Part 13 (1/2)

”Agreed,” Annja said. ”Have you seen or heard anything since you woke up?”

”Nothing. As I said, it has only been a few moments.” Tuk glanced around the room. ”Wherever we are, it is almost certainly not within the confines of the mountain, wouldn't you agree?”

”Unless the walls are rock and covered with that fabric.” She leaned over to the closest wall and tried to see what was behind it. It felt solid enough, but didn't seem like a cave wall.

”I don't know. It could be anything. Metal, concrete, stonework. It's smooth, though.”

Tuk looked around. Annja could see that he was mentally trying to process everything that had happened. She wondered if this was the first time he'd had his life thrown upside down. Annja smirked. Hang out with me, she thought, and it won't be your last.

She wondered if Mike had come through this same experience. That would certainly explain his disappearance. And hopefully, if he had, then whoever had brought them here-the yeti, she supposed-would help Mike with his injuries.

She had the sudden urge to get out of the room and see if Mike was indeed here. But how? There was no door anywhere in the room. She and Tuk seemed to be in yet another s.p.a.ce that had no exit. And, this time, it had no entrance, either.

At least the cave had had a way to get in and get out, small though it was, she thought. This place seems like a perfectly solid box.

Tuk pointed at the walls. ”Where is the door?”

Annja nodded. ”I was just noticing that myself.”

He looked at her. ”How is a thing like this even possible, Annja? I've seen a few strange things in my time, and this defies explanation.”

Annja smiled. ”I've seen plenty of strange things in my day, Tuk. And this still defies explanation.” She fell silent and then heard something. A sound seemed to be coming from somewhere outside the box they were in.

”Do you hear that?”

Tuk glanced around and Annja saw him close his eyes to listen. He nodded. ”Yes, what is it?”

”It almost sounds like music,” Annja said.

”That is what I thought also,” Tuk replied. ”And it sounds as if it is coming closer to us.”

”Maybe this means we're about to find out where we are,” Annja said. ”And, if so, maybe we can find Mike.”

15.

Tuk listened as the music grew louder. It sounded unlike anything he'd ever heard before. What is this place? he wondered. And how does it exist?

The music stopped. There was a series of sounds that reminded Tuk of a bunch of locks being undone and then he heard something that reminded him of the hydraulic hisses he'd heard in Katmandu.

The walls of the room slowly pulled away.

Brilliant sunlight spilled into the room from all sides, blinding Tuk. He turned to Annja but she had her eyes firmly clamped shut, trying to ward off the intensity of the sun.

Warm air hit them, a lush tropical balminess that wrapped them in its embrace. Tuk heard Annja sigh contentedly as the last vestiges of the cold they'd borne with them seemed to evaporate in the suns.h.i.+ne.

Tuk allowed his eyes to open again and what he saw shocked him.

A long line of people stood looking at him. They wore a brilliant array of clothing woven with golden thread and bright colors. It had all the appearance of a parade that seemed to stretch as far as Tuk could see.

He knew it had to end somewhere, but the length of the parade wasn't what shocked him the most. It was the people themselves. Each of them was exactly the same size as him.

He scooted off of the pillows and came down the set of steps that appeared before him. Tuk stood in front of the first person in the parade, a man of his height and width whose eyes crinkled as a big wide smile broke out on his face.

”Welcome.”

Tuk's heart raced. What was this magical place? And how was it that everyone here was the same height as him? He shook his head. ”I am still dreaming.”

The man's smile never wavered. ”No. You are not dreaming.”

”Then where am I?”

”Don't you know? You're home.”

Tuk looked at the other members of the parade. All along the line, the faces shone with bright smiles of happiness. The music began again, but softly. From the depth of his soul, Tuk remembered the tune. He began humming along with it and tears welled up in his eyes, streaming down his face.

Annja came down the steps and stood next to him. ”What's the matter? Are you all right?”

Tuk nodded through blurry vision. ”I think I am now. Yes, I think so.”

The man turned to Annja. ”We welcome you to our kingdom, Annja Creed.”

Tuk fought back a grin as he saw Annja's eyes widen. ”How do you know my name?” she asked.

”We were told your name by your friend, who is here with us, as well,” the man said. ”Would you like to see him?”

”Mike is here?” Annja asked.

”Indeed. And it is a good thing he is,” the man said. ”Otherwise, we fear he would have expired a few hours ago. That would have caused you a great deal of distress, would it not?”

”Definitely,” Annja said.

Tuk looked around the land they were in. A flight of birds soared aloft under a blazing sun and brilliant blue sky. Fruit trees of every type swayed in the balmy breeze. And he saw a stone path leading toward a series of structures farther away from where they stood. ”This is Shangri-La?” he asked.

The man at the head of the parade smiled. ”This is your home. You may call it whatever you wish. Names as such do not concern us as much as making sure all who enter our kingdom are treated with dignity and respect.”

”Thank you,” Tuk said. ”But I have many questions.”

”Which will all be answered in time,” the man said. ”But for now, you must accompany me to the royal court. There are others who would like to see you...again.”

”Again?”

”Please,” the man said. ”It is better if you come with me. I a.s.sure you that all of your questions will soon be answered.” The man gestured to Annja. ”And she is anxious to be reunited with her friend, the one who calls himself Mike.”

”You can take me to him now?” Annja asked.

”Indeed.”