Demonhome (Champions of the Dawning Dragons Book 3)

  “I’m not myself anymore,” said the AGI. “I’m a shel of what I was, and now that I’m no longer connected to the network—wel, if I were a

  normal human I might describe what I’m feeling as a panic attack.”

  “Try to relax,” said the young man. “While you’re here you’l have to live with not having an absolute sense of time and location, but you’l manage.” As he talked he opened the blanket and took out his personal bag. Carefuly, he organized and packed most of what was there into his bag, since it was now functioning again.

  He couldn’t get everything into it, though. His bag didn’t have as large and opening as Karen’s pack, and the tent simply wouldn’t fit. Luckily it had a shoulder strap, so he could carry it. Once he had everything organized to his satisfaction he took out his staff and began burning a circle into the leaf-strewn soil of the forest floor.

  It wouldn’t last long, drawn that way, but he only needed it to work once. He made it bigger than he needed, since it was hard to draw precise runes in loose soil. Hoisting the tent and putting its strap over his shoulder he stepped carefuly over the edge and into the middle of the circle.

  “How can this get us to your home when we don’t even know our present location?” asked Gary worriedly.

  “Because I’ve drawn it with the key for a permanent circle at home,” said Matt, as though that explained everything.

  Gary wasn’t satisfied. “But how does this circle know where that is? Al you’ve done is draw some symbols that supposedly match those in a different circle, and you don’t even know where this one is!”

  Matt smiled. “I don’t have to know where it is. Whenever we create a circle we create a new key for it. The key could technicaly be anything

  —it’s just a label, a name that we give to that particular place within the circle. We invest a smal amount of aythar into it, and it marks or brands that location with the key chosen. From that point on, we can make another circle somewhere else, and as long as we create it with a key that matches another existing circle, it wil take us there.”

  “What if two circles were created with the same key, by different wizards?”

  He stood stil for a moment, thinking before answering honestly, “Neither would work without additional support, but that’s the foundation for creating a gateway. The wizard who first designed the methodology for creating the keys used a mathematical function to prevent that. One of the variables included in that function is a time and date, along with a name denoting the wizard creating the key. As long as those guidelines are adhered to, no two wizards wil create a circle with the same key, since the possible keys are practicaly endless.”

  “Unless your function can potentialy give the same answer for two different sets of inputs,” observed the AGI. “On a separate note, I didn’t see you doing any calculations to arrive at a new key designator for this circle. Wil it work without one?”

  Matt was already a little rattled by the possibility of creating identical keys by accident. He had always assumed it wasn’t possible, but without studying the function he couldn’t be certain that the computer’s concern wasn’t a possibility. Now is no time to start second guessing myself, he told himself. He turned his mind to the second question, “I did the calculation in my head. Those runes on the bottom right are the key for this circle, since no, it wouldn’t work without one.”

  “What about…”

  Matthew interrupted. “Would you like something to do? I think you need something to occupy yourself.” He was getting tired of answering the PM’s seemingly endless questions.

  “Do you have something in mind?” asked Gary, sounding almost hopeful.

  Matt proceeded to give him the function used to create teleportation circle keys, and then he explained his task, “See if you can find a proof to show whether or not it’s possible for the function to produce the same answer in response to different inputs.”

  The AGI hesitated. “Math isn’t realy my specialty, you know.”

  “I thought computers could calculate anything in seconds.”

  “They can derive the outputs of already defined functions, yes, but creating a mathematical proof is a creative endeavor that requires a lot of inteligence and intuition.”

  Matthew gave him a puzzled look. “But you’re not just a computer. You’re a sentient being, a self-aware program, an artificial inteligence. A

  super-inteligence, according to what you told me before.”

  Gary seemed mildly embarrassed. “Wel, I was originaly designed to emulate Gary Miler, and while he was a decent mathematician, it was

  mainly just the math he had to deal with in his line of work. He wasn’t the sort of theoretician you might think he was. Granted, that wouldn’t have been a problem in my world, where the rest of me has evolved into a near god-like being, but this PM has very limited resources.”

  Matt found himself amused by the admission, so he seized on it, “So you’re teling me you’re an idiot now?”

  The face on the screen pursed its lips, “Please, it’s hard enough just to say it. Show some mercy. How would you feel if you woke up

  tomorrow and discovered you had become a moron overnight?”

  “I don’t know,” said Matthew gleefuly. “But I’m sure I wil get a feel for what it’s like by watching you.”

  Gary squinted at him. “You really are an asshole.”

  Matt grinned, “I’m impressed you managed to figure that out. There’s hope for you yet. Perhaps you can put that limited mind of yours to

  finding that math proof for me, or have you given up already?”

  The AGI grimaced. “I’m working on it, but I don’t know how long it wil take, or even if I can do it.” A second later he muttered, “I hope the rest of your family is nicer.”

  Matthew didn’t reply. Instead he exerted his wil and activated the circle.

  ***

  They appeared in the middle of the large main circle within the transfer house at Castle Cameron. He had debated his choice internaly several times over the past few days, since he realy didn’t want to face the inevitable fuss that would arise when he got home. He could have gone to Lancaster, or the private circle in his workshop that no one knew about, but either way, eventualy he would have to face his mother.

  It was best to do it al at once.

  The guard inside the transfer house spotted him at once and stiffened to attention. “Master Matthew!”

  He waved his hand dismissively. “That’s enough of that, Doug. How are things here? Specificaly, how is my mother?”

  Doug smirked. “Your lady mother wil be pleased to see you. So pleased she might never let you leave again, if you take my meaning, milord.

  You should expect an enthusiastic homecoming. The entire castle has been worried in your absence.”

  “That bad, eh? Damn.”

  “Your father is back,” added Doug. “Lady Moira found him in Dunbar.”

  That was good news, though it gave him a faint twinge of jealousy that his sister would get the credit for rescuing Dad. He pushed the feeling aside quickly, since it was obviously an unworthy thought. More importantly… “How is he? Was he hurt?”

  The guard nodded. “He’s fine, better to ask about the residents of the city. Your sister laid siege to it to get him out.”

  Matthew’s brows went up in surprise. “Siege? She didn’t have an army when we split up.”

  “She started a civil war of some sort,” said Doug. “Kiled their King and half the citizens by the time she was done.”

  “Moira did?!” Matthew gaped at him. “I’ve only been gone a month!” Searching his memory about Dunbar’s political structure, he added,

  “Darogen is dead?”

  “Yeah, he was possessed by some sort of evil spirit. Sir Gram was too, but she repossessed Sir Gram, or something like that. Then she did

  something to some of the people and helped ’em to cast the demons out of the others, but it al got rather bloody. Your mothe
r’s been sending men and supplies back and forth to Dunbar to help them recover.

  “You missed the trial two days ago,” added Doug. “They caled a high justice from Lothion to oversee it. They caught that girl, Alyssa, the one that helped kidnap your sister Irene.”

  “They did?”

  “Yeah, everybody thought she’d be put to death for sure, but Sir Gram is in love with her, and—you’l never guess what else!” Doug was

  positively bubbling with excitement over his news.

  “What?”

  “She’s Sir Cyhan’s daughter! Nobody knew! He went before the court and begged ’em to let her live. He broke down and wept in front of the

  crowd, the judge, an’ everyone. I couldn’t believe it.”

  Matthew had trouble believing it himself. He had never known the big man to show any emotions. It was rare enough to see him smile. Alyssa was his daughter?! “Wel! What happened?”

  “She got six months in jail and five years of servitude to your family.”

  That seemed awfuly light for the crimes she had committed. “That’s it?”

  “Lady Hightower defended her before the judge, said there were extenuatin ’ circumstances,” Doug informed him. “I didn’t realy understand al of what they said, but the gist of it was that she was forced to it by her uncle.”

  Matthew?

  It was Moira’s mind reaching out to him. Yeah, I’m back, he answered.

  Dad’s back, she told him, but Mom’s going to kill you when she sees you. You’d better brace yourself.

  Her mind felt different somehow, though he couldn’t put his finger on what the difference was. It was stil Moira, but she had changed. It made him wonder just how much she had been through. I expected that, he told her. The guard here has started telling me about some of what’s been happening.

  A lot has changed, she replied. There was a dark undercurrent to her thought.

  Are you all right? he asked. I heard you had a war of some sort.

  Her response was delayed. You’ll hear about it soon enough. She broke contact after that.

  “Matthew?”

  He blinked. Doug was stil talking to him. “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.”

  “I was teling you that the other guard’s gone to tel them about your return. You should probably head in to the keep. Unless you want to have your reunion in the yard.”

  “Sure,” he answered. “You’re right. Thanks, Doug.” He stepped out into the sunshine and started walking toward the main door to the keep,

  but his thoughts were on Moira. He didn’t know what had happened to her, but she had seemed withdrawn. It wasn’t like her to end a

  conversation so abruptly, either.

  Gram met him at the door, a faint smile on his face. “Long time no see.”

  “I hear you had an adventure,” said Matthew.

  His friend nodded. “If you want to cal it that. I intercepted the guard, by the way. He would have had half the staff out here in less than a minute, but you’d better go in and see your family as quick as you can. It’l be easier than if you wait for them to hear the news. I don’t think Jerod can hold his tongue for more than a few minutes, no matter how much I threaten him.”

  “Thanks,” said Matt gratefuly.

  Gram nodded, the sunlight flashing through his blond hair. “No problem, and thank you, the armor you made saved my ass more than once.”

  He puffed out his chest with mock self-importance. “Of course. I am the best enchanter in Lothion, after al.”

  The young warrior chucked him on the shoulder. “You won’t hear any argument from me on that.” Gram glanced backward. “You’d better

  hurry. We can catch up later, after your mother finishes chewing on you.”

  With a sigh, Matthew stepped through the main door and into the keep. He walked briskly and greeted the various staff in the corridors with a quick smile but avoided any more conversations. If he delayed, the news would get to his parents before he did.

  When he reached the door to his family’s suite, he was rewarded by the surprised looks on the guards’ faces there. He passed between them

  and into the anteroom. The door that led from there was actualy a portal. When opened by a stranger, it led into the rooms his family maintained inside the castle keep, but when opened by certain people, such as himself, it activated a magical gate that led to his family’s true residence, a home secreted away in the Elentir mountains.

  The moment he went through, he let his magesight roam widely, showing him the lay of the house. His younger brother and sister weren’t there, though they might be outside or visiting someone. Moira had been in the castle, which was why she had sensed his arrival, so she wasn’t there either.

  It was only his parents in the house. His father was in his study, his head lifting from his work as his magesight showed him Matthew’s entry. His mother was doing something in the bedroom, stil none the wiser.

  He felt a faint brush of aythar as his father examined him more closely, assuring himself that his son was stil whole. I’m fine, Dad, he said, sending the thought out as he examined his father in return.

  Go see your mother first, replied Mordecai. She’ll feel better if you do. She’s been sick with worry.

  Matthew nodded, knowing his father would see the gesture despite the wals between them, and headed for his parents’ bedroom. Drawing in

  a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in.

  Penny, the Countess di’ Cameron, was sitting in the middle of the bed, her legs crossed, wearing a dressing gown. She was surrounded by piles of letters and reports. She had never liked desks. At the noise, her eyes lifted from the paper in her hands and met his.

  A riot of emotions ran across her features in the space of a second as she stared at him in surprise. Then she leapt from the bed, her sudden movement sending paper flying in every direction as she sailed across the room.

  He braced himself before she struck, like a storm at sea, her arms wrapping him in an iron embrace, threatening to drown him. If he hadn’t had a shield close against his skin, he feared she might have broken him in half.

  “Let that damned shield down!” she ordered. “Let me feel my son.”

  He did, tensing his body in anticipation of the crush, but her grip softened. In truth, her dragon-bond made her strong enough to break ribs if she wasn’t careful.

  “Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been? How worried I’ve been?!”

  “I have some inkling,” he observed quietly.

  She pushed him back, holding his head between her hands so she could see his face, “I would murder you if it weren’t for the fact that that’s exactly what I’ve been afraid of al month!”

  “I know, Mom.”

  “You idiot,” she growled, puling him back in again. “Why didn’t you send word? Where have you been?”

  “Wel…,” he began.

  “Wait, your father wil want to hear this too,” she said, stopping him.

  “He’s almost here,” Matt informed her. “He noticed me come in.”

  A few seconds later his father was standing in the doorway, hands on his hips and a wry smile on his face. “Wel, wel, if it isn’t our long-lost son!” He dropped the façade a moment later and puled Matthew into a bear hug.

  Matt realy didn’t care for hugs that much, but given the circumstances he bore it with equanimity.

  Releasing him, Mort stood back. “Start talking; your life depends on it,” he commanded.

  Penny glared at her husband. “Don’t start making a joke of this.” Turning her gaze on her son she gave him a hard look, “We want to know

  what you’ve been doing and why you were too busy to send even a single message to let me know you were stil alive.”

  Matthew nodded. “Maybe we should sit down?”

  “The sitting room,” ordered Penny. “I’l fetch some tea. Not one word until I sit down!”

  Chapter 29

  He tried to keep his story
as brief as possible, but his parents kept stopping him, insisting on additional details. In particular he wanted to downplay the danger, as it only heightened his mother’s anxiety, but the necessary revelations made it nearly impossible to do that.

  Mordecai showed even more interest when the name ‘ANSIS’ came up. “You say there’s no evidence that they came to this world?” he

  questioned.

  “Not exactly,” said Matthew. “The dimensions are more complex than a simple yes or no. I chose a paralel world that was close to the point of origin of the one that crossed over to our world, but it may not have been the exact one that did. I was working by feel, by intuition. There are so many planes, packed in next to one another, some almost identical. They vary by time and events, so the one I went to seems to not be the one that actualy sent people here, at least according to what Gary told me.”

  “The machine?” asked Penny.

  “Yes.”

  Mordecai leaned back. “I don’t know that you can trust it. The enemy we faced in Dunbar were machines—ANSIS, they were caled. It’s also

  the name of the She’Har’s ancient enemy, if you haven’t noticed.”

  He actualy hadn’t made that connection yet, but as soon as his father said it he understood why the name had seemed familiar to him. Either way, he trusted Gary, though. “Gary isn’t ANSIS. He was made by Karen’s father, the same man that helped build ANSIS, but he’s working

  against the military. I don’t know that I would have made it back successfuly without him.”

  Mordecai’s eyes narrowed as he lifted his teacup to his lips. “Wel, finish your story. We can decide that after we’ve heard the rest.”

  Matt went on, but as things progressed, his mother had more and more questions regarding Karen. He tried to minimize their interactions, but the look on her face spoke of growing suspicion.

  “How long were you alone in the wilderness?” she asked again.

  “Just a few days.”

  “It sounded like almost a week a minute ago,” she prodded. “And you didn’t have bedrols or anything to sleep on?”

  “Wel…

  “It wasn’t so bad,” he finished placatingly.