Frankly, he hadn't noticed there was a problem until he heard the door being knocked upon for a third time. And then a second, before it stopped, and it happened a third time. Tresillian hadn't answered the door. That was a problem in itself -- had Tresillian been in the garden, there wouldn't have been a need to knock; had Tresillian been in the kitchens, he would have answered the door.

Iskander looked up from his book. Everything seemed fine. His book was still intact, and the skies outside were as blue as ever. He slipped the book into his inventory, and went downstairs to get the door ...

... and went downstairs to get ...

... went downstairs --

"Apollo?"

The door was open, but Iskander was back on the stair landing, as if he hadn't moved an inch from where he had been standing just a minute ago.

apollo
(( a time for us gazette ))