Master George stood up. “Paul and Sofia, I need the two of you to prepare to return home. I’ll send several specially prepared science books with you so that you can study beyond those things you’ll learn in normal schooling. I need a little more time with Tick, and I need him to help me resolve the matter of”—he pointed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the holding cell—“our captive, Reginald Chu. Tick may be the only one who’ll be able to tell which Chu it is.”

Paul stood as well, trying to ignore the hurt growing inside him. He really didn’t want to say good-bye to everyone. “Yeah, what’s the deal with the Chu thing? What happened back there?”

Master George stared at him, his face serious. “Two Alterants met, lad, face to face. Such a thing is a disaster—a complete disaster, always.”

“Why? What happens?” Paul asked.

“One survives, while the other is thrown into . . .” Master George looked about nervously. “Well, we don’t know for sure. But Reginald himself always called it the Nonex, and it’s something I hope to never encounter. Whenever Alterants meet like that, it causes a terrible disturbance in Chi’karda and the Realities. I wouldn’t be surprised if an entirely new Reality, perhaps even solid enough to be a main branch, was formed from this. Dreadful, really.”

Paul rubbed his eyes and temples. “My head hurts.”

“Yes, yes, off you go,” Master George said, shooing them away from Tick. “It’s time for you to go home. Rutger, please fetch my Barrier Wand.”

Chapter

51

~

Awakening

Tick didn’t know how much time passed between the instant he grew aware of himself and the moment he opened his eyes. An hour maybe. Possibly two.

It was the pain that kept him hiding in his own darkness. Terrible, terrible pain, right in the middle of his skull, as if he’d spent the last week lending his head out as a neighborhood speed bump.

But he finally slid his eyelids open, scared the light would only make it worse but having no choice.

Master George sat in a chair to his left, leaning over him with a huge smile on his ruddy, puffy face. Sato sat to Tick’s right, his face swollen but somehow cheerful—for him, anyway.

Tick started to get up, but only made it an inch before thumps of pain slammed his brain like hard fists.

“Now, now, Tick,” Master George said, placing a hand on Tick’s arm. “Let’s not be hasty. You’ve been through quite an ordeal.”

Tick had squeezed his eyes shut again, but forced them open. “What . . . what happened? Chu was there . . . and Mistress Jane . . . and a huge Barrier Wand—”