“Do you accept the terms?” said Danny. “Assuming you’ve heard the three promises I’m demanding from everybody.”

“We’ve heard them,” said Uncle Mook. “For some of us, the terms will be easy to swear to.”

“Which is why Zog and Gyish had to be here,” said Danny. “They not only have to say the words. I have to believe them.”

“Or what?” asked Zog. “You’re not sending me through the Great Gate anyway, so what can you do to hurt me?”

Now it was time for a demonstration of power. Danny made a gate that swallowed Zog and dropped him from the ceiling. He landed sprawling on the table, the breath knocked out of him.

The sheer surprise of it shocked everyone, and most of them jumped up or pushed back. Thor tried to do both and ended up knocking down his chair and then falling over it.

“What can I do to hurt you, if you break your oath?” asked Danny quietly. “Why, anything I want.”

Danny rose to his feet. The others sat down, except for Tweng and Uck, who were helping Zog get off the table and back to his chair. “As with all the others, I’ll expect your answer tomorrow.”

“At what time?” asked Thor.

“At the time I return,” said Danny.

“And when will that be?” demanded Gyish, who was apparently unhumbled by what Danny had just done to Zog.

Danny didn’t bother to answer. He just gated back to his living room, where the others were waiting.

“That went well,” said Hermia dryly.

It took a moment for Danny to realize that Hermia had been watching—and Danny had not made gates for her and Veevee this time.

“Oh, don’t get all uffish about it,” said Hermia. “I’ve been working on trying to do something besides lock your gates.”

“You made a gate?” asked Danny eagerly.

“I wish,” said Hermia. “But I moved the other end of the last viewport you made for me.”

“You moved it all the way to the library?”

“No,” said Hermia. “I attached it to you, and you carried it with you. I was essentially looking and listening through the top button of your shirt.”

Sin giggled. Xena glared at her. “Woah, cool,” said Wheeler.

This was a huge breakthrough. Hermia could move the end of a gate and attach it to an object.

“Can you do it, too?” Danny asked Veevee.

“I haven’t tried,” said Veevee. “This is the first I’ve heard of it. I didn’t even realize she was listening while you were gone, or I would have been angry at you for not making me a viewport. I may not be as young and pretty as Hermia, but I love you more than she does.”

“Will you teach her how to do it?” Danny asked Hermia.