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have nothing to offer you to drink. He held up the empty wine bottle and
regarded it with much puzzlement, as if there were some question as to how the
contents had disappeared.
Thanks. We d love some food, Barnaby said. Is it safe here? Have you seen
the demons?
The librarian s face blanched. I ve seen them, sure enough.
Here?
Not here. Those foul blue hellions won t get through that wall. It s as thick
as a
Blue hellions? Kwip said.
The demons. Blue creatures with intensively redundant dentition. Didn t you
?
Those ain t the demons, Deena said. You obviously ain t seen no demons yet.
When you see one you ll know.
Osmirik sat down, looking grave. I will?
Other beings have invaded the castle, Barnaby said. These things are
indescribably worse.
Indescribably & ? Osmirik paled and reached for the wine bottle. Spying the
dregs at the bottom, he upended the bottle into his mouth. He wiped his lips.
Demons or none, my duty is clear. I must venture out and get the volume.
Kwip looked at him incredulously. Gods of a spavined nag. How the devil can
you think of books at a time like this?
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I must have the spell to give to my liege lord, Incarnadine.
What spell?
The spell that will close up the demons aspect. Seal it off, so they can t
get through. I need the book that contains that spell.
Kwip nodded, rolling his eyes in appreciation. Aye. Now, there s a book worth
considerable thought.
Whereabouts is it?
Out there, Osmirik said, pointing to the wall sealing off the arch.
The library?
Aye, down in the open stacks. I must fetch it, be there demons or be there
none.
Well, there s but one way to decide aye or nay. I ll have a look-see.
Be careful, they may see you!
Kwip gave a wry smile. I m a man who doesn t fancy being seen. Never fear.
He drew up to the section of wall within the arch, stopping just short of
touching it with his nose. He leaned forward, and his head and the top half of
his torso disappeared into the wall.
He remained in this paradoxical state, half in and half out, for a longish
moment. Then he pulled back.
Something s up, he said, a strange expression on his face. Abide. I shall
return shortly.
He walked through the wall and was gone.
Twenty-nine
Library
SHEILA STOOD WITH her eyes closed and her arms straight down and rigid, fists
clenched and knuckles white.
She swayed from side to side like a sapling in a mild breeze. The others stood
by and watched. Snowclaw reached out for her as she swayed, but stopped short
of touching her.
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They heard someone walking above, and turned to look. Gene drew his sword. The
clanging and banging on the other side of the huge steel doors continued.
Smiling, Kwip came out of the stairwell to the first gallery. Linda and Gene
met him halfway across the floor.
Fancy you people being here, Kwip said. How goes the world with you?
Not too darn good, Gene said. Were you hiding out in here?
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For the nonce, yes. I ve been away. Apparently there s been trouble.
A lot of it. Have you seen the demons?
Aye, and nearly soiled my breeches.
Well, get out a fresh pair of undies, because they re right behind that door,
making all the racket.
Gods of a pig s arse! Then we d best take our leave, hadn t we?
We re working on it. That girl there has a powerful talent. She can summon
portals.
The devil you say. Kwip looked over his shoulder.
Well, she did it once. She s trying like hell to repeat it.
They watched Sheila teeter gently back and forth.
I d best go fetch them, Kwip said, then answered Gene s questioning look
with, The librarian and some others. I ll be back in a trice. He trotted
back to the stairwell.
A loud bang sounded. Gene and Linda looked back at the steel barrier. A large
protrusion had appeared on it, as if something had nearly punched through from
the other side.
Another door materialized, covering the existing one.
I can keep whipping up doors as long as we stay here, Linda said, but once
we cross the portal &
Yeah, and they ll follow us through. Gene bit his lip. I hadn t considered
that. Good God, can you imagine those things loose on Earth?
I don t want to think about it. Gene, we can t take the chance of summoning
the portal!
A wave of heat hit them. The clanging and banging had ceased, and now thin
streamers of smoke rose from the door.
Hell. They re burning their way through! Linda, we have to get out of here.
Maybe Sheila can make the portal go away after we cross over.
Let s hope so, or else we ll be responsible for the destruction of our
world.
The door was glowing a deep cherry-red. Linda covered it with another layer of
solid steel. The barrier now jutted out from the wall a good six feet. The
heat dissipated momentarily, but then returned.
That won t hold them very long, Linda said.
Look!
Linda whirled. The alcove that Sheila stood in front of seemed to have
undergone a transformation. Then Linda realized that she was looking through a
portal.
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Kwip came out of the stairwell, followed by Barnaby Walsh, Deena Williams, and
Osmirik the librarian. Without uttering a word of greeting or explanation,
Osmirik broke for the open stacks.
Hey! Gene yelled, then turned to Kwip. Where the hell is he going?
To fetch an important book.
Book? Tell him we have to
It s vital, trust me, Kwip said.
Well, if you say so.
They all peered through the portal. On the other side was a pleasantly and
expensively appointed living room.
The walls were of dark wood paneling, the ceiling of dark oak beams. It looked
like the interior of an English manor house.
Looks like Earth, Gene said, smiling at Sheila. Good work.
Sheila nodded. It was pretty tough. Seemed like something was holding it
back. Like someone had tied it down somewhere else in the castle.
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Maybe. I wonder where it s been hiding all this time? He shook his head in
wonder. There it is. Home. God, I
can t believe it.
Sheila glanced at the barrier, which had again turned red-hot. I have to
stay.
Are you nuts?
No. I have to close up the portal from this side. I won t be able to do magic
on the other side. It s outside the castle, remember?
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