“And fire that didn’t give off heat, but burned,” Alec told them, and saw Seregil and Thero exchange a glance. “What?” he asked.

Thero shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. What happened next?”

“I made it to the town, which was walled. There were watchmen outside, but once again, as soon as they saw me they couldn’t get away fast enough, shouting something I didn’t understand. It could have been that island language. Once they were gone, someone on the wall threw rocks at me. I ran and then I was back in here in the palace, as suddenly as I had gone.”

Just then Mika peeked around the tent flap. “May I come see Alec?”

“Of course you can,” said Alec, motioning him in.

The boy’s head was freshly bandaged, his left arm splinted in a colorful silk sling. The swelling around his eye had gone down a bit, but the bruises were a nasty purple and green. “Did the man with the cudgel hurt you too, Alec?”

“No, I ran into some unfriendly dogs.”

“I thought you could charm dogs.”

Alec gave him a rueful look. “So did I—Wait! Seregil, look for my lightstone in my coat pocket.”

Seregil rifled through the ruined garment and pulled out the lightstone. It glowed as it always had.

Thero took it and examined it closely. “What?”

“It didn’t work there,” Alec told him.

“And the dog charm didn’t work, either?” Thero rested a forefinger against his lips for a moment, thinking.

“So wherever I was, something affected the magic of the stone and the charm?” asked Alec.

“So it would appear.” Thero handed the stone back to him. “Or someone.”

Alec looked up at the wizard. “I can’t help thinking of what Sedge told us about the night Phania disappeared. He said it looked like she was pulled. I didn’t feel that; I just was one place one moment and somewhere else the next. And I got back through this wavery black place in the air.”

“A what?”

Alec searched for words. “It was like looking at dark water rippling, only it was hanging in the air. It touched me while I was trying to figure out what it was and I ended up back here.”

“So you got back on your own,” mused Thero, looking Alec over thoughtfully, as if he had some markings to tell the story. “Give me your hand.”

Alec held it out and Thero clasped it, then shook his head. “I don’t understand. How can there be no trace of magic on you after all that? If you’ll excuse me, I must meditate on this. Will you keep an eye on Mika for me?”

“I could use some company,” Alec said, giving the boy a wink. “I think we left the cards in your tent.”

“I’ll go get them.” Mika ducked out through the tent flap.