Young Im, a few days ago the least powerful sorcerer in Hirstel, stood erect in the middle of the chamber and spoke a spell. Eyes closed, all concentration on his words, he voiced the incantation. It must work.

  When he again looked on his surroundings, Xido sat on the bed, breathing deeply but seemingly free. “How did you manage that, boy?” the god asked.

  “Didn’t I summon you on that beach? I knew the proper words.” Even if it hadn’t worked at that time and pce.

  “And your will was stronger than hers. I am impressed.” Xido sat in concentration for nearly a minute. “Hmm, she wasn’t expecting you. Surprise helped your effort.”

  Im sat down beside him. “Do you know who she was?”

  Xido shook his head. “I suspect our host could make a guess. He would know who might have such abilities.”

  “And ambitions,” added Im. “I could make as good a guess myself. Na is the most powerful sorceress in the city.”

  It was no surprise that Tindeval showed up at their door only seconds ter. He gnced up at the still-oblivious demon and said simply, “I sensed a disturbance.”

  “One of your citizens attempted to bind me,” Xido told him. “Undoubtedly to use against you. A woman.” He gnced at Im but did not speak the name the boy had given him. Rather, he said, “Im was able to counter the spell when I could not.”

  The prince gave Im a respectful look. To Xido, he apologized. “This should not have happened. A few simple wards —” He shook his head. “I have become x.”

  “Next time it might be you,” warned the deity. “What does it take to wake Akorzef? Anyone could have stolen your book if it were asleep.”

  Though Xido smiled as he said this, Tindeval answered quite seriously. “There were arms that would alert it. But as I said, I did not even know it actually slept.” Again he shook his head. “There is no sense in me accusing the one responsible. It can’t be proven and her power nearly equals mine. A duel between us is not what Hirstel needs right now!”

  Then he looked quite thoughtfully at the little god sitting in his guest room. “Not I,” spoke Xido, guessing the man’s thoughts at once. “Perhaps I could throw your enemy down but it is not my concern nor my pce. She made her attempt and failed. It is over.”

  “Very well, my lord,” murmured the sorcerer.

  “What’s going on?” asked a voice that sounded as though it originated from deep in the earth but actual came from overhead. Qu’orthseth floated down to stand by the humans.

  “We were attacked,” Im informed it, “and you slept through it.”

  “As long as Master Im wasn’t harmed,” replied the monster, “it doesn’t matter to me. I think I’ll go roam the city until dawn. I’ve looked down on it countless times and wondered about things!” With that it was out the door.

  “Its st opportunity, perhaps,” said Xido.

  “I need another opportunity to sleep,” Im replied, and went back to his bed. The god stood a moment in the middle of the room, seemingly in concentration, then nodded in satisfaction.

  “Strong warding, indeed, Lord Xido,” whispered Piras Tindeval. “I could not do half so well in twice the time. ’Tis hours till dawn so I shall leave you.” Out the door he slipped, where a pair of guards, more shadow than substance, waited to accompany him.

  Xido chuckled. “Now the idea was pnted in his head, our prince might have attempted something of the same sort himself. I should sleep safely enough.” He regarded the half-asleep boy. “I see our Qu’orthseth has put some bells on you. Doesn’t want to take a chance of you meeting an untimely end!”

  “Oh?” Despite his drowsiness, Im lifted his head. “Hmm. So it has.” He closed his eyes, opening them again only when dawn sent a shaft of yellow light through the slit of a window. God and demon were conversing in low tones. “Is it time to go?”

  “It is,” replied Xido, “if our host cooperates. Even if he doesn’t, maybe.”

  “There is no reason he shouldn’t,” came Qu’orthseth’s rumble. “Probably happy to see the st of us.”

  “No reason of which we know,” said the dark god. “And he’s a bit unbanced as are all who live here. Even our Im.”

  Qu’orthseth chuckled. “He had to be crazy to climb Tindeval’s tower and face me.”

  Xido but nodded. “I think the people of Hirstel will perish here. They are already half-mad, driven toward stark insanity by the powers that flow through their world.” He sighed. “I’m not going to wait for an attendant. Let’s go.”

  Down a winding staircase they went, and to the Prince-Sorcerer’s dinner chamber, where he now sprawled in his high-backed chair of carven green marble. A woman sat close beside him, just to his left, leaning forward, her jutting elbows on the table. Mature but somewhat young, thought Im, no more than a century or so.

  He could immediately guess who she might be. Her eyes turned to the group. “We are mad, my lord?” she asked, a trace of amusement evident in her high and slightly grating voice. “Nothing spoken goes unheard in this house.”

  Tindeval shot her an annoyed look. “May I present the sorceress Na?” he asked.

  “Ah,” spoke Xido, “I think we met before but were not properly introduced.”

  “My apologies for my rudeness,” she replied, seemingly quite serious. Im wasn’t so sure of it. “This youngster is the one who blocked me?” Na stared at him. Being stared at so by an exceptionally powerful wizardess made him understandably uncomfortable.

  “He is,” stated Xido. “Also, I do maintain that you are all somewhat mad. Especially the ordinary citizens who have not the skills to cope with the magic here, with the other worlds forever crowding into their minds.”

  Piras Tindeval only shook his head, seeming to dismiss the deity’s words, but the sorceress Na was interested. She turned dark eyes, shaded by the heavy brows common among Im’s people, toward Xido. “I have — felt something of the sort. Perhaps I, too, should seek another world.”

  “You, Na?” The prince stared at her. “Why?”

  “What is there here for me? Be your rival and second-best for a couple more centuries and then be too old to face whichever of your apprentices comes out on top? And,” she went on, “if there are better pces for our people, I could come back and show them the way.”

  “They are unlikely to go, my dy.” Xido spoke evenly but could not hide a certain sense of resignation. “However, you are entirely welcome to join us. Our Prince Piras permitting, of course.” He gave a slight bow of his head to the man.

  “By all means. But I’ll miss you, Lady Na, and the, ah, diversion you provide.” He gazed wordlessly at the sorceress for long seconds. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to propose marriage again.”

  “None. Our little squabbles may have amused you, Piras, but you weren’t the one who always lost!” Laughing, she shook her head and rose from her pce. “Maybe I can win sometimes in another realm.”

  The Prince-Sorcerer did not answer this at once, but fixed his gaze on Im. “This boy might be just as hard to beat,” he said at st.

  “Ha, then maybe he is the one I should marry!” The woman winked at Im. “When do we go?”

  “After breakfast,” stated Im. There were no contradictions.