She turned her red mask to look at the fire as she continued speaking. “But perhaps it was for the best. I’ve been reminded of my life’s duty. I’ve been reminded how cold and cruel the Realities can be. I’ve been reminded of the goals I set so many years ago. And I’ve been reminded of what kind of person it takes to accomplish . . . what we need to accomplish.”

“Yes, Mistress Jane,” he answered fervently. “I’ll be by your side. Always.”

“If I ever falter again, Frazier—if I ever doubt myself or doubt the things I need to do and the way in which I need to do them, I want you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“I want you to say two words to me. Two words. It’ll be all the reminder I ever need.”

“What words, Mistress?” Frazier asked.

Jane looked back in his direction, the darkness of her eyeholes boring into him out of the shiny red mask of liquid metal. And then she told him.

“Atticus Higginbottom.”

~

Discussion Questions

1. Tick sees a film of his Alterant being destroyed in another Reality. Can you imagine seeing yourself going through something like that? How would that make you feel?

2. Mistress Jane changes a lot throughout the book. Was there any point you started to feel sorry for her or even like her? Do you feel like she’s pure evil? Why do you think Frazier stays faithful to her?

3. Tick’s parents let him go off on another Realitant adventure, despite the obvious danger. What do you think about their decision? Could you believe in your child enough to let them go off to the unknown like that?

4. Tick knows something is wrong when he sees Mr. Chu near the forest at the beginning of the story. If you met an Alterant of someone very close to you, do you think you’d be able to tell the difference? Even if they looked exactly the same?

5. Sato is sent on an incredibly dangerous mission to obtain a blood sample from a world inhabited by crazy people. Tick, Paul, and Sofia are also asked to do very difficult things. Think honestly about yourself: Would you have enough courage to do difficult tasks? Do you think you could solve Chu’s riddles?

6. What was your favorite part of the book? What would you change if you were the author? Who is your favorite character? Your least favorite?

7. How do you think it feels for Tick to know he has some kind of incredible power over science within him, yet no control over it? To know that if he loses control, he could hurt a lot of people? How would you deal with that kind of pressure?

8. If you had to guess, what would you predict for the plot of Book 3? What do you hope happens? What do you hope doesn’t happen?

~

A Glossary of People, Places, and All Things Important