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But Conley knew so we didn’t He knee’d be compelled to return to the Triadverse soon, that we’d break the truce no matter what

He kneas about to happen to Theo

3

"YOU TRICKED US," I SAY TO CONLEY AS THE THREE OF US stand together in this stone room, in an Italian castle a world away Paul looks fro you’d let us ‘think it over’--"

"I did, didn’t I? You had weeks" Conley straightens the red robes he wears as if he’s proud of theh you arned it would be dangerous He’s paying the price It’s as simple as that"

My dimension, he said Thatwith Not that ita conspiracy of one

"Cardinal Conley--I don’t understand" This world’s Paul looks hopelessly bewildered, and no wonder "What law have I broken?"

Conley srace and benevolence "This is between me and your lady fair, Father Paul You can speak with her later At the moment, she and I need to have a private conversation"

Paul steps between us It’s more obvious than ever how er "You can’t blame her forin every universe? I place one hand on Paul’s back, a small touch meant to say thank you

However, Conley remains in faux-kindly mode "She won’t be punished More than that, I hear her parents have been condeht I shall tell Her Holiness to officially declare theo"

When Paul hesitates anyway, I ht I’ll talk to you soon Conthe cardinal and I don’t have o, with one last look atthat my heart turns over No sooner has he walked out, however, than Conley starts to laugh "Oh, Marguerite You and I have so much to say"

"What did you do to hiave him a reminder, and the Firebird seems like it worked--"

"Inconvenient, isn’t it? The way et theift"

That’s how it is for virtually everyone who travels through the multiverse Without constant reminders, they quickly become silent, passive witnesses as those diain For Mom and Dad’s purposes, this doesn’tthey experienced through their "other selves" in each world As long as you have your Firebird to reet back home and analyze what you learned

But as I discovered on e, there are serious flaws in this procedure For instance, you can lose a Firebird It can be broken or stolen And if you haven’t got your Firebird to remind you of yourself, then you’ll remain in that alternate dimension, within that other self--unconscious, paralyzed, and trapped--forever

That’s why it would help to have a "perfect traveler," someone who always remembered who she ho remained in control no matter what