Matthew heard the chatter pause and looked up. His eyes widened and he scrambled out of the bush, stumbling and catching himself on the windowsill. Gweneth roared.

“Careful, Grace!” she laughed, grabbing his hand and helping him through the window. Melissa stared in awe.

“How did he manage to get here?” The author’s mind was still slow with shock, and the many pauses in her speech showed it clearly right before it snapped into overdrive. “Another member of the involuntary pandimensional travelling band?”

“The what?” Matthew and Gweneth — her “children” — met her with blank stares.

“I got caught in the spell she was performing,” Matthew said, head still cocked to one side.

“Yeah… that was what I meant.” Did I drink before I started writing?