We began noticing odd things as we approached the river which we had been told was the territory of the River Wytch. The water wasn't flowing towards us as we had expected. It was flowing in the opposite direction. Sally made an exclamation and reached up to tap her ear and shake her head. I looked back at her and then realized that none of my electronic equipment was working. Not even the shock stunner on my scabbard would spark. I realized that Sally must have an implant and it had stopped functioning which was causing her some distress. Lady Silver and the Iskar just persevered against their motion sickness and had little interest in anything going on around them. We wended our way up the river with it's impossible current aiding our craft along. I also noted that there were watery shadows moving along and even circling the boat. I didn't think it would be a good idea to fall into the water though I didn't really know why. There were no settlements here though the river flowed through a lush forest. The woods on either side were filled with birds chasing a bounty of insects but none of them intruded out over the water. Dusk was falling and still we moved along the river and all of it's strangeness. Then, as we rounded a bend, we saw the strangest house I'd ever seen. It was built in the middle of the river. The only way to reach it that I could see was by the river and we were approaching a small dock which led to stairs going up to the veranda. Sally luffed the sails and brought us smartly alongside while I leaped up onto the dock and secured the vessel by it's forward line as Sally secured the aft line. Lady Silver and the Iskar climbed gratefully out of the boat and stood on the dock slowly recovering. I saw and heard no one while I was waiting for them to regain some of their composure. I could hear the rumble of the water passing through ducts which passed through the stone pedastel upon which the building sat. As Lady Silver rose to look up at the place I started up the stairs and approached the doors opening into the place from the veranda. The clumping of my boots on the damp wood sufficient sound to alert anyone inside that they had company. The place was brightly lit with a nice fire laid up in a fireplace giving it a warm glow but there was no sign of anyone being there. Across from the door was a desk with a clutter of documents, books, a globe, and a lamp upon it. "No one is home," I said as I looked over my shoulder at Lady Silver. She shook her head carefully still being somewhat queasy I thought. "There is a presence but I don't think it's ready to manifest itself just yet." She glanced back at the Iskar. "A presence. A powerful mind. I feel curiosity and some interest but nothing overtly hostile," the Iskar spoke to us all. "Shall we proceed," I said as I opened the door and waved them in before me. Looking around I could see that there was but the one room which was rather spartan in appearance. There were bookshelves built around the windows flanking the desk. On a table by the fireplace lay an open book as though someone had been reading it while seated in the chair by the table and had laid it there to attend to something. I also realized that there was an eerie sense of presence here Lady Silver, recovered now that her feet were on a stable surface, glanced around the room until she stood facing the chair. "We got your invitation, Wytch. I ask now that you show yourself. "Asking is not something your kind is known for." A voice from nowhere yet everywhere sighed like a wind through a forest. "Nevertheless I am asking. What I would do is important and if you are what I think you are you are already aware of this fact. So I ask you please to appear." "Indeed another thing you are not known for is this politeness." There was a pause. "Very well." At the padded chair by the fireplace appeared a blue-green shimmer. To be continued....