Her name reverberated through the door. It came from down the hall, and even across the distance and through the wood, she could hear the desperation, anger, and resolve in it. The sound had momentarily immobilized Felice and Veren. She took advantage of their shock. "Wyatt!" she screamed.

Felice moved to kick her again, but the wood of the door was already splintering as the sound of a gunshot echoed around the room. The door swung open, and Felice only just managed to avoid being slammed by it. She stared at the man entering the room in terror.

It took half a second for Cain to find DG, and it took even less for him to tackle Veren to the floor and start punching. DG watched Cain's fury being unleashed in utter silence. Even her pain was temporarily forgotten. The man knew how to channel emotion, and right now all his emotions were being channeled into his fists. She couldn't stop watching at least until movement on her other side caught her attention. Felice had been staring as well, in horror. She had another vial now. There wasn't enough time to scream a warning, and Felice was too far away to knock over by rolling again.

DG watched in helpless terror as the vial was raised, but it shattered on the floor by Felice's feet as the woman herself crumbled. Behind her Cain had stopped his assault to see what had happened. The crash may have been what got his attention or maybe it was the thud that had precluded it. Standing just behind where Felice had been was Livia swaying slightly and holding an old and heavy tome that DG recognized as the Book of Ancients. Part of Livia's hair was matted. With blood, thought DG, because a small stream of it crept down her face near her left ear. She leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes, and clutched the book to her chest.

Cain appeared beside her. "DG?" he whispered. Right now, his attention was on her face. He looked liked he was afraid to touch her.

"Hey, Wyatt," she smiled at him. It cost her. The body doesn't like to be smiling when it's supposed to be grimacing, but he was a gorgeous sight at that moment. "Could you untie me? I want to hug you."

He almost smiled as he pulled out his knife. She surprised herself by being thrilled that magically grown ropes could be cut with regular knives. Cain was efficient, and the rope was off her in moments. She didn't move her legs. The pain was warningly intense there, but she flung her arms around him and thought never letting go was a splendid idea. He returned the embrace; it was so tight it hurt. That could be because of the rope burns and glass shards though.

Behind them, a small groan came from the apparently still alive Veren. Hearing it kicked her rational thought processes back into operation. They had to get out, but first, "You aren't allowed to take the anger I know is coming out on Glitch. This wasn't his fault." His body stiffened. The panic flooded back. "Where is Glitch?" there was a note of hysteria there.

In answer, someone went sailing past the doorway. Glitch walked in a moment later looking smug. When he saw DG, his expression twisted into concern. He rushed toward her, "DG!"

"I'm alright, Glitch," she grimaced still holding onto Cain. "Actually, that's a lie. I think I'd like to see Raw now."

"The healer?" Livia asked with her eyes still closed, "I think I'd like to see him too?"

By now, a number of terrified faces had appeared in the open doorway. She recognized most of them; they had been part of the Tipp welcome committee.

Yvene opened her mouth to speak. Livia cut her off, "I told you this family isn't worthy of its name." Her voice wasn't reproachful now, just tired. "Your beloved grandchildren having been stealing magic and were about to add murder to their crimes." She pushed off the wall, wobbled to Yvene, and looked at her. "The woman who was introduced to you as Angela Westwood is actually Dorothy Gale, the future queen of the O.Z. She just saved her own country from one evil witch, and she had to come here because your grandchildren, you dear, sweet, glorious favorites, wanted to play with the powers of another." She took an unsteady step forward, and Glitch rose to steady her. The Tipps parted before them. Yvene had gone white.

Cain stood up and pulled DG with him. Her whole body convulsed when she tried to put weight on her left leg, so he picked her up and carried her. They followed Glitch and Livia down the stairs and out the door. No one stopped them, and when they arrived outside, a coach was brought instead of their horses. They got into it silently, and Glitch gave the driver directions.

Inside the coach, DG lay back against Cain's chest. His arms were keeping her upright, and his body was rigid enough to crack. The pain in her leg had dimmed just enough so she could feel the rest of her injuries. Gritting her teeth, she tried really hard to steady her breathing.

Glitch sat upright across from them while Livia had resumed her closed eye leaning stance.

"What happened, Doll? You and Livia hadn't been on your 'tour' very long when Cain burst in looking for you. When he saw you weren't with me, I told him where you'd gone, and he started tearing through the house looking for you. I thought everything was fine until I heard you scream his name, and one of the servants tried to stop me from getting to you."

Livia spoke first though her eyes stayed closed. Her breaths came in irregular gasps too. "I showed her to my cousins' study where I thought the book was and then went on lookout out in the hall. I noticed then that Felice's door was open and went inside. The book was right there; it was open. I picked it up and saw her disappearing behind a trap door I concluded went to the study, but before I could leave to warn DG, something collided with my skull. I think Veren hit me with a bookend."

DG told her part of the story next. It came in spurts, and she had to stop several times to steady her breathing. She included almost everything: the black mirrors, her dream of being back in Kansas, her loss of power, and the ensuing struggle. She left out the part about thinking she was going to die. Though still warm and comforting, Cain had tensed even further, and every time she winced, a shudder ran through his body.

He would be livid later, but first, he had to get her back to Raw, had to make sure she was well again. He had been afraid. He had seen her bloody and helpless and near death. When she was safe and healthy again, he would be furious, because being angry was better than being afraid, and she would let him be angry. As long as he didn't leave her, she'd let him rage at her forever.

First though, she had to ask, "Did you get the slippers?"

His voice was flat and empty when he answered, "I got the slippers."