The little deer rubbed its face against his hand one more time, then bounded out the door. Erec hung his head in shame, and Bethany sank to the floor in tears.

"Should we tell Artie?" Bethany asked. "I think he needs to get prepared."

Something bothered Erec. He noticed that his Amulet of Virtues looked the same. No new segments were glowing. Hadn't he completed his quest? Was releasing the bee-hind the right thing to do? He sure hoped so.

"You go ahead and find the Hermit," Erec said. "I'll meet you back at the castle. I'm going to wait and talk to Kyron tonight. The least I can do is tell him about this face--to-face."

Bethany stopped in her tracks. "Oh, really? And how will you get to the castle if I've already left with the Hermit in the Port-O-Door?" She swung around and gave him a hard look. "You're not planning on coming back, are you?"

Erec said quietly, "If I find a way out of this, which I think I might, then I'll figure out how to get back."

"You might never find your way back from here," she said, getting upset. "This is crazy. I'm waiting for you. We're going together as soon as you're ready."

There was no way Erec would let Bethany risk her life alongside him in what he planned to do that night. It was bad enough that 181.

he had put Artie's and Kyron's lives on the line. But it was obvious she would not leave him there willingly. At least not on purpose. He would have to trick her into leaving, then.

"All right," Erec said. "You can stay. But can you do me a favor? Just find the Hermit and tell him that he has to take something really valuable back to King Piter for me." He pulled the Serving Tray out of his backpack. "Tell the Hermit I don't want King Piter's favorite thing to get damaged."

Bethany eyed the tray. "I didn't know this was King Piter's. I thought Jam gave it to you."

"Now you know."

Bethany was suspicious. "What's so important about this tray, anyway? Are you just trying to get rid of me? I'm not leaving you out here alone to face that thing. If you risk your life, you're risking mine, too. So maybe you'll want to just rethink your plan."

Erec smiled, then gave her a hug. He hoped it would not be his last one. "Just do this one thing for me. You can come back when you're done, okay?"

She grabbed the tray and went down the dirt path to find the Hermit. Erec sighed with relief. The Hermit would appear when he was needed, as usual. And when Bethany gave him the message--to bring back King Piter's favorite thing to him safely--the Hermit would understand and take Bethany.

He felt sad but resigned as he walked back to Artie's house. If only another segment had lit up on his amulet then he'd know he had done the right thing. But, as it was, at least he would defend Artie and Kyron to his death.

Erec lay on his stomach in the hot sun, focusing on a blade of grass in the middle of a circle of sticks he had pounded into the ground. He had just marked the grass leaf with a tiny dot. He knew what he had 182.

to do would not be easy. The last time he had tried this, Aoquesth had helped him. And it had been so hard, so overwhelming, that Erec ended up with a white streak in his hair from doing it. But it was the only hope he had.

He thought awhile about Aoquesth. The dragon had given his life for him. Erec would have died in the battle in Lerna. So it was only right that Erec risk his life to make things right for Artie and Kyron. Maybe he would make it. But, either way, he didn't want to think about that very much.

He focused intently on the dot on the grass blade. He brought his dragon eyes forward, as Aoquesth had taught him, by concentrating on love. Love for the world, the Substance, the bee-hind, and Bethany. Thinking about Bethany did the trick this time. He might never see her again. His eyes turned, and everything became green. Thick ropes of Substance hung in the air, but they looked normal now. Now that the bee-hind had left, the huge white clumps of Substance had dispersed.

He kept concentrating on the dot. He had to really see it. He had to know, personally, every thread of Substance in and around that spot.

At first nothing happened. He stared harder, squinting. It still just looked like a dot. How had he done it before? He tried to remember.

Then he could hear Aoquesth's voice, as if he were standing right next to him. "Love, Erec." That was all it took. Through his dragon eyes he poured out every drop of love that made up his life. He knew it might be over soon too, which made it all the more powerful.

And what he saw, what the Substance did for him, was unspeakably beautiful. It showed itself, unfolded, blossomed so that every hidden fragment within that spot became its own artwork, its own poem. This time Erec could see why the Substance carried magic. It was because 183.

the Substance was was magic. And it was love. Love, magic, and life wove together interchangeably into this one tiny spot before his eyes. Layers upon layers of magic unfolded before him until he was overwhelmed by the infinity present within each tiny space in the world. magic. And it was love. Love, magic, and life wove together interchangeably into this one tiny spot before his eyes. Layers upon layers of magic unfolded before him until he was overwhelmed by the infinity present within each tiny space in the world.

He knew what he had to do. He asked the Substance to change for him. To separate, to make a hole. Tear itself for him so that he could try to save two people he cared about. So that he could right his wrong. He knew it was not as good a reason as the last time he had asked the Substance to do this. That time he had been saving the last baby dragons in the world from Baskania. Now he was saving two friends.

But he asked with every ounce of his heart. And he could feel it say yes.

He pushed with his vision, moving threads, clearing space. Every white bead of Substance had to be moved away from the center of the dot. Then the gap needed to be bigger. Much bigger.

Erec had no idea how much time went by. But while he was changing the Substance, making a rift in it, he saw and felt each of the fragments that hung before him. And he heard them cry when the rip was made.

Every time he did something to help, it seemed another thing got hurt.

Finally, he collapsed on the ground, finished. He made a note where the tear in the Substance was, and then blackness overcame him.

It was getting dark when Kyron shook him on the shoulder. "Are you crazy, sleeping out here? It'll be dark soon. You better get inside before the manticore comes."

Erec staggered to his feet. He followed Kyron in, dreading what he would have to tell him.

But he was stunned to find Bethany sitting on the couch, a 184.

solemn look on her face. "What are you doing here?" Anger surged through him. "Didn't the Hermit take you away?"

Bethany crossed her arms. "I'm not stupid, Erec. I understood that coded message you wanted me to send to the Hermit. So I didn't even try to find him. I said I'd be here with you, so here I am."

Erec paced, furious that despite his plans she was now in danger. "But it doesn't help--you being here," he spat out. "It makes it worse. Just...go. Run."

Kyron thought that was curious advice. "I don't know what's going on with you two, but she better not run anywhere now. It's getting dark out."

Erec picked up a pillow and threw it at her. "Great. Now you'll probably die too. That really makes things better."

Bethany hugged her arms, managing to look both scared and rejected. "I'm supposed to help you with your quest. Whatever happens. You might need me."

It didn't make sense to argue now. They were running out of time. Erec turned to Kyron. "Listen, your bee-hind is gone. The manticore is going to burst in here tonight. But I have a plan--"

"What?" Kyron ran out the door, then reappeared in a minute, frantic. "Where is it? What did you do with it?" He clenched his fists, panicked. Kyron ran out the door, then reappeared in a minute, frantic. "Where is it? What did you do with it?" He clenched his fists, panicked.

"I had to let it go." At that moment Erec realized that Kyron might kill him before the manticore did. "It was all me, my choice. Bethany had nothing to do with it," he added quickly.

Kyron picked Erec up and threw him roughly against a wall. His voice was choked with tears. "Why did we trust you? My dad will never survive this time. He doesn't have the wits."

Artie walked into the room. "What's going on with youse boys?"

Nobody had the heart to answer him.

185.

"You're gonna die." Kyron picked Erec up by his shirt and shoved him into a wall.

"Look." Erec's voice was clear and firm, ignoring the sting of pain. "I had to do it. It was messing up all the Substance in the whole world by being stuck here. People and all of Upper Earth were going to die."

With a snort, Kyron shoved Erec away and walked to the window. His voice was hard. "We don't have long. I'm taking my dad up a tree. That'll confuse the thing for a while, at least. I'd suggest you two come up with a plan."

"I already have a plan," Erec said. "But it's risky. And I need your help."

Kyron glared at him, but Erec came over to the window. Looking out with him, he started whispering.

Erec and Kyron waited at the window. Erec had taken his Sneakers off because they would interfere with what he needed to do.

Bethany threw her arms around Erec's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "Don't go out there."

"It's our only chance."

"Oh!" A woman's voice echoed through the room. Erec recognized his mother's voice. She was checking on him with her glasses. "Is that Bethany hugging you?" she asked, knowing full well that it was.

"Um, yeah. It's not what you think. I mean, she was upset, but she's okay. I'm kinda busy now." Bethany stepped away. Erec did not want to frighten his mother, tell her that he was about to risk his life and may never see her again. But he did add, "Mom, I love you."

"Aww. That's sweet, honey. I love you, too. I'll talk to you later, then. Didn't mean to bother you."

"It's okay, Mom. Bye."

Bethany sniffed and stepped back with Artie, who was bewildered 186.

but at least quiet. Then Erec heard a trumpetlike howl and saw a swish of a spiked tail.

He ran outside, shouting. "Hungry, manticore? Want some dinner?"

The winter night was chilly, but Erec barely felt it. A low growl sounded nearby. He could hear something scratching the ground. Hopefully the manticore would not know that the bee-hind was gone, so it wouldn't head straight for the house.

"C'mon, kitty, kitty." Erec kicked some dirt, running into the lawn. "Here, ugly kitty. Come and get me."

The manticore appeared between some shrubs. It eyed Erec, drool seeping from between its teeth.

Erec backed toward the circle of sticks he had pounded into the ground, marking the hole he'd made in the Substance. A small jackfruit lay by his feet. He slung it at the creature but missed.

The manticore darted its eyes back and forth between Erec and the house, as if deciding which to attack first. Erec threw a stick at it, which grazed its shoulder, then he backed away. Flaring its nostrils, the beast rocked back then pounced toward Erec. It was over him in a flash, faster than he had expected.

Erec stumbled back toward the hole he had made in the Substance. Just as the manticore's claws sank into him, he toppled backward. Grabbing the manticore's mane, he fell into the hole.

Suddenly, the world was all chaos and confusion. Black-and-white specks swirled, completely lacking color and form. It was the whirlwind of nothingness inside the Nevervarld--the realm of no magic beyond the borders of the Substance. Nothing could live here except for dragons, and they could only live a short time.

All he could think about or remember were the rushes of flecks whirling in and around him. There had been flowers here, hadn't there? Did he need to get them for something? He couldn't 187.

remember. Confusion took over as he tried to adjust to the prickly static stabbing his skin.

Then he became aware of another presence in the Nevervarld. It was the manticore. Erec could sense it, the only other living thing he could detect. It looked blindingly bright in the strange mixed static.

It was good the manticore was here. Erec remembered that now. He was glad that it had fallen in here after him. Now Bethany would be safe. Other details seemed more distant, other people that might have been involved. They were in another universe, somewhere, that Erec had once known.

He could hear the manticore's thoughts as it died. What's happening? Where is my prey? What's happening? Where is my prey? The body of the beast glimmered like a fading rainbow in the swirl of specks, then it began to turn gray. It could not live more than a few moments in here, Erec knew. He was sad now. A living thing was dying. Why was that happening again? The body of the beast glimmered like a fading rainbow in the swirl of specks, then it began to turn gray. It could not live more than a few moments in here, Erec knew. He was sad now. A living thing was dying. Why was that happening again?

Strange forms were taking shape nearby. The sparks were hurting more as they crackled on his arms and face. Each one left him more tired and confused.

Then a familiar voice sounded. Was it around him or just in his head? Thank you, Thank you, it said. it said. Yummm. Yummm.

He was glad that someone was happy. He had a vague feeling he was finished now. All he had to do was rest. The black-and-white sparkles were in him and around him. They made him so tired.

The voice said, You are not dead. I see why. You are the human with the dragon parts--and you are more dragon now than before. But you will still die here before long. Leave now or rest with us forever. You are not dead. I see why. You are the human with the dragon parts--and you are more dragon now than before. But you will still die here before long. Leave now or rest with us forever.

Erec was confused which was the right answer. He had no idea what to do.

But then he saw it, gleaming like a beacon in the swirling gray. A hand. It was alive, like he was. Bethany.

With every ounce of energy he had, he willed himself toward 188.

the hand. Soon he grasped it, and it pulled him through a hole into a painfully bright place.

Kyron and Bethany were standing over him. Then he had to close his eyes. Their faces, as well as the twinkling stars, glowed so bright he felt blinded. Loud noises pummeled him, even though he was vaguely aware that they were distant jungle sounds.

Then, blaringly loud, he heard Kyron whisper, "Well, well. Look at you. I'll never kill another dragon again."

After drifting in the lifeless void of the Nevervarld, even the touch of the ground under him was too much to bear. His mind could not handle the overload, so he did the only thing he could and fell asleep.

Erec awoke on a couch in Artie's house. The table was covered with foods that everyone had conjured from the Serving Tray, but they had all waited for him to wake before they ate. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, still aching all over.

"Look." Bethany rushed over, picking up Erec's amulet. "Another one is glowing now. You did it!"

A third segment of the Amulet of Virtues now shone a glittering cream color. Erec peered at the black symbol on it. He wished Aoquesth was here to tell him what it meant.

Then he had a thought. For a moment he concentrated, looking mainly at Bethany. When his dragon eyes were out, he could read the symbol easily. "Caring." Well, he thought, there was no arguing that he had cared.

Kyron's face beamed with joy. "How can we ever repay you? Other than never hunting dragons again. After seeing the way you looked coming out of that hole from the Nevervarld, I'll never look at them the same," he said. Erec had no idea that he had transformed in there. "We're free now." Kyron grinned. "Dad and I can go anywhere."

189.

Bethany pulled Erec to the table and piled some food in front of him, then popped a chocolate into her mouth. "Where do you think you'll go?"

"I don't know." Kyron laughed. "Maybe we'll just stay here. But at least we have the choice." He sat down. "I guess I should thank you for fixing things for Upper Earth, too. I mean, easy to say now that we're okay and all." He looked embarrassed. "But remember, if you ever need us, we'll be there for you. One hundred percent."

190.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

King Stain.THE NEXT MORNING Erec and Bethany found the Hermit. He led them through the mountains, past the streams and waterfalls, palm trees and bamboo thickets, then by the beautiful many-limbed people on their terraced rice paddies. The Hermit had put the Port-O-Door into a huge, umbrella-shaped cassia tree.

Walking from the tropics of southern Otherness into the Castle Alypium made Erec catch his breath. It seemed strange to cross such 191.