Free High Wizardry New Millennium Edition by Diane Duane Page A

assist in the spell he was buildling, nothing but the slow certain pressure of his mind as he thought in the Speech. “She copied the computer into a smaller more mobile format and took it to the city with her,” Carl said, “then got away when she could. And after she’d left Earth, she decided—I’d imagine—that she wanted some time to sightsee. But, of course, you’d rightly object to that. So she copied something else, to buy herself some time.”
    The spell built and built in power, and the air around them all began to sing the note ears sing in silence, but much louder. “Nothing not its own original can exist in this room,” Carl said, “once I turn the spell loose. Harry, you’re having trouble believing this, are you? You think I’d treat your real daughter this way?”
    Nita’s father said nothing.
    “Run,” Carl said softly.
    Dairine vanished. Air imploded into the place where she had been, and all around the room, paperwork ruffled or blew about in the sudden wind, then slowly settled.
    Nita’s father put his face in his hands.
    Her mother looked sharply at Tom and Carl. “I’ve known you two too long to think you were toying with us,” she said as Carl went to sit down slowly on the sofa, looking pale. “You said something a moment ago about forces that weren’t friendly…”
    “Nita’s told you some of what wizards are for,” Tom said, looking at Carl in concern, then up again. “Balance. Maintenance of the status quo; protecting life. There are forces that are ambivalent toward life. One in particular theld Itself aloof from creation, a long time ago, and when everyone else was done, It created something none of the other forces had thought of: death. And the longest Death… the running-down of the Universe. The other Powers cast It out… and they’ve been dealing with the problem, and the Lone Power, ever since.”
    “Entropy,” Nita’s mother said, looking thoughtful. “That’s an old story.”
    “It’s the only story,” Tom said. “Every sentient species has it, or learns it.” He looked over at Nita’s father, who was recovering somewhat. “I’m not about to pass judgment on whether the Lone One’s invention was a good idea or not. There are cases for both sides, and the argument has been going on since time was set running. Every being that’s ever lived has argued the case for one side or the other, whether it’s been aware of it or not. But wizards fight the great Death, and the lesser ones, consciously… and the Entity that invented death takes our interference very personally. New wizards always meet it in one form or another, on their Ordeals. Some survive, if they’re careful. Nita and Kit were careful… and they had each other’s help.”
    “‘Careful’ is not Dairine’s style,” Nita’s mother said, sounding rueful. “And she’s alone.”
    “Not for long,” Tom said. “We’ll track her, and see that she has help. But I think Nita will have to go. She knows Dairine’s mind fairly well.”
    “I’m going too,” said Kit.
    Carl, still ashen from the exertion of his spell, shook his head. “Kit, your folks don’t know you’re a wizard. You might have to be gone for quite a while—and I can’t sell you two a time warp as I did once before. My time-jurisdiction stops at atmosphere’s edge.”
    “I’ll tell them what I am,” Kit said.
    Nita turned and stared at him.
    “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, since you told your folks,” he said to her. “You handled it pretty well,” he said to Nita’s parents. “I should give my mom and dad the benefit of the doubt.” The words were brave: but Nita noticed that Kit looked a little worried.
    “Kit, you’ll have to hurry,” Tom said. “She’s got a long lead on you, and the trail will get cold fast. Neets, where would Dairine want to go?”
    Nita shook her head. “She’s always read a lot of science fiction. Books, comics…”
    Carl looked worried. “Any