The Otherworld

ELVES AT THE WHEEL,
KIDS ON THE EDGE

 There are elves out there. And, mostly, they're the good guys. Oh, they drive too fast (they love hot cars) but we'll forgive them that since they also make a habit of rescuing children in peril.

But this time it isn't just the children who are in peril. Jamie's father has joined a fanatical cult that is in contact with a supernatural entity that is ancient, powerful—and unspeakably evil. And Amanda is an abused little girl who has unheard of psychic powers. In her pain, she might lash out and destroy Earth and Faerie both!

"[This] is one of her rollicking action comedies.... The comedy is clever, the characters strong.... As with any book Lackey works on, the principal joy is story; she sweeps you along and never lets you go." —Locus

". . . Lackey's usual sound characterization, brisk pacing, and intelligently detailed world building . . . Lackey remains an undoubted mistress of the well-told tale...." —Booklist

"Romance, action intrigue all blend in a believable fantastic setting. Fans of Lackey and fantasy will be delighted" —Kliatt

Cover art by Clyde Caldwell

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, January 2000

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 0-671-57852-9

Copyright © 1992 by Mercedes Lackey
Wheels of Fire copyright (c) 1992 by Mercedes Lackey and Mark Shepherd, 
When the Bough Breaks copyright (c) 1993 by Mercedes Lackey and Holly Lisle

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Typeset by Brilliant Press

Dedicated, with love and gratitude to:
Mothers—ours and others—
Who believe, nurture, and forgive just about anything

NAKED
TRUTH

Cindy poked her head around a corner—and froze.

Al was stark naked, combing his wet hair with one hand and eating with the other. Holding the blow-dryer was a little silver statue; an odd sort of prop, but if it worked—

Dear God, he's a hunk. Al still hadn't noticed her; the noise of the blow-dryer must have covered the sound of her entrance. She felt like a peeping Tom.

Caught between embarrassment and an undeniable attraction, she started to back out—and ran into the corner of the cabinet instead. "Excuse me!" she blurted, as Al suddenly looked up into the mirror and met her eyes.

She froze like a deer pinned in a car's headlights. The little silver statue turned to look calmly at her, still holding the blow-dryer. The dryer cord dangled straight down, and though the dryer was running, it wasn't plugged in.

Unlike the statue's metal ones, the eyes that met hers in the mirror were emerald green and slitted like a cat's. The ears, standing up through the wet hair, were pointed.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

The SERRAted Edge

The Chrome Borne
(Born to Run & Chrome Circle)
Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
The Otherworld
(Wheels of Fire & When the Bough Breaks)
Mercedes Lackey with
Mark Shepherd & Holly Lisle

Urban Fantasies

Knight of Ghosts and Shadows

Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon
Summoned to Tourney
Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon

Bedlam Boyz
Ellen Guon

ALSO BY MERCEDES LACKEY
FROM BAEN BOOKS

Bardic Voices: The Lark & the Wren
Bardic Voices: The Robin & the Kestrel
Bardic Choices: A Cast of Corbies
(with Josepha Sherman)

Fortress of Frost & Fire: A Bard's Tale Novel
(with Ru Emerson)

Prison of Souls: A Bard's Tale Novel
(with Mark Shepherd)

The Ship Who Searched
(with Anne McCaffrey)

Wing Commander: Freedom Flight
(with Ellen Guon)

If I Pay Thee Not in Gold
(with Piers Anthony)