Susan went to bed early. Col and Tumnus had wanted to stay later, but they kept regaling her with stories of Rabadash and Rajiiisa and their beautiful land. Until finally she spoke up.

"I do not want to hear one more word about this place. I am sure it is idyllic and you all had a wonderful time there but would you now go home? I need some rest."

"Sue, I'm sorry. Please don't take it the wrong way," said Col. "But it was quite nice."

"Come on Col, we know when we aren't wanted." Tumnus put Col's turban back on his head and pushed him to the door. "Susan we'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night's sleep. Achilles, likewise, not too many stories of your adventures."

"Not even the one about Mrs. Miller and the duke?"

"No, Achilles." said Mr. Tumnus. "Susan, I'm sorry to have stayed so late." Tumnus and Col opened the door and left.

Susan took a shower and went to bed. The next morning she went into the spare room and looked at the wardrobe. She had never felt so alone.

"Susan, you've been through worse than this," she spoke to herself. "Now buck up." She reached in the wardrobe, pulled out a coat, tip toed past Achilles, who was asleep on the sofa, and shut the door as quietly as she could. As she walked down the steps she noticed some bobbies coming and going out of Sneed's flat. Constable Walker stepped into the hallway.

"Susan, how are you?"

"I'm fine. What are you up to?" asked Susan.

"Oh, it's a horrible business. It seems that one of the neighbors found a dead woman in the flat."

"Really?"

"Yes, and what's worse is she was chained up in a back room," said the constable. "Probable no food or water and what with it being winter and all she succumbed to the elements."

Susan shuddered and remembered Sneed leading the way to Jadis. It must have been some strange sort of vengeance. "That is horrible."

"They've taken her body to the morgue. We're suspicious it was that neighbor of yours, the same woman who assaulted you."

"I think that's highly likely."

"But don't you worry, we'll get her this time."

Susan continued out onto the street. It was a pleasant day, fairly warm for December. The snow was melting. She looked down the street and remembered her snowball fight with Col. Continuing to walk, she saw the park, where Jadis had attempted to stab her. Then past Mr. Tumnus's shop. The lights were on upstairs. No doubt Mr. Tumnus was up. She smiled but didn't stop. She went on and turned the corner, there was the train station. The repairs were nearly finished. She wished she could say the same for herself.

She went a bit further to the restaurant where she had hoped to have lunch with Peter, Edmund and Lucy. She placed an order and pulled out a book and began to read. It was peaceful, just sitting there, reading, drinking her coffee. She spent most of the morning there, reflecting back on everything that had happened. Finally she heard the little bell ring over the door, she looked up and saw Col standing in front of her.

"I've been looking everywhere for you. I was worried about you. Achilles didn't know where you had gone." He sat down across from her. "I was beginning to think that maybe you had stepped into the wardrobe and disappeared."

"I wouldn't do that. Not without you or Tumnus."

"I'm glad to hear that." The waitress came by with a cup of coffee for him. They sat quietly for awhile.

"Susan, I have something for you. Do you remember the ruby you found in the coat pocket?" Col pulled out a large ruby on a golden chain and put it in her hand. "We set it and put it on a chain."

"Thank you, Col. It's beautiful." Susan put it around her neck. "What do you think?"

"Fit for a queen."

"Yes, I suppose it is," said Susan. "How is Mr. Tumnus?"

"He's up to something. I can tell. He asked me to bring you over to his shop after I found you."

"Well, let's not keep him waiting."

They found the first floor of the shop dark with a Closed sign up. Col used his key and they made their way up the stairs. Tumnus was in his kitchen, mumbling to himself.

"Mr. Tumnus, making tea?"

"Oh, hello. Would you like some? There are some fresh crumpets from the bakery," said Tumnus. "Let's go in the front room. I have a fire going."

They positioned themselves in three overstuffed chairs by the fire. Tumnus poured the tea. "I was worried about you Susan. We thought you might have gone without us."

"I could never do that."

Tumnus took a sip of tea. "I've been thinking."

"Oh, I think we're in trouble, Susan," Col said grinning.

"It's just the wardrobe. I've been thinking about it. First of all, how is it that we could enter the pools and go to different worlds without the rings? Do you know Susan?"

"I can't say that I do."

"I believe it's because the wardrobe itself had some special power in it. Professor Kirke told us he made if from the tree that's seed was from Narnia. This tree was special for two reasons. First of all the seed came from the tree that grew the apple that Digory gave to his mother. She was healed from an incurable disease. They called it fruit from the land of youth. So that tree had special healing and youthful properties."

"Yes, go on."

"And secondly, because the tree was from another world. Thus it had some special properties that no tree from this world would have. And most importantly, the tree grew in soil where Digory buried the two rings."

"But the wardrobe wasn't always necessary to go to Narnia," said Susan. "We were called into Narnia at the train station. Another time it was a painting that looked Narnian."

"Still the wardrobe itself, is a link between our world and other worlds."

"Yes, we all know that Tumnus," said Col. "Why all this mystery?"

"I think we were meant to go to the other worlds. I don't think the wardrobe was simply meant to be used to hold coats."