Free Elysia by Brian Lumley Page B

whispered, putting a protective arm round her shoulder. 'This is no ghost. It's not magic but science. And Henri's perfectly correct: wherever this 3-D picture is coming from, it's certainly a picture of Titus Crow.'
    De Marigny had meanwhile recovered himself and stepped back from the apparition; and as for Crow, he seemed just as bemused as the three whose eyes followed his every movement. For a moment utter confusion was written on his face; then, like a man suddenly blind, he groped his way backward until once more he stood inside the clock and was bathed in its -ethereal glow. Then came his voice, that deep, rich and oh so well remembered voice from the memories of de Marigny and Silberhutte both: -
    `Henri? I saw you then, but just for a moment. If that was really you out there, please come inside the clock where we can talk. I'm riding a Great Thought sent by Kthanid. Outside the clock I'm largely immaterial, but in here I'm much less a spectre. Only be quick, Henri, for Kthanid can't keep (his up for very long.'
    De Marigny needed no further urging. With a second `Wait!' to his friends, he stepped inside the clock and was engulfed in its pulsing light. Then for a moment two old, true friends peered anxiously at one another — and at last smiles broke out, and laughter — and finally they pounded each other's backs.
    'It's you,' said de Marigny, in the flesh of a sort, anyway! But how?'
    'You haven't changed, Henri,' said Crow then, holding him at arms' length. 'Not a jot. Still full of questions I never have the time to answer.'
    `And you,' the other returned. 'Why, if anything you seem even younger!' And then, with less levity: 'But you're wrong, Titus, for I have changed. I've been changed. It's not simply my own skin I've to care for now. But ... I want to show you something. How long do we have?'
    Crow's smile also fell. 'Minutes,' he answered. 'I'll get the very briefest warning, and then I'll be on my way back to Elysia.'
    'Time enough,' said de Marigny; and over his shoulder he called, 'Moreen, will you come in here, please?'
    She came at once, innocent and charming as . always. Face to face with the girl, Crow's eyes opened wide in wonder and appreciation. And: 'This is Moreen,' said de Marigny. 'Born in Borea's moons of Earth stock taken there by Ithaqua. Funnily enough, she was mine even before I found her, much like your Tiania. Now we travel together.'
    Crow gave the girl a hug, said to his friend: 'You'd have been pushed to find her like on Earth, Henri — or even in Elysia, for that matter.'
    'Room for another in there?' came the friendly, growled query of the plateau's Warlord. And a moment later Hank Silberhutte, too, stood bathed in the dock's weird illumination. For that was another anomaly of the time-clock: that the space within it was very nearly as great as that outside! . And now for the first time it was Crow's turn to display amazement. 'What?' he said, his eyes incredulous where they looked Silberhutte up and down. 'Hank? Is it really you? My God! And how long ago since we all went at the Burrowers together, eh? And how much passed between?'
    'That was ... another world,' said the other. 'Hell, it really was! But from what I've heard, it hardly seems-we'll have the time now to fill in the gaps. So Moreen and me, we'll , simply stand here and listen, and try to keep patient until you and Henri get done. You're not here for the fun of it, eh, Titus?'
    Crow's face quickly became grave. 'Not for the fun of it, no. My reason for being here is probably the best any sane human being could have.' He turned more fully to de Marigny. might have come sooner, mind to mind, but you weren't receptive. You were preoccupied, Henri, your mind full of other things. But I know that wherever the old time-clock was, then that you'd be there too. Also, I might have simply come here — more fully "in the flesh" — in another time-clock or via this one. But with very few exceptions all the clocks are back in