either Ferne alone, or Trent alone, or both together."
âOr someone else entirely."
Deems scowled. âWho?"
âAn outside force or agent of some sort."
Deems pursed his lips and looked pensive. âHm. I suppose it's possible. Castle Perilous has never lacked for enemies."
âTrue."
âBut see here. What's the game? What does this unknown conspirator mean to accomplish by opening up dangerous aspects and letting the boogeymen out?"
âThe unknown may have struck some bargain with these boogeymen. They invade me castle in return for spoils he has promised."
âWhich he can't deliver, unless he knows something I don't,â Deems said sourly. âOut of 144,000 worlds, there isn't a single damn one that has any easy money in it. And I include the one you're in at the moment."
Incarnadine gave a chuckle. âDon't you remember all the time we spent panning for gold in Hyperborea, back when we were kids?"
âWith not a penny to show for it."
âNow, I remember making enough to buy a very small sailboat,â Incarnadine said. âA ten-foot sloop, as I recall. I think me thing may still be lying in a dusty corner of the castle somewhere. I used to take it out on Lake Asmodeus, in the Helvian aspect. I also have a memory of you buying yourself a silver-handled Almedian scimitar with the paydirt you gleaned."
Deems grunted. âI don't remember. It was a long time ago."
âYes, it was."
âTell me this, Inky. What could Trent have been doing, isolated in a blind universe all those years?â Deemsâ brow furrowed. âThe thought occurs to me that you are now isolated in a blind universe. How the devil are you going to get back from there?"
âI'm going to do my damnedest to summon the gateway from this side and set up a more or less permanent link to Perilous. From a Manhattan apartment."
âWasn't that where it was originally?"
âYes. The site was not this specific apartment, but you remember the general location correctly. As to your first question about Trentâhe says he hasn't, but I suspect he has been developing new magic on this side. He may have a way of summoning the gateway, using it, then letting it wander free again until he needs it. He may have had access to Castle Perilous all these years."
âWhy has he waited all this time to make his move?"
âHe may have been aiding Melydia. I rather doubt that, as Melydia was a major-league sorcerer herself, but she may have needed help at the interuniverse level."
âThat is an interesting surmise."
âA wild guess. Perhaps Trent is patient. Or perhaps he's just recently perfected his techniques."
Deems folded his arms and looked dubious. âYou really don't have much to go on, do you?"
âFrankly, no. That's why I was hoping you would help. When you return from Perilous, I want you to give me a rundown on what's happening there in my absence. Ask Tyrone, the captain of the Guard, to give you a report. Tell him I sent you."
âIf he believes me.â Deems squinted one eye.
âHe will. Before I left I told him to expect you."
âI was going to ask why you can't call Tyrone yourself, but now I see you simply want to verify my trip to Perilous.â Deemsâ eyes twinkled. âYou've been planning moves in advance."
âAs necessary in life as in chess."
âInky, I'll always defer to your chessmanship. How you outmaneuvered Melydiaâthat horror of a woman!âI'll never know."
âLuck played its partâalong with clean living, proper outlook, eating three squares a day, and so forth."
Chuckling, Deems said, âAnd regular exerciseâno doubt."
âWhen can you leave for Perilous?"
Deems shrugged. âToday, if you wish. I have nothing pressing."
âGood. Call me again in, say, two days."
âVery well. Anything else?"
âNot at the moment. Good seeing you again, brother."
âSame here, old boy. But if you
âOr someone else entirely."
Deems scowled. âWho?"
âAn outside force or agent of some sort."
Deems pursed his lips and looked pensive. âHm. I suppose it's possible. Castle Perilous has never lacked for enemies."
âTrue."
âBut see here. What's the game? What does this unknown conspirator mean to accomplish by opening up dangerous aspects and letting the boogeymen out?"
âThe unknown may have struck some bargain with these boogeymen. They invade me castle in return for spoils he has promised."
âWhich he can't deliver, unless he knows something I don't,â Deems said sourly. âOut of 144,000 worlds, there isn't a single damn one that has any easy money in it. And I include the one you're in at the moment."
Incarnadine gave a chuckle. âDon't you remember all the time we spent panning for gold in Hyperborea, back when we were kids?"
âWith not a penny to show for it."
âNow, I remember making enough to buy a very small sailboat,â Incarnadine said. âA ten-foot sloop, as I recall. I think me thing may still be lying in a dusty corner of the castle somewhere. I used to take it out on Lake Asmodeus, in the Helvian aspect. I also have a memory of you buying yourself a silver-handled Almedian scimitar with the paydirt you gleaned."
Deems grunted. âI don't remember. It was a long time ago."
âYes, it was."
âTell me this, Inky. What could Trent have been doing, isolated in a blind universe all those years?â Deemsâ brow furrowed. âThe thought occurs to me that you are now isolated in a blind universe. How the devil are you going to get back from there?"
âI'm going to do my damnedest to summon the gateway from this side and set up a more or less permanent link to Perilous. From a Manhattan apartment."
âWasn't that where it was originally?"
âYes. The site was not this specific apartment, but you remember the general location correctly. As to your first question about Trentâhe says he hasn't, but I suspect he has been developing new magic on this side. He may have a way of summoning the gateway, using it, then letting it wander free again until he needs it. He may have had access to Castle Perilous all these years."
âWhy has he waited all this time to make his move?"
âHe may have been aiding Melydia. I rather doubt that, as Melydia was a major-league sorcerer herself, but she may have needed help at the interuniverse level."
âThat is an interesting surmise."
âA wild guess. Perhaps Trent is patient. Or perhaps he's just recently perfected his techniques."
Deems folded his arms and looked dubious. âYou really don't have much to go on, do you?"
âFrankly, no. That's why I was hoping you would help. When you return from Perilous, I want you to give me a rundown on what's happening there in my absence. Ask Tyrone, the captain of the Guard, to give you a report. Tell him I sent you."
âIf he believes me.â Deems squinted one eye.
âHe will. Before I left I told him to expect you."
âI was going to ask why you can't call Tyrone yourself, but now I see you simply want to verify my trip to Perilous.â Deemsâ eyes twinkled. âYou've been planning moves in advance."
âAs necessary in life as in chess."
âInky, I'll always defer to your chessmanship. How you outmaneuvered Melydiaâthat horror of a woman!âI'll never know."
âLuck played its partâalong with clean living, proper outlook, eating three squares a day, and so forth."
Chuckling, Deems said, âAnd regular exerciseâno doubt."
âWhen can you leave for Perilous?"
Deems shrugged. âToday, if you wish. I have nothing pressing."
âGood. Call me again in, say, two days."
âVery well. Anything else?"
âNot at the moment. Good seeing you again, brother."
âSame here, old boy. But if you
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