"You may handle me," she said, understanding that this was not a casual thing. He had to do this in order to deter -- mine the answer to her question. How he felt about her de -- pended in considerable part how she felt about him.

He put his arms around her back, drawing her in close. Her body yielded to him, and she lifted her face. He knew that magic did not work here, but perhaps just a bit of his peculiar power could be invoked. His power to relate to the emotions of others: to receive and return their joy. Perhaps, with the closest and most evocative contact, he could know.

He kissed her: just a touching of his lips to hers.

CHAPTER 3 -- KEY

SHE knew it had not been long externally, but internally it was as if she had stepped across realities, or Modes as Darius put it. Then she was sobbing against his shoulder, and it wasn't disappointment but relief: now she knew how he really felt about her -- and he knew how she felt about him. She had not really believed in electricity between people, or in instant knowing.

Not until now.

Soon enough she pulled herself together. She had learned to make quick recoveries. She drew him down, and they sat side by side, leaning against the back wall of the shed, her right fingers interlaced with his left fingers.

"So it's love," she said matter-of-factly. She had to tackle it this way, as if it were something she had observed from afar, that didn't concern her, because that was the only way she could handle it at the moment. "We have to talk."

"We have talked," he said.

"Not this way. You can't marry me here, because I'm un -- derage and you'll die soon anyway. But you can -- "

"No. Your love suffices."

She laughed. She did that often with him, and now she knew why. "I wouldn't tell, Darius.

I'm good at keeping secrets, honest. You've been a real gentleman, and I like that a lot. But that's not it. You can tell me exactly how to get to your reality."

"But even if I could return, and take you there, there would be no certainty -- "

"I know. If we went there, and you couldn't marry me, I'd be your servant. The forms don't matter. Now I know how you feel. I want to go with you, Darius. Just tell me how.''

He seemed surprised. He thought this kind of discussion was useless. He might be right, but she had a notion. "I must have the key. That, in my hand, becomes the signal. Then Pwer will revert me to my reality, together with what I hold.''

"So if you are holding me, I'm there too."

"Yes."

"How do you activate the key? Is there a button on it?"

"No. My mind does it. I touch it to my forehead and make my desire."