“Don’t you like this world?” said Melanie. “We fashioned it just for you. The world of your dreams. Your darkest dreams.”
“I love it!” I said cheerfully. “Just like the old Hammer films Uncle James introduced me to.”
“Yes,” said Melanie. “He did like them. I never understood that.”
“I’m not surprised,” I said. “It’s a human thing. What’s it like here usually?”
“You wouldn’t like it,” said Melanie. “You wouldn’t recognise it. A place of elven dreams and desires.”
“Would Uncle James have recognised it?” I said.
“No,” said Melanie. “There were things, parts of me, that I could never share with him. He knew that.”
I looked around at the silently watching elves. “Where did all your . . . companions come from?”
“The elves have always had a taste for the soft worlds,” said Melanie. “Their chaotic nature appeals to us. And a world like this can be a good place to get away from it all. Down the long years the elves came here, looking to lose themselves . . . for their own reasons.”
“You do know . . . James is dead,” I said carefully. “Has been for some years now.”
“Of course I know,” said Melanie. “How could I not? I knew the moment it happened. We were always close. That’s why I never made any attempt to leave this place. What would be the point? I had no reason to go home. Because it wouldn’t be home without James. This world is good enough for me.”
“Where are we exactly?” I said.
“A place of refuge,” said Melanie. “For broken hearts and broken spirits, and those who wish to remain lost.”
She didn’t seem to know that Molly and I were responsible for James’ death—and I didn’t see any good reason to tell her.
“You thought I was Jack,” I said. “When you saw the Bentley . . . after bringing it here. What do you want with Jack?”
“I hadn’t thought of him in a long time,” said Melanie. “He was kind enough to me, I suppose. Didn’t give a damn whether the Droods approved of James and me or not. But he never came to find me, so . . . Then I caught a glimpse of his famous old chariot, speeding so dramatically through the adjoining spatial dimensions, and I remembered. I reached out with my magics and brought the car here. Because I have a use for Jack. Back when I knew him, he was fascinated by the possibilities of Time Travel. And I thought he must have a working device by now. So I would persuade him to use it, and take us back through Time, to save James. Make it so he never died. And then I could go home again, to him.”
“Never work,” I said quickly. “The Droods have never believed in Time Travel. Mostly because the few times we’ve tried it, it’s gone really badly wrong.” I didn’t tell her about the Time Train, and Alpha Red Alpha. It would only have complicated things. “Trust me; Uncle Jack doesn’t have a working Time machine! Really! The family doesn’t allow meddling with Time.”
“Jack will work something out, for me,” said Melanie.
“That’s not going to happen!” I said. “Don’t you think Jack would already have gone back and saved James if he could?”
“He just needs the proper motivation,” said Melanie. “I may not have him, but I have you. I shall send a message back to Drood Hall, explaining that. And making clear all the terrible things I will do to you if Jack doesn’t do what I want. I will be cruel, to be kind to myself. I will have my beloved back again. Or the Droods can have you back in pieces.”
“You really believe you can hold a Drood against his will?” I said.
“This world, this reality, exists because we made it with an effort of will,” said Melanie. “We have control over it, and everything in it. Including you. There’s no way out, Eddie.”
It was my turn to fix her with a cold smile. “You’ve been away too long, Melanie. Things have changed. To start with, you don’t know how my family feels about me. They wouldn’t send you a dead dog in return for my safety.” I stopped, and looked at her thoughtfully. “Indulge my curiosity; how were you able to kidnap the Bentley, snatch it out of the spatial dimensions, and bring it here? I was given to understand that was impossible, because of all the protections the Armourer built in.”