Magnus said, “That was a prodigious feat, punching a rift through from that tower to the meadow where we left in so short a time. No wonder you passed out.”

“We didn’t have a lot of choice.”

Magnus said, “That got me to thinking. Even if we know a world has a rift we’ve visited, it might be a good thing to send a vision orb through just to be safe.”

Pug nodded. “I think you’re right. Had we stepped through as that shock wave washed over the plateau rather than a half hour before, we’d all be dead now.”

“Caution,” said Magnus with a nod. “What next?”

“Look over what we’ve found, see if there’s anything that has any bearing on what we’re facing, then you and I and the demon experts take a journey down to Kesh to see what’s being built down there.”

“I’ll have food sent up.”

Getting out of bed, Pug said, “Don’t bother. I’m in need of a lot of water and some food. I’ll get some down in the kitchen. Have you been studying those books of your grandfather’s?”

“Of course,” answered Magnus. “There are a couple I’ve put aside for you to look at, but I think he made copies of things here and took them there, after he left this island, before you found him wandering around mindlessly.”

Pug paused. “That would explain part of his absence. But what was he doing on that world, and who was he serving? And does it have anything to do with this coming demon host? I find it difficult to believe that Macros just coincidentally happened to visit a world that is infested with demons and left behind his library that we just happened to find when we were facing a demon army.”

“With grandfather anything was possible.” Magnus had never met his grandfather, but he had encountered a Dasati called the Gardener who had possessed the memories of Macros the Black—it had been a ploy by Kalkin, the Trickster God, and it had provided Pug and his son with useful information leading to saving Midkemia from a dreadful invasion, but at great cost: the utter obliteration of the world of Kelewan and most of the inhabitants. Even if the Dasati’s memories had not been his own, his belief that he was Macros had given Magnus the opportunity to get to know his grandfather slightly.

Magnus went down to the kitchen with his father, and found Amirantha and Brandos waiting at a table, just finishing a meal. “Where are the others?” asked Pug.

Brandos said, “Gulamendis is studying that demon book you found on Queg, and Sandreena is busy being somewhere else.” The last was said with a glance at Amirantha, who almost winced but managed to keep his reaction to the comment minimal.

Magnus said, “Anything interesting in the books we brought back?”