It was a few seconds before anyone in the blue house moved or spoke. Then Kryl awoke with a start and looked around at the devastation. “What happened? Where’s the blue door? Where… Where’s the rarewolf?”
“He … he saved us,” muttered Frog. “He went through the door to fight the Kroakans.”
“He’s … gone?” asked Kryl.
“He wanted me to save the world,” Frog added, “and I couldn’t even save him.”
“I command we go to the palace and get him back,” sniffed Princess Rainbow, tears streaming down her face. “He was fluffy and smelled of rain, and I command we get him back!”
“Baa,” added Sheriff Explosion sadly.
“I’m sorry, Princess, but we can’t risk it,” said Kryl, dragging herself to her feet. “We can’t ever go back to the palace – it’s overrun.”
The princess wiped the tears from her eyes. “But what about Mummy and Daddy? I want my mummy and—”
“Yoiks, I forgot all about them!” Frog said, reaching into a pocket. “I hope they’re not too squished…”
He pulled out a clenched fist and then opened his hand. Two tiny figures tumbled on to the floor. Though they were no bigger than beetles, the princess recognized them immediately.
“Mummy! Daddy!” she squealed. “You saved them!”
“Hail, Kroak!” squeaked the shrunken King and Queen in unison.
“Well, technically they’re still evil brain-slaves … plus I had to use the last of the excellent magicals to shrink them to pocket-size…” Frog scratched his head. “But yep! I totally saved them!”
The King and Queen began attacking the princess’s fingers and thumbs.
“They’re cute like my pet glamsters!” said the princess, excitedly gathering up her parents. “I’ll keep them in my princess pockets. Mummy always said I should have pets instead of friends.”
“We’ll find a way to fix them,” assured Frog, though he had no idea how. “It’s just a shame I didn’t manage to find—”
“This?” said Kryl, limping over to him. From inside her robes she drew out a gleaming sword.
“Basil Rathbone!” cried Frog. “How did—?”
“I wrestled it from the Queen just before you shrunk her,” replied Kryl, handing him the sword. “It cost me a good scratch, but it was worth it.”
“I… Thank you,” said Frog.
Kryl smiled. “You’re welcome. If it goes some way to making amends, then…” She trailed off. Finally she added, “Frog, I want you to know I only did what I did because I am your Keeper. I made a vow to keep you safe. I have betrayed my people and my King to keep you—”
“Man-Lor was told to say when he sees cliffs,” said Man-Lor, from the controls. He paused for a moment. “Man-Lor sees cliffs.”
Nigel hurried over to one of the smashed windows, holding a freshly baked pie in his claws.
“The Cliffs of Resentment!” he cried, looking out. “We’ve arrived, by gosh!”
Frog, too, peered out. They had plunged back into the darkness of a ruined Kingdomland, but in the gloom he could make out a vast cliff face, jagged and unwelcoming, plunging into an icy ocean.
Man-Lor set the blue house down atop the cliff and the occupants of the Omnium Gatherum made their way outside.
“How do we know if the bragons hearded your teeny-weeny trumpet toot?” asked Princess Rainbow, peering up into the blackened sky. “How do we know if they’re coming?’
“Look up, by gosh,” replied Nigel, staring at his pie as if it was his worst enemy. “And remember to cover your ears.”