But this time when he was brought before Klandor in the huge hall—with Watch and Cindy beside him—the wizard appeared more frightening than before. The mood inside the castle was grim. Once upon a time these dwarf and elf guards had served Pan. Few of them disliked Pan. They had gone over to Klandor’s side for business reasons. It was nothing personal. The wizard had the power now, that was all that mattered. No doubt that was the reason Klandor had allowed Pan to go free. The wizard hadn’t wanted to push Pan’s once-loyal subjects too far, and possibly set off an uprising. In fact, the elves and dwarfs that had been sent to escort Pan to the interdimensional portal had let him go free a mile from the castle. They hadn’t wanted to rub salt in their ex-master’s obvious wounds. But Klandor had laid down the law with Pan only a few hours before, in front of everyone, and now Pan had chosen to violate it. Klandor could not let him go again without losing face.
