“Er…” Terra didn’t like to make this decision without involving the guys—they were obviously all going to have to go into this other universe or world or whatever it was. It didn’t seem right to decide without asking them if they wanted to risk it. But since she was supposed to own them and be their Mistress, she couldn’t consult them in front of Mistress Bodikin.
She was about to ask for a moment alone to think about it, when V’rone murmured, “Do it, little Terra,” in a voice so low it was clearly meant for her ears alone.
“Well? Do we have a deal?” Mistress Bodikin was looking impatient.
“Yes, thank you,” Terra said, deciding that V’rone must speak for the other two as well. “When do we get started?”
“At once, if you like,” Mistress Bodikin said. “After all, the sooner the four of you start, the sooner you finish.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Terra nodded. “Well then, how do we get to the, er, starting place?”
“I shall show you.” Mistress Bodikin rose from her golden throne with a smile. “Come—you shall see what few have ever witnessed—my multidimensional portal! Dahlia, you come too,” she added.
“Ugh, do I have to, Mamma? You know I don’t care for such things.”
“Well, you’re coming anyway. Now march!” Mistress Bodikin commanded.
And she led them all out of the Receiving Hall with Terra wondering what in the world a portal to other universes looked like.
FOURTEEN
Tem wasn’t sure he liked this proposal. No matter what Mistress Bodikin said, it seemed dangerous to go through a door between worlds. In fact, he almost wished they could call a halt to this particular mission before it began. But V’rone, as their leader and the Brawn of their colony, had spoken for them. So he simply resolved to keep their Queen close and hope that everything would go well.
Rive found it illogical to go through the trouble of getting another artifact they could trade for the Heart-finder. After all, the Heart-finder wasn’t really needed—they had proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Terra was in fact and indeed their true Queen and he was certain none of them wanted any other female taking her place. Still, since she had not accepted that she belonged with them as the Heart of their colony, he supposed it was necessary. He only hoped it wouldn’t take too long.
V’rone was determined to get the damned artifact if it killed him. It was the only way to get the Heart-finder and prove, once and for all to Terra that she was supposed to be their Queen.
It was a pain in the ass, of course, but he didn’t anticipate any problems. The three of them should be able to protect Terra from anything that came their way, which was why he had told her to go ahead. He just hoped the quest for the Kat-sat-Suum would be over quickly. For as soon as Terra held the Heart-finder in her hands and it sang and glowed for her, it would be obvious to her that she was their one and only choice.
FIFTEEN
The Monstrum took their chests of gold and platinum and jewels back to the ship and then they all gathered together again to see Mistress Bodikin’s famous interdimensional portal, which turned out to be located down another long, echoing marble corridor. At the end of it was a round door that reminded Terra of a bank vault. To one side of it was a kind of control panel that seemed to have some kind of scanner on it.
“If you’ll excuse me, I must open the guard door,” Mistress Bodikin said primly.
She stepped up to the scanner and a mechanical voice said,
“Retinal display, please.”
Mistress Bodikin opened her right eye wide. A blue light passed over it and a soft affirming beep was heard. But the scanner wasn’t done yet.
“DNA swap activated,” it said in the same, mechanical voice.
Mistress Bodikin opened her mouth and a long, skinny mechanical arm came out of the scanner. It had a swab in its pinchers which it proceeded to swipe the inside of her cheek with. The arm with the swab withdrew and after a moment, the scanner beeped again.
“Epithelial cells match DNA on record,” it said. “Welcome, Mistress Bodikin.”
At which point the enormous round door, which was at least a meter thick, finally swung open, revealing a small antechamber with yet another door. This one, however, didn’t seem to have any locks or scanners on it—it was simply a plain wooden door. Well, plain if you didn’t count the elaborate carving which was decorated in gold leaf.
“Where’s the portal?” Terra asked, frowning as she looked around the small chamber they had all crowded into.
“Why, through the containment door, of course.” Mistress Bodikin nodded at the wooden door. “It’s made of a special wood from a tree that grows in the crossroads of worlds,” she explained. “It’s the only thing that can contain the portal properly. Come and I’ll show it to you.”