, if this is real and the dream’s over. If I’m here, and not home in bed, it can’t have been an ordinary dream—so maybe I’m not awake yet after all. Maybe if I go through that door I’ll be back in that castle, or the spaceship, or something. There could be monsters, or slave-drivers, or anything.”
“Open the door and see, Ted,” Amy said, annoyed with his weakness. She marched across the basement and up the dusty steps, while Prossie trailed uncertainly after her.
For an instant, as her hand closed on the knob and Ted stared fearfully up at her, Amy thought that he might somehow be right, that anything could lie beyond that door—or beyond any door.
But then she swung it wide and saw only the Browns’ hallway, dusty and muggy, and she knew it was over.
* * * *
Pel sat on his throne, staring at the portal, for several minutes after Ted and Amy and Prossie had vanished.
None of them reappeared; they were presumably safely back on Earth, but for all he could see they might just as well be dead, or imprisoned. He considered holding the portal open for a moment longer, just in case, but then decided that was silly.
He let his link to Earth collapse into nothingness, glanced back at Susan’s body, and got to his feet.
Susan would have to wait; he wanted to practice on someone or something else first. Susan was a friend; he didn’t want to bring her back until he could do the job right.
And after he had brought Susan back to life, he would find Nancy and Rachel. Somehow, somewhere, some way, he would find them.
About the Author
Lawrence Watt-Evans is the author of more than two dozen novels, more than a hundred short stories, and assorted other works. Further information can be found on his webpage at http://www.watt-evans.com/.
Also by Lawrence Watt-Evans
The Lords of Dûs
The Lure of the Basilisk
The Seven Altars of Dûsarra
The Sword of Bheleu
The Book of Silence
Legends of Ethshar
Night of Madness
The Misenchanted Sword
With A Single Spell
The Unwilling Warlord
The Blood of A Dragon
The Spell of the Black Dagger
Ithanalin’s Restoration
The Spriggan Mirror
The Unwelcome Warlock
The Obsidian Chronicles
Dragon Weather
The Dragon Society
Dragon Venom
Other Works
Touched by the Gods
Nightside City
The Rebirth of Wonder
Crosstime Traffic
Celestial Debris
Split Heirs (with Esther M. Friesner)
The Nightmare People