In that moment, without any awareness of a gate, Hermia found herself sitting in a chair on the balcony of Veevee’s condo in Naples, Florida. Veevee was lying on a chaise, taking the sun. Danny was sitting on the floor in a corner, looking for all the world like a frightened child.

“So I’m worthy to enter the august presence,” said Hermia.

“Don’t be a bitch, dear,” said Veevee. “You know that by all the rules of the Westilian Families, you should be getting thrown from this balcony—perhaps after having most of your skin removed.”

“I know that,” said Hermia. “But I also know that Danny isn’t like that, and neither are you. And neither is my Family, for that matter, because here I am, alive and as spunky as ever.”

Pat appeared in a chair beside Veevee. “I think she believed everything I explained, and she thinks she can try to learn it by watching what we do.”

“Maybe she can,” said Veevee. “Can’t stop her from trying.”

“I don’t think any of this can be learned just by clicking your heels and saying, ‘No place like home,’” said Danny quietly.

“He’s saying that because this old dog couldn’t learn any of the tricks,” Veevee explained to Hermia.

“Maybe it just takes time,” said Hermia. “It took time for you and Danny to figure out anything, before you had me to show you what I could do.”

“But Danny has shown me his new powers. It blows me away, Hermia, darling, but I have no idea what he’s actually doing.”

“Pat knows how to do it because she was with me in Duat,” said Danny. “I didn’t have to teach her anything except how to move. She already saw what she needed to see.”

“Prets?” asked Hermia. “Pret—is it really the French word? As in prêt-à-porter?”

“I don’t know,” said Danny. “The word was put in my mind. Our minds. By somebody who doesn’t actually use language to communicate. So who knows the origin of the word?”

“You’re such gatemages,” said Pat. “Worrying about etymology when you’re talking about the fundamental power of the universe.”

“I know I can’t teach you, Hermia, because I can’t teach Veevee,” said Danny. “And I actually trust her.”

“I assume you listened to what I told Pat?” asked Hermia. “I was not betraying you.”

“Oh, I assumed all along that they did something to manipulate you,” said Danny. “But I think that just gave you the window-dressing to do what you really wanted—to have control of a Great Gate and pass your Family through.”

“Probably true,” said Hermia. “In fact, I’ll say you nailed it. I wanted them to make me do it. But it doesn’t change the fact that they really would have messed up your friends.”