from Quanteriumâs ever been able to do it.â Owen paused for a breath, while inwardly he screamed at himself to just shut up already. âObviously, youâre from Quanterium, Mr. Magister, and you can do magic, but he didnât know that part yet. Not that it matters, since Dr. Verity was from Magisteria to begin with anyway. And remember how you originally told Kiel that his parents were killed by a time bomb that Dr. Verity sent, since you didnât think he was ready to know that heâs a clone of Dr. Verity? You thought thatâd turn his life upside downââ
âAnd it did, at the time,â Kiel said quietly.
âEnough!â the Magister shouted, and Owenâs mouth clamped shut. âThere is no way you could know these things!â
âNone of this changes anything, as . . . surprising as it might be,â Kiel said. âIf you really know what is happening here, why not tell us what Dr. Verity has planned?â
âOh, heâs going to blow up Magisteria using a huge science bomb,â Owenâs mouth said. âThatâs what I read on fan sites, at least. Someone went through and pieced it all together from various threats. And somehow, itâs going to be your fault, Kiel. Thatâs what I read, anyway.â
â My fault?â
The Magister gave Kiel a quick glance, then turned back to Owen. âTell me how you know these secrets. I must know!â He gestured, and the fog became even thicker in Owenâs head.
âI read them!â Owen said. âI told you! Thereâs a guy who writes all of your books, Jonathan Porterhouse. He made you up. I donât know how youâre here now, trust me. Thatâs all Bethanyâs thing. Somehow she has the power to jump into books like theyâre windows or something. Not that youâd jump into windows usually, but you know what I meanââ
Kiel tapped the Magister on the shoulder. âDid you hearwhat he said? The part about Dr. Verity blowing up the planet ââ
âThis Bethany girl,â the Magister interrupted. âShe travels between your world and this one? My world? The one you claim doesnât exist?â
âYeah, because sheâs half-fictional,â Owen said. âI donât honestly get it at all, but she said that her father was fictional, so, you know, imaginary, and somehow he came out to the real world and married her mom or something, but then he disappeared, so she wants to find him. But she can travel between here and there, yeah. Between fiction and the real world. Nonfiction? Would that be it?â
âShe brought you here the first time,â the Magister said, turning away and rubbing his temples. âShe could take me to your world myself, and I could see if these wild statements have any truth to them.â
âDidnât you bring me here?â Owen asked. âWhy donât you just go back the same way?â
âI borrowed a bit of her power,â the Magister said absently. âWhen I first met the two of you. I meant no harm by it, and solely wished to learn about her abilities. However, I used up what little I could take, bringing you back. To do more, I would need her at hand, if not taking me herself.â
âI donât know why youâd ever want to leave here,â Owen said. âYouâve got magic and time machines and dragons andââ
âI would wish to meet this . . . writer ,â the Magister told him. âThe man you mentioned, Jonathan Porterhouse. The one who knows my deepest secrets, who has recorded my entire life.â
âHeâs not really recording,â Owen said. âHeâs making it up in his head. Thereâs kind of a difference.â Okay, really? That was the point he had to keep driving home here?
âMagister, weâre all in danger!â Kiel said, but the Magister just waved him off.
âThat