Лиза Смит - The Return - Midnight

Elena was nodding slowly. “It would work with what happened to me. At first I was alone out of my body, but then I saw Bonnie beside me.”

Bonnie bit her lip. “Well…the first thing I saw was Elena and we were both flying. I was a little behind her. But Stefan, why do you think I fell asleep and dreamed a whole story? Why can’t my version just be true?”

“Because I think the first thing you’d have done would be to turn the light on — if you really were lying there awake. Otherwise, you might well have picked up a soap opera — so boring!”

Bonnie’s forehead smoothed at last. “That would explain why nobody believed me even when I told them exactly where the story was! But why didn’t I tell Elena about the treasure?”

“I don’t know. But sometimes when you wake up — and I think you did wake up to have the out-of-body experience — you forget the dream if something interesting is going on. But then you might remember it later if something reminds you of it.”

Bonnie stared into a middle distance, thinking. Stefan was silent, knowing that only she could unravel the riddle for herself.

At last Bonnie nodded. “It could be that way! I woke up and the first thing I thought of was the sweetshop. And after that I never gave another thought to the treasure dream until somebody asked for stories. And it just popped into my head.”

Elena pushed the deep blue-green velvet coverlet one way to make it green, then the other way to smooth it into blueness.

“I was going to forbid Bonnie to go on the expedition,” she said: this slave who didn’t have a gem on her body except Stefan’s pendant which hung from a fine chain around her neck, and was still in the simplest kind of after-bath robe. “But if it’s something we have to do, I’d better talk to Lady Ulma. It sounds as if time is precious.”

“Remember — time runs differently here than back on Earth. But we’re supposed to leave in the morning,” Bonnie said.

“Then I definitely need to talk to her — right now.”

Bonnie jumped up, excited. “I’ll help!”

“Wait.” Stefan put a gentle hand on Bonnie’s arm. “I have to say this. I think you’re a miracle, Bonnie!” Stefan knew his eyes must be shining in a way that showed he could hardly rein in his excitement. In spite of the danger — in spite of the Guardians — in spite of everything…the largest star ball — full of Power!

He gave Bonnie a sudden impetuous hug, sweeping her off the bed and whirling her before putting her down again. “You and your precognitions!”

“Oooh…” Bonnie said dizzily, gazing up at him. “Damon was excited, too, when I told him about the Gateway of the Seven Treasures.”

“You know why, Bonnie? It’s because everybody has heard about those seven treasures — but no one had any idea where they are…until you dreamed it. You do know exactly where they are?”

“Yes, if the precognition was true.” Bonnie was flushed with pleasure. “And you agree that that giant star ball will save Fell’s Church?”

“I’d bet my life on it!”

“Woo-hoo!” cried Bonnie, pumping a fist. “Let’s go!”

“So you see,” Elena was saying, “it’ll mean twice as much of everything. I don’t see how we can start tomorrow.”

“Now, now, Elena. As we discovered, oh, eleven months ago when you left, any job can be done quickly if we summon enough hands. I am now the regular employer of all those women we used to call in to make your ball gowns.” As Lady Ulma spoke she quickly and gracefully took Elena’s measurements — why do only one thing when you can do two at once? She glanced at her measuring tape. “Still exactly the same as when I last saw you. You must lead a very healthy life, Elena.”

Elena laughed. “Remember, for us it’s only been a few days.”

“Oh, yes.” Lady Ulma laughed, too, and Lakshmi, who was seated on a stool amusing the baby, made what Elena knew was one last appeal.

“I could go with you,” she said earnestly, looking at Elena. “I can do all sorts of helpful things. And I’m tough—”

“Lakshmi,” Lady Ulma said gently, but in a voice that wore the hat of authority.

“We’re already doubling the size of the wardrobe needed to accommodate Elena and Stefan. You wouldn’t want to take Elena’s place, would you?”

“Oh, no, no,” the young girl said hastily. “Oh, well,” she said, “I’ll take such good care of little Adara that she’s no bother to you while you supervise Elena’s and Stefan’s clothes.”

“Thank you, Lakshmi,” Elena said from her heart, noting that Adara now seemed to be the baby’s official name.

“Well, we can’t let out any of Bonnie’s things to fit you, but we can call in reinforcements and have a full set of garments ready for you and Stefan by the morning. It’s just a matter of leather and fur to keep you warm. We use the pelts of the animals up north.”

“They’re not nice, cuddly baby animals, either,” Bonnie said. “They’re vicious nasty things that are used for training, or they might come up from the dimension below and attack all the people on the northern fringes here. And when they finally get killed, the bounty hunters sell the leather and fur to Lady Ulma.”

“Oh, well…good,” Elena said, deciding not to make an animal rights speech just now. The truth was that she was still very shaken by her actions — her reactionstoward Damon. Why had she acted that way? Was it just to let off pressure? She still felt as if she could smack him a good one for taking poor Bonnie away, and then leaving her alone. And…and…for taking poor Bonnie — and not taking her!

Damon must hate her now, she thought, and suddenly the world developed a sickening, out-of-control motion, as if she were trying to balance on a seesaw. And Stefan — what else could he think but that she was a woman scorned, the kind that Hell had no fury like? How could he be so kind, so caring, when anyone in their right mind would know she’d gone mad with jealousy?

Bonnie didn’t understand either. Bonnie was a child, not a woman. Although, although, she’d grown somehow — in goodness, in understanding. She was willfully blind, like Stefan. But — didn’t that take maturity?

Could Bonnie be more of a woman than she, Elena, was?

“I’ll have a private supper sent up to your rooms,” Lady Ulma was saying, as she quickly and deftly used the measuring tape on Stefan. “You get a good night’s sleep; the thurgs — and your wardrobes — will be waiting tomorrow.” She beamed at all of them.

“Could I have — I mean, is there any Black Magic at all?” Elena stumbled. “The excitement…I’m going to sleep in my room alone. I want to get a good night’s rest.

We’re going on a quest, you know?” All the truth. All a lie.

“Of course, I’ll have a bottle sent to—” Lady Ulma hesitated and then quickly recovered. “To your room, but why don’t we all have a nightcap now? It looks just the same outside,” she added to Stefan, the newcomer, “but it’s really rather late.”

Elena drank her first glass in one draft. The attendant had to refill it immediately.

And again a moment later. After that her nerves seemed to relax a bit. But the seesaw feeling never entirely left, and though she slept alone in her room, Damon didn’t visit to quarrel with her, mock her, or kill her — and certainly not to kiss.

Thurgs, Elena discovered, were something like two elephants stitched together.

Each had two side-by-side trunks and four wicked-looking tusks. Each also had a high, wide, long ridged tail, like a reptile. Their small yellow eyes were placed all around their domelike heads, so that they could see 360 degrees around, looking for predators. Predators that could take down a thurg!