"Well, actually, the three of us." He ruffled the boy"s head. "This is Burlal, my grandson."

"Grandson? Edeard, please, I don"t understand."

"I know. Perhaps I was wrong to do this, for the Lady knows it is a very selfish act. But sometimes to do what"s right-"

"-you have to do what"s wrong."

"Yes. You have just finished your training in Ufford Hospital, haven"t you?"

"I was due to leave tomorrow, but I woke up here." She frowned. "No, I arrived here somehow. Edeard, do I dream this?"

He took her hand, which made her ridiculously grateful. But then the touch of him had always done that, and she"d missed him terribly these long months away from Makkathran.

"We are no longer dreams, my love. We are as genuine as can be. And out here, in this time, I chose you over everyone. I chose the you from now because you are still the real you. My brother taught me that trick."

"What brother?"

He laughed. "There is so much to explain, and I"m not sure how to begin. I never told you, did I, that I had dreams? Every night of my life I dreamed of life outside the Void. Well, that"s where those ships have come from. Outside, where the universe goes on forever."

"Like Rah and the Lady?"

"Yes. Just like them. And the three of us are going on one of those ships. It"s going to fly away, fly out of here. We"re going to live out there, Salrana, out among the stars."

She grinned, for he was being so foolish. But she could see how happy he was, which she liked.

Edeard"s arm went around her shoulder, and it felt fantastic. For so many years now she had waited for such a sincere open gesture. Then she saw a tall, strangely dressed man coming down the road. He was wearing some kind of skirt with a colorful square pattern on it and a bright scarlet waistcoat. Slim, curving lines of silver and gold light shone through his thick brown hair.

He stopped in front of them, looked them up and down, and promptly grinned broadly.

"I know you," Edeard said in amus.e.m.e.nt. "You"re the Lionwalker. You were in charge of my brother"s science station when first we dreamed of each other."

"Aye, that I was. Good morning to you, Waterwalker. And young Salrana, of course. And I think you must be Burlal. Am I right?"

The boy gave a cautious nod, clinging tighter to Edeard"s leg.

"Well, congratulations and then some. Waterwalker, that was quite a sight. I"ve just spent the night up on top of the mountain where the air"s clearest. Didn"t want to miss anything. After all, it"s not every day you get to see an entire universe evolve, is it?"

"My first time, as well," Edeard told him.

"Aye, well, it"s over now." Lionwalker Eyre gave Salrana a roguish smile. "It"s nice for an old romantic like me to see you two back together." A finger wagged at Edeard. "Don"t you go messing it up again, lad."

"I won"t," Edeard said quietly.

"Well, I"d best be off. I expect you two have a lot to talk about." He started walking briskly down the road.

"Wait," Edeard called after him. "Where are you going?"

"Onward," the Lionwalker replied with a wave. "Always onward."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

PETER F. HAMILTON is the author of numerous novels, including The Temporal Void, The Dreaming Void, Judas Unchained, Pandora"s Star, Fallen Dragon The Temporal Void, The Dreaming Void, Judas Unchained, Pandora"s Star, Fallen Dragon, and the acclaimed epic Night"s Dawn trilogy (The Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist, and The Naked G.o.d The Naked G.o.d). He lives with his family in England.

The Evolutionary Void is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author"s imagination or are used fict.i.tiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author"s imagination or are used fict.i.tiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.