She screamed and fell faster, eddies of mist trailing from her limbs as she snatched and kicked out. He paused to close the breach, then followed her into daylight, blue sky and green grass. Miranda lay on her back where she had fallen, still winded and wheezing from the sudden impact, but he knew she was unharmed. Nothing could hurt her in this place.

He sat next to her and began to talk quickly. “That was amazing! I’ve never seen that before. I didn’t even know humans could do that. I can’t.”

“What?” Miranda replied weakly.

“Being truly, actually beside yourself. That’s nearly impossible. Even I can’t be two places at the same time. I don’t suppose you know how you did it?”

Miranda’s expression slowly transformed from bemusement to horror. Very likely, Chance thought with sympathy, she was absorbing the possibility that she had gone mad.

“No!”

“Of course, of course,” he said soothingly. “I don’t mean to babble, but you see, I was told to pick you up and bring you back, and I didn’t expect to see two of you. I hope I got the right one—ah, yes.”

He motioned to her right hand, which was gripping the briefcase as if it were her sole anchor to reality.

“There it is. That’s what we need.”

He got up, extending his hand to her. She cautiously took it and let him help her to her feet.

“You’ll probably be more comfortable if you have a name to call me. Chance will do. Naturally you’ll have some questions. I’ll lead you to the answers, if you’ll allow me.”

Miranda looked around. They were standing on a hill overlooking a landscape of half-tamed country with irregular fields and woods, and somewhere out of sight there was the sound of water running. There were dragonflies and butterflies about, birds in the sky, and grazing animals in the distance. There was no evidence of roads, buildings, or anything constructed by human hands. Chance had made it a very peaceful setting— purposely so—and he felt a little bit of triumph when he saw her shoulders relax.

“Do I have a choice?” she asked him, her tone whimsical rather than sarcastic. A good sign.

He smiled. “Always.”