Castle Perilous by John Dechancie Page A

elevator.”
    The vibrations grew stronger.
    â€œHey, look,” Snowclaw said, pointing down the hallway, which was identical to the one four stories below except that it ended in an archway leading to the outside, or so it looked. Bright sunlight poured through the opening.
    â€œAn aspect, I guess,” Gene said.
    â€œOh, look at the walls,” Linda said.
    The stone around them glowed faintly, emitting an ethereal blue light. The rumbling sound grew, and the floor became uncomfortable to stand on, transmitting nauseating vibrations up through the body.
    â€œLet’s get out of here,” Gene said.
    They ran for the opening, dashed through, and came out into a jungle clearing.
    The ground was motionless. Stopping, they looked around. Tall palms with scaly bark bordered the clearing, and dark green fronds grew within, a wide footpath cutting through them. A tropical sun warmed the heavy, moist air.
    â€œShashrackk vo hunnra nok,” Snowclaw said. “Ba nan irrikka vahnah damn unak valvalackk.”
    Gene and Linda were staring at him.
    â€œHuh?” Gene said. “Snowclaw, what did you say?”
    â€œBok?”
    â€œWhat? Hey, wait a minute.” He beckoned for Snowclaw to follow, walked back to the portal and stepped across the boundary.
    When the big white beast had stepped across, Gene said, “Now, what was that you were jabbering about?”
    â€œI said, we ought to explore this place, I’m tired of that dreary old castle — that’s what I said. What was all that noise you were making?”
    â€œYou can understand me now, right?”
    â€œSure.”
    Gene walked a few paces forward, crossing the boundary. He turned and said, “What about now, when I’m standing on the other side of the interface?”
    â€œOh, I get it. You’re outside the castle, so the spell is cancelled. Is that it?”
    Gene walked back across the line.
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œGonna be kinda hard to communicate.”
    â€œYou said it.”
    â€œYeah. What do you want to do?”
    â€œI don’t know. But I still want to get out of this cave.”
    â€œMaybe we can work out some sign language,” Linda suggested.
    â€œSure, I guess,” Gene said.
    â€œLet’s go,” Snowclaw said. “I’ll just keep my mouth shut.”
    They left the corridor and walked down the well-worn path. As they neared the middle of the clearing, they found an intersecting trail, this one narrower. Snowclaw, in the lead, stopped to sniff the air, looking about, his pointed ears cocked.
    Gene was pensively regarding the portal. It stood unsupported on the ground like a frameless life-size photograph. A fresh thought occurring to him, he walked back to it and stood at the interface, peering into the dim interior. A draft of cool air flowed out from the opening, carrying with it the musty smell of the castle. Gene walked to the right, coming to the edge of the portal, went beyond it and stepped behind the plane of the opening.
    â€œOh, hell.”
    â€œWhat, Gene?” Linda’s eyes searched around. “Gene! Where are you?”
    â€œBehind the portal.”
    Linda walked back to the opening, Snowclaw following.
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œBehind. Go around and come back here.”
    They did, walking around the portal as if it were a movie screen — one which, they found, had no thickness at all. Gene was standing a few feet from the juncture, peering into what looked like an identical aspect of the corridor they had just exited.
    Gene left them, walking around to the front again, then returned shortly.
    â€œI was expecting the damn thing to disappear when you went around it. But it doesn’t. And this corridor is a mirror image of the other one. See that alcove on the left? It’s on the right if you go around front.”
    â€œWhich means what?” Linda asked.
    Gene stooped, searched the ground and found a pebble. Picking it up,