"Oh, it's real all right," Cassie said grimly, glancing back over her shoulder to see how close the fearlings were behind them. Closer than she'd like and gaining. "You're not hallucinating and we're not dying today if I have anything to say about it."

She tore left abruptly, zagging away from the nearest fearling column. "And I have plenty to say!"

She zigged right this time and then dropped like a stone, using their falling momentum for additional speed again, diving through the treetops on the mountainside below for cover to buy them some time.

"I wouldn't normally invite a guy to get this grabby at a first meeting, but my hands are full," she said in his ear. "There's a bag on my belt. Reach in, take the globe inside out, say 'the Pole' and throw it ahead of us!"