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gigantic underground worm named Kras.
    Did that make any sense at all? She doubted it, yet the dream had seemed so real.
    But what was the point in thinking about a stupid dream? It was her life she had to be concerned about, though that was collapsing. In fact there didn’t seem to be much point in waking or dreaming.

Mich and his friends reached the River of Thought at sunset. This was the fourth time that Mich had visited the river and it looked more lovely each time he saw it.
    The river looked like a liquid rainbow that had been slightly stirred. There were so many colors, and yet there were none. If he looked too closely for too long, the water would run clear in the spot at which he was staring, then recolor itself as his eyes moved to another spot. It was quite possible for one to sit for days at a time just watching the river, but Mich had no time for that now. He stepped forward, leading Spirit.
    “Halt, obtrude!” cried a frail voice. A mermaid floated to the surface of the river, astride a hippocampus. She brushed back her wet blond hair with one hand and threatened with her trident in the other. Once her face was clear of hair and water she opened her eyes and stared. The fish-tailed horse bobbed up and down with the motion of his hooves and tail.
    “Obtrude?” Mich asked, admiring her bare upper torso. “Do you mean ‘intruder’? In any event, I hope I’m not one.”
    “Oh, my!” she gasped, putting her hand across her lips. Her gills fluttered nervously. “Please, Prince, you must forgive me!”

    Mich saw how embarrassed she was. He tried to make her feel at ease. “It’s all right; you were only doing your job.”
    “I’m sorry, Your Excellency. I did not know it was you. My side of the river was attacked not too long ago by the evil Fren. Reility put a potion in the water that forces my comrades and me to breathe air. I thought we could ambush him if we pretended that his pollution trick didn’t work and we hid under water, but we become weak if we stay under too long.” She was crying now. Mich could see others coming to the surface and gasping for breath.
    The mermaids were commissioned to guard the river, and they were very well equipped for the job. Unless their power to breathe water was taken away.
    “It’s okay,” he said. “I’ll try to find a cure for the spell if you will let me lie in the water.”
    “Your Highness, you know we cannot let you touch the water. We are immune to its intoxication but it can be very dangerous for you.” She looked distraught. She held her trident pointed at him.
    “My father sent me. My mission is too important to let you stall me. Madrid of Mangor instructed me to lie down in the river and I must do it. Snort!” he called. “Help the mermaids to back off.”
    Snort moved forward, licking his teeth.
    The mermaid dropped her trident and threw up her hands to cover her face. “No! Do not harm me, good basilisk. I am sorry, Your Highness. I was only doing the job I was told to do, but I cannot harm you. You may lie in the water.”
    “I couldn’t hurt you either.” Mich smiled and stepped out into the gentle current.
    “Thank you,” he said, and bid the mermaids and his friends farewell.
    Return soon, Michael, Heat thought, nervously stamping a foot.

    We must bring Nola here and return her to her home safely, Spirit thought.
    This was the first time Mich had felt Spirit’s voice in his mind. Spirit’s thought was forceful and demanding, yet there was a wonderful fondness in his deep voice when he thought her name.
    Mich bowed his head to the mermaids and knelt in the water. Heat and Snort walked into the forest.
    Mich felt the strangeness of the water as he leaned back into it. The liquid was tepid and soothed his body. He could feel the water as it slowly sucked away his conscious mind. He was suddenly surrounded by every hope and dream he could imagine. Never seeing them, only feeling them in different degrees of urgency, like