Page 29 of The Other World

Tennyson looked at me as if I’d lost my mind but Other-me didn’t flinch. Well, that was strange and unpleasant, but I’d think about it later, Tennyson was right, we had no choice but to agree to her plan.

“Fine,” I said. “But you can go ahead first with these three, and I’ll follow with this Tennyson and your Nikolai.” I patted other-Tennyson on the shoulder. “That way, I have someone I trust watching you, and if you rat us out, I can kill your Nikolai.”

“Oi!” said both Nikolais. I hadn’t even noticed the other-Nikolai there, probably because he was lurking in the shadows like a creeper. Now that he’d revealed himself, the two Nikolais eyed each other up, giving the nod of approval. Those two shouldnotbe allowed to spend time together. They’d bring down both our worlds, with bad fashion if nothing else.

While everyone was getting organized, back inside, I pulled Tennyson aside.

“I think she can hear you,” I whispered to him. “Other-me, I mean. When you talk in my head. But she can’t hear me.”

He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “And… otherme, can he hear you?”

I hadn’t noticed him react when I’d talked to my Tennyson, but I hadn’t been paying attention.

Calling all Tennysons, I said.Come in, Tennysons.

Other-Tennyson was across the room, getting ready with Althea, but he glanced up.

It’s okay, I said.False alarm.

He smiled and went back to what he was doing.

“He definitely heard that,” I said.

Tennyson glanced between the two of us. “He likes you,” he said.

I shrugged. “He’d better,” I said flippantly. “He isyou.”

He went to say something else but I waved him off. It wasn’t worth getting into, not if we pulled this off. We could be home by suppertime and never have to see other-us again, so it was pointless.

“I don’t trust Other-me,” I told him. “It’s the best way for us to communicate if we’re separated, but we can’t risk her hearing us, not unless it’s an emergency.”

He nodded and was about to say something else when Other-me interrupted us.

“I found this,” she said, handing me a worn leather sheath. “It should fit your sword, and it’s safer than you flinging that thing around everywhere. You’ll take someone’s eye out if you’re not careful.”

She glanced over at Tennyson and the look made me think about takinghereye out.

“Are you ready?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “I don’t love the plan but it’s the best we have.”

Other-Nikolai obviously didn’t like how she was staring at Tennyson like a shark at a sushi buffet either. He popped up between the two of them.

“All ready?” he asked.

In all the hubbub, I’d forgotten about Mrs Spencer but she was waiting for us on the steps of the lighthouse when we got there, like an overeager golden retriever.

“What’s this?” asked Other-me.

I sighed. I hadn’t factored Mrs Spencer into our plan and she was a bit of a loose cannon.

“Sam’s mother,” I explained. “She can come with us. She’s only here to rescue Sam.”

At least, Ihopedthat was why she was there but I couldn’t be certain.

“Anyothersurprises?” Other-me asked haughtily. “This is becoming quite the expedition.”

I didn’t answer her, because I didn’t know.

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