Noiselessly, five more dogs of the same breed and powerful build emerged from the bushes, surrounding them in a hostile, growling circle. Alex saw his grandfather’s fist tightening around his cane.

“Any plans forming,” Alex whispered, “about how to improvise our way out of this?”

“Well . . .” his grandfather began grimly, but the tension in his voice suddenly shifted into bright cheerfulness as he glanced off into the trees. “Well, I suppose we just do what the lady says—”

“What la—”

“Hello!” The old man raised a hand in a wave, then dropped it as the dogs reacted by closing in as one.

“Good afternoon!” a deep, cheery, English-sounding female voice called back. A second later, its owner came striding into view. Slim, just a little shorter than Alex’s grandfather, she wore a long, loose, charcoal-colored coat with a hood hanging down. Straight hair fell in a shoulder-length swoop of dark auburn flecked with silver. Alex guessed she must be in her late-fifties. She smiled pleasantly and held a shotgun pointed in their direction.

XXV.

KINGDOM

“Lovely day.” Alex’s grandfather beamed. “Apart from the rain. Out walking the dogs, were you?”

“Not really.” The woman grinned back. “We came out especially to meet you two.”

“Well, isn’t that wonderful,” the old man burbled brightly on. The largest dog was now sniffing his hand. The rest stared fixedly at Alex.

“Beautiful animals,” his grandfather continued. “Well, it was lovely to meet you all. I suppose we’ll just be on our way, then.”

“Oh, please.” She lifted the shotgun, just slightly. Her smile remained, but the gleam in the brown eyes was sharp and edgy. “I was going to invite you up to the house for a chat.”

“Oh, we’d be delighted! After you?”

“Before me, I think. Guests first. I insist. And keep your hands where I can see them, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Come on then, Alex.” The old man raised his hands and strolled off across the lawn. Alex hesitated, reluctant to uncurl his fist from the toy robot in his coat pocket. He clenched it tightly, frantically trying to get his thoughts together in order to access the power. The woman stooped to lift the Gladstone, grunted as she felt the weight, then motioned him sternly with the gun. He let go of the toy and lifted his hands.

As they marched toward the house, Alex was intensely aware of everything around him: a smell of rain and wet earth; the noises of grass then gravel under his feet; the complicated patterns of the curious melody his grandfather was whistling quietly through his teeth as he walked ahead; the panting of the dogs prowling beside the old man, ears pricking up at his tune; a sudden dampness of fur and the solid muscle beneath it as the animal on Alex’s right brushed against his fingers; the swish of the woman’s coat; the sense of her shotgun at his back.