Chapter 6: Magic and NumbersWe encountered no one on our way home. In Grendel’s chamber he half-lay with his shoulders and head propped against one wall. I lay on one of the blankets next to him, and Jake made himself comfortable between us.
I didn’t need to turn on my flashlight now, since the early-morning light filtering down the stairs provided sufficient illumination at least to see forms. We sat in companionable silence as the dawn light on the stairs slowly increased. At last, however, I asked the question that was uppermost in my mind.
“So,” I began hesitantly. “Uh—why did you come up, then?”
“To the Overworld?” Grendel looked at me and then away. “Oh—I just wanted to see the sights. The sky for one thing.” He sighed. “And the stars. They are as beautiful as I remember them.”
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