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Shinichi and Misao with a single blow. Is that noble enough for you, little brother? Is

it reason enough?”

“But taking Bonnie—”

“You stay with her here if you like! Spend your lives here! I might mention that

without her I would never have been able to set up an expedition, and that she’s

determined to go. Besides, we’re not coming back this way. There has to be an

easier route from the Gatehouse to Earth. We wouldn’t survive coming back, so

you’d better hope like hell that there is one.”

Stefan was surprised. He had never heard his brother speak with such passion

about anything that involved humans. He was about to reply, when behind him there

came a scream of pure, unadulterated rage. It was frightening—and worrying, too,

because Stefan would recognize that voice anywhere, anytime. It was Elena’s.

S tefan whirled around and saw Bonnie, with only a towel wrapped around her,

trying to physically restrain Elena, who was similarly clad. Elena’s hair was wet and

uncombed. Something had caused her to leap out of the bathing pool and run

directly into the corridor.

Stefan was surprised by Damon’s reaction. Was that a spark of alarm in the

endlessly dark eyes that had remained impassive watching a thousand disasters,

calamities, cruelties?

No, it couldn’t be. But it certainly looked like one.

Elena was getting closer. Her voice rang out clearly through the hallway, which

was spacious enough to give it a slight echo. “Damon! I see you! You wait right

there— I’m coming to kill you! ”

This time the flicker was unmistakable. Damon glanced at the window, which was

partly open.

Meanwhile Bonnie had lost the fight and Elena was running like a gazelle toward

the office. Her eyes, however, were definitely not doe-like. Stefan saw them glitter

dangerously as Elena herself eluded him—mainly because he didn’t dare grab her

by the towel, and every other part of her was slippery. Elena was now facing

Damon, who had risen from his chair.

“How could you?” she cried. “ Using Bonnie like that—Influencing her, drugging

her—all to get at what didn’t belong to you! Using almost all the Power that was left

in Misao’s star ball—what did you think Shinichi would do when you did that? He

came after us, that’s what he did—and who knows if the boardinghouse is still

standing?”

Damon opened his mouth, but Elena wasn’t finished.

“And then to bring Bonnie to the Dark Dimension with you—I don’t care if you

didn’t want to waste opening the Gate or not. You knew you shouldn’t be taking her

here.”

Damon was angry now. “I—”

But Elena cut him off without even hesitating. “Then once you drag her here you

abandon her. You leave her terrified, alone, in a room where she’s not even

allowed to look out of the window, with a collection of star balls that you don’t even

bother to examine—but which are completely unsuitable and give her nightmares!

You—”

“If the little dolt had just had the sense to wait quietly—”

“What? What did you say? ”

“I said, if the little dolt had just had the sense—”

Stefan, who was already on the move, shut his eyes briefly. He opened them

again in time to see the slap and to feel Elena putting all her Power into it. It

snapped Damon’s head around.

What astonished him—even though he positioned himself precisely in case of it

—was to see Damon’s hand flash up as quick as a cobra’s strike. There was no

follow-through, but Stefan had already picked Elena up bodily and pulled her back

out of range.

“Let go!” Elena cried, struggling to get out of Stefan’s arms, or at least get her

feet on the ground. “I’m going to kill him!”

The next astonishing thing—discontinuing the raw fury that Stefan could feel

coursing through Elena’s aura—was that Elena was actually winning the struggle,

despite the fact that he was orders of magnitude stronger than she was. Part of it

had to do with the towel, which was threatening to drop at any moment. The other

part was that Elena had acquired a unique style of fighting stronger opponents—at

least those with any conscience. She deliberately threw herself against any point at

which it would hurt her to restrain her, and she didn’t give up. Eventually he was

going to have to choose between injuring her and letting her go.

At that moment, however, Elena stopped moving. She froze, head turned as she

looked behind him.

Stefan glanced backward too, and felt an electrical shock shoot through him.

Bonnie was standing directly behind them, looking at Damon, her lips parted in

anguish, tears in her wide brown eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

Instantly, even before he could register Elena’s pleading glance, Stefan released

her. He understood: Her mood and the dynamics of this situation had just been

turned upside down.

Elena adjusted her towel and turned to Bonnie, but by then Bonnie was running

away down the corridor. Elena’s longer strides allowed her to reach Bonnie in a

moment and she caught the smaller girl and held her, not so much by force as by

sisterly magnetism. “Don’t worry about that snake, ” Elena’s voice came back to

them clearly, as it was obviously meant to. “He’s a—” And here Elena indulged in

some very creative cursing.

Stefan could hear all of it distinctly and noticed that it broke off into tiny hushing

sounds just as Elena turned into the door of the bathing salon.

Stefan glanced sideways at Damon. He didn’t mind fighting his brother in the

least right now; he was full of rage himself on behalf of Bonnie. But Damon ignored

him as if he were part of the wallpaper, staring at nothing with an expression of icy

fury.

At that moment Stefan heard a faint sound from the farthest end of the corridor,

which was quite a distance away. But his vampire senses informed him that surely

the person in front was a woman of consequence, probably their hostess. He

stepped forward so that at least she could be greeted by someone who was

wearing clothing.

However, at the last moment, Elena and Bonnie appeared in front of him, clad in

dresses—gowns, rather—that were both casual and works of genius. Elena’s was

an informal robe of deep lapis blue, with her hair drying into a soft golden mass

around her shoulders. Bonnie was wearing something shorter and lighter: pale

violet, shot with threads of silver in no particular pattern. Both outfits, Stefan

grasped suddenly, would look as good in the interminable sunlight as in a closed

room with no windows and gas lamps.

He remembered the stories Elena had told about Lady Ulma designing gowns for

her, and he realized that whatever else his hostess might be, she was truly a

genius couturier.

And then Elena was running, dainty gold sandals flying, and Bonnie’s silver

slippers were following and Stefan began to run too, fearing some unknown danger.

They all arrived at the far end of the hallway at the same time, and Stefan saw that

the woman standing there was dressed even more splendidly than the girls. She

was wearing a deep red raw silk gown with a heavy diamond-and-ruby necklace

and ring—but no bracelets.

The next minute the girls were both curtseying, deep, graceful curtseys. Stefan

made his best bow.

Lady Ulma held out both hands to Elena, who seemed to be almost frantic over

something that Stefan didn’t understand. Elena took the extended hands, breathing

quickly and shallowly. “Lady Ulma—you’re so thin—”

Just then the babbling of a baby could be heard. Elena’s face lit up and she

smiled at Lady Ulma, letting out a quick breath. A young servant—even youngerlooking

than Bonnie—gently put a tiny bundle made of lace and sheerest lawn into

Lady Ulma’s arms. Both Elena and Bonnie blinked away tears, all the while beaming

at the child and making little nonsense noises. Stefan could understand that—

they’d known the Lady since she was a whip-torn slave, trying not to miscarry.

“But how —?” Elena began spluttering. “We saw you only a few days ago, but this

baby is months old—”

“A few days? Is that how long it seems to you?” asked Lady Ulma. “To us, it has

been many months. But the magic still works, Elena! Your magic remained! It was

an easy delivery—easy! And then Dr. Meggar says that you saved me before she

suffered injury from the abuse I went through. She is trying to speak already! It is

you, Elena, it is your magic!”

At this the Lady made a movement as if to kneel at Elena’s feet. She got no

farther than a few inches, though, because Elena caught her hands, crying, “Lady

Ulma, no!” while Stefan, at his best speed, slipped beside the girl servant and

caught the Lady by her elbows, supporting her weight.

“And I’m not magic,” Elena added. “Stefan, tell her that I’m not magic.”

Obediently, Stefan leaned toward the ear of the tall woman. “Elena is the most

magic I’ve ever encountered,” he stage-whispered. “She has Powers that I can’t

even understand.”

“Ahh!” Elena made a wordless exclamation of frustration.

“Do you know what I’m naming her?” the Lady continued. Her face, if not

conventionally beautiful, was striking, with an aristocratic combination of Roman

nose and high cheekbones.

“No.” Elena smiled—and then “No!” Elena cried. “Please! Don’t condemn her to

a life of expectations and terror. Don’t tempt anyone to hurt her while she’s still a

child. Oh, Lady Ulma!”

“But my dear savior…”

Then Elena began to manage things. Once she took a situation in hand there

was no way not to go with the flow of it. “Lady Ulma,” she said clearly, “forgive me

for interfering in your affairs. But Bonnie has told me—” She stopped, hesitated.

“Of the troubles of strong and hopeful young girls, for the most part poor or

enslaved, who have taken on the names of the three bravest young women who

ever graced our world,” Lady Ulma finished for her.

“Something like that,” Elena said, flushing.

“Nobody’s calling themselves Damon,” put in the young nurse cheerfully and with

the utmost goodwill. “Neither boys nor girls.”

Stefan could have kissed her.

“Oh, Lakshmi!” Elena hugged the coltish-looking teenager. “I didn’t even see you

properly. Let me look at you.” She held the girl at arm’s length. “Do you know,

you’ve grown at least an inch since I last saw you?”

Lakshmi beamed.

Elena turned back to Lady Ulma. “Yes, I am afraid for the child. Why not call her

Ulma?”

The patrician lady half shut her eyes. “Because, my dear Elena, Helena, Aliena,

Alliana, Laynie, Ella—I would not wish ‘Ulma’ on anyone, much less my lovely

daughter.”

“Why not call her Adara?” Lakshmi put in suddenly. “I always thought that was

pretty, since I was a kid.”

There was a silence—almost a stunned silence. Then Elena said, “Adara—it’s a

lovely name.”

“And not at all dangerous,” Bonnie said.

Stefan said, “It wouldn’t stop her from starting a revolution if she wanted to.”

There was a pause. Everyone looked at Damon, who was looking out the window

expressionlessly. Everyone waited.

He finally turned. “Oh, excellent,” he said blankly, clearly having no idea—and

less interest—in what they were talking about.

“Oh come on, Damon.” Bonnie’s eyes were still swollen, but she spoke brightly.

“Make it unanimous! That way Lady Ulma will be sure.” Good God, Stefan thought,

she must be the most forgiving girl in the universe.

“Certainly, then,” Damon said indifferently.

“Forgive us,” Elena said tightly to the room in general. “We’ve all been going

through a bit of a hard time.”

That gave Lady Ulma her cue. “Of course you have,” she said, smiling the smile

of one who has known bitter suffering. “Bonnie has told us of the destruction of

your town. I am deeply sorry. What you need now is food and rest. I’ll have

someone conduct you to your rooms.”

“I should have introduced Stefan at the start, but I was so worried I forgot to,”

Elena said. “Stefan, this is Lady Ulma, who was so good to us before. Lady Ulma—

well, you know who this is.” She went on tiptoe to kiss Stefan lingeringly. Lingeringly

enough that Stefan had to gently detach her and put her down. He was almost

frightened at this display of bad manners. Elena was really angry at Damon. And if

she didn’t forgive him, the scenes would only continue to escalate—and if he was

right, Elena was truly getting closer to being able to cast Wings of Destruction.

He didn’t even consider asking Damon to forgive anyone.

After the girls had whispered raptures over the baby again, they were conducted

to opulent bed chambers, each furnished in excellent taste, down to the smallest

decoration. As usual, though, they all congregated in one room, which happened to

be Stefan’s.

There was more than enough space on the bed for the three of them to sit or

flop. Damon wasn’t present but Stefan would bet his undead life that he was

listening in.

“All right,” Elena said briskly, and went into storytelling mode. She explained to

Bonnie everything that had happened through their taking the Master Keys from

Shinichi and Misao, to their flight to Lady Ulma’s bathing chamber.

“To have so much Power suddenly torn away from you in an instant…” Bonnie

had her head down, and it wasn’t hard to guess who she was thinking about. She

looked up. “Please, Elena. Don’t be so angry at Damon. I know he’s done some

bad things—but he’s been so unhappy…”

“That’s no excuse,” Elena began. “And, frankly, I’m—”

Don’t, Elena! Don’t tell her that you’re ashamed of her for putting up with it!

She’s already ashamed of herself!

“I’m surprised at him,” Elena said with only the smallest hesitation. “I know for a

fact that he cares for you. He even has a pet name for you: his little redbird.”

Bonnie sniffed. “You always say that pet names are stupid.”

“Well, but I meant names like—oh—if he called you ‘Bonbon’ or something.”

Bonnie’s head came up. “Even that would be okay for the baby,” she said, with a

sudden smile, like a rainbow after a storm.

“Oh, yes, isn’t she adorable? I never saw such a happy baby. Margaret used to

just look at you with big eyes. Adara—if she is Adara—should have such a happy

life…”

Stefan settled back against the headboard. Elena had the situation in hand.

Now he could worry about where Damon was going. After a moment he tuned

back in, to find Bonnie talking about treasure.

“And they kept asking me and asking me and I couldn’t figure out why since the

star ball with the story on it was right there. Only the story is gone now—Damon

checked. Shinichi was going to throw me out the window, and that was when

Damon rescued me, and the Guardians asked me about the story too.”

“Strange,” Stefan said, sitting up alertly. “Bonnie, tell me how you first felt this

story; where you were and all.”

Bonnie said, “Well, first I saw a story about a little girl named Marit going to buy a

sugarplum—that was why I tried to do the same thing the next day. And then I went

to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. So then I picked up the star ball again and it showed me

the story about the kitsune treasures. The stories are shown in order, so it had to

be the one right after the sweetshop story. And then suddenly I was out of my body,

and I was flying with Elena right over Alaric’s car.”

“Did you do anything in between experiencing the story and going to bed?”

Stefan asked.

Bonnie thought; her rosebud mouth pursed. “I suppose I turned down the gas

lamp. Every night I would turn the lamp way down so that it was only a flicker.”

“And did you turn it back up again when you couldn’t sleep and reached for the

star ball again?”

“Um…no. But they’re not books! You don’t have to see to experience a story.”

“That wasn’t what I meant. How did you find the star ball in that dim room? Was it

the only star ball on the floor near you?”

Bonnie’s brows came together. “Well…no. There were twenty-six. Two others

were hideous; I’d kicked those into a corner. Twenty-five were soap operas—so

boring. It’s not as if I had shelves or anywhere else to put them—”

“Bonnie, do you want to know what I think happened?”

Bonnie blinked and nodded.

“I think that you read a children’s story and then you went to bed. And you

actually fell asleep very quickly, even though you dreamed you were awake. Then

you dreamed a premonition—”

Bonnie groaned. “Another one of those? But there wasn’t even anyone to tell it to

then!”

“Exactly. But you wanted to tell it to someone, and that longing brought you—your

spirit—to where Elena was. But Elena was so worried about getting word across to

Alaric that she was having an out-of-body experience. She’d been asleep too, I’m

sure of it.” Stefan looked at Elena. “What do you think of that?”

E lena was nodding slowly. “It would work with what happened to me. At first I was

alone out of my body, but then I saw Bonnie beside me.”

Bonnie bit her lip. “Well…the first thing I saw was Elena and we were both flying. I

was a little behind her. But Stefan, why do you think I fell asleep and dreamed a

whole story? Why can’t my version just be true?”

“Because I think the first thing you’d have done would be to turn the light on—if

you really were lying there awake. Otherwise, you might well have picked up a soap

opera—so boring!”

Bonnie’s forehead smoothed at last. “That would explain why nobody believed

me even when I told them exactly where the story was! But why didn’t I tell Elena

about the treasure?”

“I don’t know. But sometimes when you wake up—and I think you did wake up to

have the out-of-body experience—you forget the dream if something interesting is

going on. But then you might remember it later if something reminds you of it.”

Bonnie stared into a middle distance, thinking. Stefan was silent, knowing that

only she could unravel the riddle for herself.

At last Bonnie nodded. “It could be that way! I woke up and the first thing I thought

of was the sweetshop. And after that I never gave another thought to the treasure

dream until somebody asked for stories. And it just popped into my head.”

Elena pushed the deep blue-green velvet coverlet one way to make it green, then

the other way to smooth it into blueness.

“I was going to forbid Bonnie to go on the expedition,” she said: this slave who

didn’t have a gem on her body except Stefan’s pendant which hung from a fine

chain around her neck, and was still in the simplest kind of after-bath robe. “But if

it’s something we have to do, I’d better talk to Lady Ulma. It sounds as if time is

precious.”

“Remember—time runs differently here than back on Earth. But we’re supposed

to leave in the morning,” Bonnie said.

“Then I definitely need to talk to her—right now.”

Bonnie jumped up, excited. “I’ll help!”

“Wait.” Stefan put a gentle hand on Bonnie’s arm. “I have to say this. I think

you’re a miracle, Bonnie!” Stefan knew his eyes must be shining in a way that

showed he could hardly rein in his excitement. In spite of the danger—in spite of

the Guardians—in spite of everything…the largest star ball—full of Power!

He gave Bonnie a sudden impetuous hug, sweeping her off the bed and whirling

her before putting her down again. “You and your precognitions!”

“Oooh…” Bonnie said dizzily, gazing up at him. “Damon was excited, too, when I

told him about the Gateway of the Seven Treasures.”

“You know why, Bonnie? It’s because everybody has heard about those seven

treasures—but no one had any idea where they are…until you dreamed it. You do

know exactly where they are?”

“Yes, if the precognition was true.” Bonnie was flushed with pleasure. “And you

agree that that giant star ball will save Fell’s Church?”

“I’d bet my life on it!”

“Woo-hoo!” cried Bonnie, pumping a fist. “Let’s go!”

“So you see,” Elena was saying, “it’ll mean twice as much of everything. I don’t see

how we can start tomorrow.”

“Now, now, Elena. As we discovered, oh, eleven months ago when you left, any

job can be done quickly if we summon enough hands. I am now the regular

employer of all those women we used to call in to make your ball gowns.” As Lady

Ulma spoke she quickly and gracefully took Elena’s measurements—why do only

one thing when you can do two at once? She glanced at her measuring tape. “Still

exactly the same as when I last saw you. You must lead a very healthy life, Elena.”

Elena laughed. “Remember, for us it’s only been a few days.”

“Oh, yes.” Lady Ulma laughed, too, and Lakshmi, who was seated on a stool

amusing the baby, made what Elena knew was one last appeal.

“I could go with you,” she said earnestly, looking at Elena. “I can do all sorts of

helpful things. And I’m tough—”

“Lakshmi,” Lady Ulma said gently, but in a voice that wore the hat of authority.

“We’re already doubling the size of the wardrobe needed to accommodate Elena

and Stefan. You wouldn’t want to take Elena’s place, would you?”

“Oh, no, no,” the young girl said hastily. “Oh, well,” she said, “I’ll take such good

care of little Adara that she’s no bother to you while you supervise Elena’s and

Stefan’s clothes.”

“Thank you, Lakshmi,” Elena said from her heart, noting that Adara now seemed

to be the baby’s official name.

“Well, we can’t let out any of Bonnie’s things to fit you, but we can call in

reinforcements and have a full set of garments ready for you and Stefan by the

morning. It’s just a matter of leather and fur to keep you warm. We use the pelts of

the animals up north.”

“They’re not nice, cuddly baby animals, either,” Bonnie said. “They’re vicious

nasty things that are used for training, or they might come up from the dimension

below and attack all the people on the northern fringes here. And when they finally

get killed, the bounty hunters sell the leather and fur to Lady Ulma.”

“Oh, well…good,” Elena said, deciding not to make an animal rights speech just

now. The truth was that she was still very shaken by her actions—her reactions—

toward Damon. Why had she acted that way? Was it just to let off pressure? She

still felt as if she could smack him a good one for taking poor Bonnie away, and

then leaving her alone. And…and…for taking poor Bonnie— and not taking her!

Damon must hate her now, she thought, and suddenly the world developed a

sickening, out-of-control motion, as if she were trying to balance on a seesaw. And

Stefan—what else could he think but that she was a woman scorned, the kind that

Hell had no fury like? How could he be so kind, so caring, when anyone in their right

mind would know she’d gone mad with jealousy?

Bonnie didn’t understand either. Bonnie was a child, not a woman. Although,

although, she’d grown somehow—in goodness, in understanding. She was willfully

blind, like Stefan. But—didn’t that take maturity?

Could Bonnie be more of a woman than she, Elena, was?

“I’ll have a private supper sent up to your rooms,” Lady Ulma was saying, as she

quickly and deftly used the measuring tape on Stefan. “You get a good night’s

sleep; the thurgs—and your wardrobes—will be waiting tomorrow.” She beamed at

all of them.

“Could I have—I mean, is there any Black Magic at all?” Elena stumbled. “The

excitement…I’m going to sleep in my room alone. I want to get a good night’s rest.

We’re going on a quest, you know?” All the truth. All a lie.

“Of course, I’ll have a bottle sent to—” Lady Ulma hesitated and then quickly

recovered. “To your room, but why don’t we all have a nightcap now? It looks just

the same outside,” she added to Stefan, the newcomer, “but it’s really rather late.”

Elena drank her first glass in one draft. The attendant had to refill it immediately.

And again a moment later. After that her nerves seemed to relax a bit. But the

seesaw feeling never entirely left, and though she slept alone in her room, Damon

didn’t visit to quarrel with her, mock her, or kill her—and certainly not to kiss.

Thurgs, Elena discovered, were something like two elephants stitched together.

Each had two side-by-side trunks and four wicked-looking tusks. Each also had a

high, wide, long ridged tail, like a reptile. Their small yellow eyes were placed all

around their domelike heads, so that they could see 360 degrees around, looking

for predators. Predators that could take down a thurg!

Elena imagined a sort of saber-toothed cat, enormous, with a milk-white pelt big

enough to line several garments of hers and Stefan’s. She was pleased with her

new outfits. Each one was essentially a tunic and breeches, soft, pliable, rainshedding

leather on the outside; and warm, luxurious fur on the inside. But they

wouldn’t be genuine Lady Ulma creations if that was all there were to them. The

inner bodysuit of white fur was reversible and removable so you could change

depending on the weather. There were triple-thick wind-around collars, which trailed

behind or could be turned into scarves that wrapped a face up to the eyes. The

white pelts spilled out of the leather at the wrists to make mittens you couldn’t lose.

The guys had straight leather tunics that just met at the breeches, and fastened

with buttons. The girls’ tunics were longer and flared out a bit. They were neatly

fringed, but not stained or dyed except for Damon’s, which, of course, were black

with sable fur.

One thurg would carry the travelers and their baggage. A second, larger and

wilder looking, would carry heating stones to help cook human food and all the food

(it looked like red hay) that the two thurgs would eat on the way to the Nether

World.

Pelat showed them how to move the giant creatures, with the lightest of taps of a

very long stick, which could scratch a thurg behind its hippo-like ears or give it a

ferocious tap at that sensitive spot, signaling it to hasten forward.

“Is it safe, having Biratz carry all the thurg food? I thought you said she was

unpredictable,” Bonnie asked Pelat.

“Now, miss, I wouldn’t give her to you if she wasn’t safe. She’ll be roped to Dazar

so all she has to do is follow,” Pelat replied.

“We ride these?” Stefan said, craning his neck to get a look at the small,

enclosed palanquin on top of the very large animal.

“We have to,” Damon said flatly. “We can hardly walk all the way. We’re not

allowed to use magic like that fancy Master Key you used to get here. No magic but

telepathy works up at the very top of the Dark Dimension. These dimensions are

flat like plates, and according to Bonnie, there’s a fracture, just at the far north of

this one—not too far from here, in other words. The crack is small by dimensional

standards, but big enough for us to get through. If we want to reach the Gatehouse

of the Seven Treasures we start on thurgs.”

Stefan shrugged. “All right. We’re doing it your way.”

Pelat was putting a ladder up. Lady Ulma, Bonnie, and Elena were weeping and

laughing over the baby together.

They were still laughing as they left on their way.

The first week or so was boring. They sat in the palanquin on the back of the thurg

named Dazar, with a compass from Elena’s backpack dangling from the roof. They

generally kept all the sides of the palanquin’s curtains rolled up, except the one