A flash of anger and scattered confused thinking made her vision darken and Patrikia’s library room fade. When her vision cleared, the Objects lay on the floor around her, clavicle revealed in its wooden case.

“This is a device for passing from the Way to other worlds. You attracted our attention by using it on the gate.”

Rhita glanced over her shoulder to see the youth behind her. His face was still indistinct.

“Where did you get it?” he asked.

“You know that already.”

“Where did your grandmother get it?”

She closed her eyes and still saw the clavicle before her and felt the unanswered question.

“We are not going to torture you,” the youth said. “We need your information to take you where you want to go.”

“I want to go home,” she said softly. “My real home.”

“You did not make this device. Your grandmother did not make it. Your world has no use for such things. We are curious how it came to be here. Did you once commune with the Way, far back in history, perhaps?”

“My grandmother. I told you.” What had she told them? And how often?

“Yes. We believe you.”

“Then don’t ask me again and again!” She turned on the youth, anger again dimming her vision. Each time she got angry, it seemed they knew more; yet she was not actually trying to hide anything from them. She surmised she could not hide facts if they were capable of making her think she was on Rhodos when she wasn’t. I should be nearly dead with fear.

“There’s no reason for you to be afraid. You are not dead, you are not injured.”

The youth’s face suddenly became distinct, as if a shadow not of darkness but of ignorance had passed. He had regular features, black eyes, black hair and a slight growth of beard. He might have been a Rhodian beach boy. “I take this shape because you are not familiar with us.”

“You’re not human?”

“No. We come in many different forms, unlike your people. We are all unified, but…” He grinned. “Different. So please accept me in this more pleasant shape for the time being.”

They seemed to have changed tactics, or perhaps learned how to make their deception even more convincing. Rhita turned away from him and from the vision of the Objects. “Please leave me alone. Let me go home.”

“I will not conceal truth from you. Your home is undergoing changes now, to make it more efficient.”

Rhita looked at her hands. She wanted to shiver, but she couldn’t; she could, however, feel more anger. She restrained herself. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“We’ve laid claim to your Earth. I suppose it’s time we drop this pretense and acquaint ourselves more fully. Are you prepared for that?”

“I—”