Heartwarming / Voyage of the Basset

• The ending of the book. Miranda and Cassandra, both grown up and married, go to visit their father, only to find him missing. However, when Cassandra touches her fairy stone, she hears "the sound of waves lapping along a beach", "the whispery hissing of snakes", and "voices welcoming an old friend." This seems to suggest that Professor Aisling has returned to the magical world and been reunited with their friends, including Medusa.