At that moment, as I looked out across the lawn, it occurred to me that there might not be any meaningful limit to what Seconds could do in our world. What if one of them decided it was in their interest to assassinate a president? To cause a recession? To start a war? Maybe they’d been shaping our history from behind the scenes for a long time.

It was a shocking thought. I stood at the window, trying to collect myself.

“Come on,” Gwen said. “I’m hungry.”

There were between twenty and thirty people eating, and I knew fewer than half of them. The room was equipped with a variety of tables, some round, some square or rectangular. You could sit with just one other person, or as many as seven. All the tables were elaborately set with white linens and multiple dishes, glasses, and pieces of silverware. It was going to be a headache figuring out which things to use.

Gwen steered us toward Andy and Theo, the guys who’d been taking coats at court. They were alone at a four-top near the edge of the room. Once we all sat down, the three of them made me feel wispy. Gwen was very tall, and she looked like a bodybuilder. Andy and Theo were big men, both tall and brawny. I felt like a reed in comparison.

A waiter came and began serving us. Coffee and tea were offered, as well as water and a selection of juices. We placed orders for one of a handful of available entrées. I chose the omelet. Fruit and cereal, either hot or cold, were served while we waited for the main course to arrive. It was certainly the most elaborate breakfast experience I’d ever had.

Once I felt confident I wasn’t going to be approached with yet another set of food choices, I relaxed a little and turned my attention to my companions. I realized, seeing Theo and Andy up close, that they looked quite a bit alike.

“Are you guys brothers?”

“Yeah,” Theo said. “You got any siblings?”

“Yeah, an older brother.”

“Is he a Nolander?”

I shook my head.

“Too bad,” Andy said.

“Why’s that?”

“Families grow best if everyone gets some manure,” he said with a wink.

I laughed.

Theo and Andy might’ve reminded me a little of Williams when I first saw them, but they turned out to be quite friendly and perfectly capable of normal conversation.

After some questions about Dorf and life in rural Wisconsin, Andy asked what I was doing for the rest of the day.

“I guess Lord Cordus is going to start training me today,” I said.

Both men’s forks stopped halfway to their mouths. They glanced at Gwen, but she was looking down at her plate, concentrating on mopping up her egg yolk.

“He’s training you himself, is he?” Theo said.