“You gatemages know all the secret facts about words, not me,” said Pat. “I’m going to take you through what Hermia and I did. Step by step. If you’re willing to let me lead you that way.”

“Whatever it takes, kid,” said Veevee. “If she can learn it, I’m damn well going to learn it too.”

It took until well after dark, but by then they were in Stone’s house in Washington, DC, and it was Veevee who had led them there.

“It’s not the regular way,” said Veevee to Stone. “I still can’t do that, but Peter Von Roth, I can move like a gatemage through the world.”

Peter seemed so genuinely proud of her—and so moved that Veevee had actually come to him to brag about it—that Pat gated herself back to the clearing in the woods so they could be alone.

It was dark. The snogging party was long since over. Just the night noises of the woods, and some distant traffic noises. And yes, wait, yes, there was a noise of distant cheering. There must be some kind of athletic event down at the school. Or a party. Something. Happy sounds.

It made Pat glad—glad that other people were happy, and glad that she was by herself, not trapped inside a happy throng.

Only she wasn’t by herself. Because after only a few moments, Danny was beside her.

“I didn’t come while you were teaching Veevee,” said Danny. “You were succeeding where I failed—I wasn’t going to interfere with that.”

“I’m glad you came to me here,” said Pat. And then she burst out laughing.

“What?” asked Danny.

Pat told him about Xena and Wheeler.

“Inconceivable,” said Danny.

“You keep using that word,” said Pat. “I do not think it means what you think it means.”

He seemed not to get the Princess Bride reference, and instead of explaining it, she kissed him. Now that this was established as a snogging site, it seemed appropriate, and he went along with it willingly enough.

Chapter 12

12

Eluik sat by the window on the flight from Dayton to Lexington. He hadn’t asked for the seat, but Enopp told him, “You should be able to look out the window.” Eluik wondered if Enopp was afraid of what he’d feel, looking down from such a height, but no. Enopp thought of it as the best place, and he was giving it to his brother, and Eluik accepted the gift as it was intended.

The distance was slight—it wouldn’t have taken two hours to cover it by car. There had been so much ritual associated with getting through airport security and getting on the plane that as they walked through the terminal Eluik wondered aloud if it might not be faster for Marion or Leslie to drive them.

“It would be faster,” Enopp said quietly, “for us to simply go.”