“I would advise against that,” Grimalkin said, appearing from nowhere. He narrowed his eyes at the Wolf, who stared back murderously. “You would be surprised how many Forgotten exist in this world,” the cat went on. “More then you can imagine, I assure you.
And strong emotions like anger and fear will only attract them like ants to honey. So do try to keep your teeth in your jaws without ripping someone’s head off. We might actually make it out of here.” The Wolf ’s baleful glare shifted between me and Grimalkin before he turned away with a snarl, snapping at the air. As he did, I saw the fur on his back and shoulders, normally pitch-black, was streaked with gray, but then he shook himself and the color faded from sight.
“Geez, this place is making even Wolfman twitchy,” Puck said to me in a low voice, watching the Wolf pace back and forth, growling. Beyond him, a crowd was slowly gathering, curious faces emerging from the 154/387
mist, blank eyes fixed on us. “Let’s find that boat and get out of here before he starts tearing down the walls.” We followed the muddy street until, at last, it reached the banks of the River of Dreams, still shrouded in white, dark waters lapping softly against the mud. A single wooden dock stretched away until it vanished into the fog, but nothing moved out on the river or through the mists. Everything was overly quiet and still.
“Well, here’s the dock,” Puck said, squinting as he peered through the fog. “But I don’t see a boat. Maybe we have to buy a ticket?”
“You won’t find what you’re looking for standing there,” said a soft voice behind us.
I turned, slower this time, refusing to jump at every creature that popped up out of nowhere. But I still drew my weapon, and I still put a hand on the Wolf ’s shoulder to keep him from spinning and biting the speaker’s head off.
At first, I didn’t see anyone behind us. The voice appeared to have come from no one, though there was a long, lean shadow on the ground that seemed attached to nothing.
“Show yourself,” the Wolf growled, curling back his lips. “Before I lose my temper and start tearing out your guts, invisible or not. I can smell you well enough, so you can stop hiding right now.”
“Oh, apologies,” said the voice again, right in front of us. “I keep forgetting….” And, a tall, impossibly thin figure turned out of nowhere, standing in profile so we could see him. He was nearly paper-thin, like the edge of a blade, only visible when viewed from the side. Even in profile he was still impossibly lean and sharp, with gray skin and a 155/387
striped gray business suit. His fingers, long and spiderlike, waved a greeting, making sure we could see him.
“Better?” he asked, smiling to show thin pointed teeth in a lipless mouth. A name f lickered through my mind, keeping just out of reach, before it was gone. “I am the caretaker of this town, the mayor, if you will,” the thin man continued, watching us from the corner of his eyes.
“Normally, I am here to greet newcomers and wish them a long and peaceful stay while they wait for the end. But you…” His eyes narrowed, and he tapped the ends of his fingers together. “You are not like the rest of us. Your names have not been forgotten. I am unsure how you even found this place, but it matters not.
You do not belong here. You need to leave.”
“We will,” I said as the Wolf ’s growls grew louder, more threatening.
“We’re just waiting for the ferry. When it comes, we’ll be out of your way.”
The thin man tapped his fingers. “The ferry does not stop here often.
Most citizens of Phaed are not even aware of its existence. But, every once in a blue moon, someone will grow tired of searching for something that is clearly not here. They come to the decision that what they seek is beyond Phaed, beyond the river, and they embark on a journey to find what they have lost. Only then does the ferry appear at the end of that pier.” He pointed a long finger toward the dock that vanished into the mist. “The ferry only goes in one direction, and when it comes back around from wherever it has been, it is always empty.
No one knows what happens to the passengers that step aboard that ship, but they never come back to Phaed. It’s like they vanish off the edge of the earth.”
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“That’s fine,” I told him, ignoring the mock spooky looks Puck was giving me. “We don’t plan to come back, either. When does the ferry appear?”
The thin man shrugged. “Usually a day or two after the decision is made to leave. If you truly wish to wait for it, I suggest you find yourself a place to stay until then. The Wayside Inn is a good choice. Just follow the bank until you see it. It really can’t be missed.” And with that, he turned, becoming a straight, nearly invisible line, and disappeared.
Ariel a sighed, pressing close to me. I felt her shoulder touch mine and resisted the urge to put my arms around her. “Looks like we’re staying here a little while, after all.”