'You're not going to tell me this went through me?' he snapped.
'I was particularly watching it,' said Cutwell.
'I saw it too,' said Keli. 'It was horrible. It came right out of where your heart is.'
'And I saw you walk through a stone pillar,' said Cutwell.
'And I saw you ride straight through a window.'
'Yes, but that was on business,' declared Mort, waving his hands in the air. That wasn't everyday, that's different. And —'
He paused. The way you're looking at me,' he said. They looked at me the same way in the inn this evening. What's wrong?'
'It was the way you waved your arm straight through the bedpost,' said Keli faintly.
Mort stared at his hand, and then rapped it on the wood.
'See?' he said. 'Solid. Solid arm, solid wood.'
'You said people looked at you in an inn?' said Cutwell. 'What did you do, then? Walk through the wall?'
'No! I mean, no, I just drank this drink, I think it was called scrumble —'
'Scumble?'
'Yes. Tastes like rotten apples. You'd have thought it was some sort of poison the way they kept staring.'
'How much did you drink, then?' said Cutwell.
'A pint, perhaps, I wasn't really paying much attention —'
'Did you know scumble is the strongest alcoholic drink between here and the Ramtops?' the wizard demanded.
'No. No-one said,' said Mort. 'What's it got to do with—'
'No,' said Cutwell, slowly, 'you didn't know. Hmm. That's a clue, isn't it?'
'Has it got anything to do with saving the princess?'
'Probably not. I'd like to have a look at my books, though.'
'In that case it's not important,' said Mort firmly.
He turned to Keli, who was looking at him with the faint beginnings of admiration.
'I think I can help,' he said. 'I think I can lay my hands on some powerful magic. Magic will hold back the dome, won't it, Cutwell?'
'My magic won't. It'd have to be pretty strong stuff, and I'm not sure about it even then. Reality is tougher than —'
'I shall go,' said Mort. 'Until tomorrow, farewell!'
'It is tomorrow,' Keli pointed out.
Mort deflated slightly.
'All right, tonight then,' he said, slightly put out, and added, 'I will begone!'
'Begone what?'