Zann was tired after their rapid zapping to reach the mines. But he felt relieved to be back in the vortex.
"I know Perda didn't want to leave Mellis," he thought. "I didn't either. But my parents and Boz can help her better than we can."
"I wish we knew how to go straight back to Magica," he said. "We might need to stop and rest in the first safe world we find."
"Yes." Perda sounded distracted. "Hey, Zann, did you notice the vortex looks familiar?"
Zann laughed. "Of course it does! We've been through it lots of times."
"No, that's not what I mean," Perda said. "Remember how strange it was when we were on our way to Terrica? Now it looks just like it usually does."
Zann realized she was right. "I hadn't even noticed," he said. "I was just glad to be away from Zira and her goons! But you're right. Not that it matters though. We're on our way home."
He couldn't imagine how worried their families must be by now. Still, he knew they had to rest to regain their magic energy. Otherwise the vortex wouldn't be safe.
"Sort of like it wasn't safe for the miner I accidentally pushed in," Zann thought. Would he ever stop feeling guilty about that? He tried not to think about it as he grabbed a passing wormhole.
He pulled himself partway through so that he and Perda could see the world on the other side. It was barren and dark, with no sign of people and hardly any plants.
"This isn't Fardark again, is it?" Perda sounded uneasy.
"There's no lightning or monsters around, so probably not," Zann said. "But let's keep going just in case. We still have enough energy to find a better world to rest in. Or maybe we'll find Magica next."
"Maybe," Perda said as they let go of the wormhole and tumbled on through the vortex. "But right now I'd settle for any friendly, peaceful world. Especially if it's a familiar one like Pax or Rood or maybe Niffia!"
"Niffia?" Zann laughed. "You must be desperate if you want to find that stinky place!"
They grabbed another wormhole and looked out. But this world was overcast, with lightning flashing between the clouds.
Zann shuddered. "Okay, this world definitely looks like Fardark. At least, it's similar enough that I don't want to take a chance."
"I agree," Perda said. "It's a good thing the vortex is back to normal. It's not sapping our energy as fast as it did on the way to Terrica."
They tried a third wormhole. It showed a barren, rocky world with tall mountains. But the sky was bright and clear. Zann spotted a man wandering around in the distance.
"Look, there's a person!" he said. "Let's stop here. Maybe that guy can help us figure out how to find Magica."
"I don't recognize this world," Perda said. "It doesn't look much more pleasant than the last two, but I suppose it will have to do."
They pulled themselves out and onto the rocky ground. Perda undid their shackles, and they hurried toward the man. His back was to them, but he heard them coming and spun around.
His face looked terrified. It also looked familiar.
Zann gasped. "It's you!" he blurted out as he recognized the miner from Terrica.
The miner stared at him. "Yes, it's me, Yarb." Then he glanced around. "How did you get here? This place is dangerous!"
A large shadow passed overhead. Perda glanced up and gasped with fear. "Zann, I recognize that species from your parents' book. I think we're in Drac! It's the only world the species lives in."
"We have to get out of here," Zann told Yarb. "Dragons eat people in this world!"
"Dragons?" Yarb said. "Is that what they're called? They keep trying to attack me!"
Zann shackled their arms together while Perda grabbed Zing and shackled herself to Zann. Then they all sprinted back to the wormhole.
The dragon dived toward them. A burst of flame shot out, but they leaped into the wormhole before it reached them.
Soon they were tumbling through the vortex again.
"I can't believe we found you," Zann said to Yarb. "Perda, this is the guy I was telling you about—the miner I accidentally pushed into that wormhole."
"Wormhole?" Yarb said. "I don't understand."
"I'm really sorry," Zann said. "I didn't mean to do it."
He quickly explained what had happened and how the vortex worked.
"You don't need to apologize," Yarb said. "I was wrong to attack you. And I got what I deserved." He shuddered. "That world was terrifying!"
Feelings of relief swept over Zann. "I was so worried that I'd killed him," he thought. "And I'm glad he's not mad!"
"Let's find another world," Perda said. "We all need to rest."
Yarb looked amazed. "How many worlds are there?"
Zann gave a short laugh. "Lots!"
"Okay. There's another wormhole coming up." Perda reached out and grabbed the edge.
When they looked out, they saw a beach. In one direction lay a lush, dripping forest. In the other was the sea, its waves rolling over the sandy shore. A gentle rain fell.
"It looks pretty damp out there," Perda commented. "Maybe it's Mistafar."
Zann felt a flare of hope. If Perda's guess was right, their friend Ello's people would be able to help them return home.
They pulled themselves out and onto the beach. When Zann looked toward the sea, he noticed something bobbing along in the surf nearby. He squinted, trying to get a better look through the drizzle.
"Hey, look at that," he said. "Am I so tired that I'm seeing things? Or does that look like a gulper heading this way?"