The Space Between Worlds

Cara wakes in a healing pod in a palace bedroom to find the Earth 175 Nik Nik reading her journal, easily interpreting it despite the fact that it is written in an Eldridge code. When she protests, he gently restrains her and refuses to return it. Cara attempts to escape but is intercepted by runners, one of whom she recognizes as her stepbrother, Michael, who goes by the runner name “Mr. Cross” in this world. Nik Nik intervenes, showing uncharacteristic restraint even when Michael behaves disrespectfully.

Back in her room, Nik Nik explains that the brutal Blood Emperor (Nik Senior) died when Nik Nik was six.

In a flashback, Cara explains that on “every Earth where Nik rules” (85), Nik Senior had killed Nik’s genius-level brother, Adranik, for being “weak.” Unlike Adranik, the young Nik gloried in murder and destruction and rose to ruthless power. Cara explains that in the pattern of Nik Nik’s rule on these worlds, propaganda is spread that Adranik died of an illness, but in reality, Nik Senior slit his throat and buried him in the bog.

When this Nik Nik indicates that he is not the current emperor, Cara realizes that Adranik must have murdered their father and taken the throne.