His eyes snapped open. Nick heard the sound again, unintelligible whispering and a wet slithering, it made his skin crawl and he shuddered under the covers. He flicked the lamp on and scanned the room, space seemed move, stretch and shrink at will - his mouth went dry. Right angles disappeared as the walls shifted and tilted. Reality was a square and alien hands were pulling at the corners adjusting it to a shape that better fit their design.

The cold, steel gray water lapped at her thighs and rose goosebumps on her flesh. Marah contemplated the lake's expanse, and the quest that had brought her to the edge of the world and beyond. That snide, braggart Fey had forgotten about his promise, something new and shiny caught his attention and he'd run away, but thrice promised was as good as natural law among the fickle spirits. The anger that welled up made her forget about the cold and she dove into the water. She propelled herself forward, one smooth stroke after the other, she'd reach the Fey's isle, and wouldn't he be surprised.

Nicodemus stood, eyes closed, with his back against a slender, tall pine. He listened to the wind as it sighed and rustled through the canopy. "Violet, I'm glad you came." The man opened his eyes and half turned. A stunningly beautiful and slender woman with raven black hair stood a handful of paces away. She wore rough clothes, but the long knife she expertly held was of exquisite make.

The woman's face darked as she scowled. "Sorcerer you should not have come. You know you're not welcome in these woods."

Nick stood, wedged between a dripping Celbradian and a hulking Mirmo. The line edged forward, the slugsquid squelched and squirmed in front of him and the young man followed, trying not to step in the shimmering trail of goo. He sighed and fanned himself with his passport, he hated traveling.

"Woa!" He shielded his eyes from the glare, and for a moment it was bright enough to be dawn. Nick had been watching the lunar eclipse, the moon had vanished minutes ago, but he had kept staring. That's why he saw the flash of light as it erupted from the moon.

The red and blue lights brought life to short lived shadows, they wildly danced to and fro with each flash. Marah sat forgotten on the curb, all the cops were crowded around her SUV - what was left of it. The wolf, not dog, as the cops insisted it must have been, had run out in front of her. So what if it was downtown L.A., she knew what she saw, and more importantly hit. It had been big, but she wasn't driving a Corolla, she had won the lopsided contest, the wolf had flown through the air and rolled to the curb. It didn't stay there though.

The wind pushed and buffeted. Marah felt the ship struggling under her control, she grimaced at the lack of response and the view outside. Dark as soot, lit occasionally by flashes of lightning, the storm bank loomed ahead, and the little planethopper unswervingly plunged towards it. Sure it was difficult to maneuver because the Rillians had zapped the engines, and the buffeting due to the hole punched in the cargo bay added further complications, but Marah could handle it.