The boy veered to a glowing river that, as usual, Cube hadn't noticed before. He plunged a hand into it, fished around for half a moment, and pulled out--the pouch. He shook it off, and brought it to Cube.
"Thank you, Nimbus," she said, unable to think of anything else. It was plainly the right one. Just like that, she had it back!
The boy remounted, and they moved through the ground again. They looped around and came to the surface. "This I think is where you get off," Chlorine said. "It has been a pleasure. We wish you well."
"Uh, thanks," Cube said as she got down. "I--"
But the dragon was already moving away, and then was gone. She was standing alone beside the stream, exactly where she had been when she lost the pouch.
There was nothing to do but go on. She jumped over the stream again, this time holding the pouch firmly in her hand.
She saw the thread, as before. But she didn't trust it. It had tried to lead her into a forget whorl. She had better consult with the others, and catch them up on what had happened.
She paused at a reasonably open glade and put her hand in the pouch. "Everyone," she said.
Hands grabbed all of her fingers. They all slid out, landing in a circle around her. Metria was the first to catch her balance. "This must be some stretch," she said.
"Some what?" Ryver asked.
"Reach, length, range, extent, scope--"
"Extremity?" Karia asked.
"Whatever!" the three Princesses said together, laughing as they tried unsuccessfully to make cross faces.
"I have a problem with the thread," Cube said. "And that's hardly the beginning."
Diamond Dog and Drek Dragon sniffed the thread. There was a bad smell.
"It has gone bad," Cory said. "They can tell, and so can we." Tessa nodded.
The three Princesses inspected it. "There's that magic again," Melody said.
"The magic we saw at Castle MaiDragon," Harmony agreed.
"Demoness Fornax," Rhythm concluded.
"You caught on then?" Karia asked them. "Why didn't you say something?"
"We didn't want to worry you," Melody said.
"Or anyone else," Harmony agreed.
"And Mother might not have let us go on the Quest," Rhythm concluded.
That was surely the real reason, Cube thought. "Can you fix it?"
"Sure," the three said together. They sang and played and beat, and the thread quivered, vanished, and reappeared.
"Why did you summon all of us?" Karia asked. "Instead of just the Princesses?"
"It's a long story, but you had better hear it," Cube said. She launched into it, telling of her loss of the pouch, her trip to the Nameless Castle, and Nimby's rescue of the purse. "So you see, I almost got all of you into serious trouble," she concluded. "You may want to reconsider whether you want to continue with this Quest."
"One question," Karia said. "Did it occur to you that you could have summoned the Princesses, gotten the thread fixed, and continued on the mission without saying anything about the intervening loss of the pouch?"
"No, I never thought of that. It wouldn't have been honest."
A glance circled around the group.
"Two questions," Ryver said. "Did you think of giving up the Quest and going home, instead of struggling to recover it?"
"No, I just couldn't do that."
A second glance circulated.
"Three questions," Melody said.
"Do you know who Nimby really is?" Harmony asked.
"Or why he helped you?" Rhythm concluded.
"No, though I think he is more than he appears to be. I'm really very curious."
A third glance went around.
"I think we are agreed that we wish to continue with the Quest," the centaur said, and the others nodded.
Just like that? "What's so significant about these questions?" Cube asked.
"The first shows your integrity," Karia said.
"But it's the only way I know." Actually she had lied to Yorick in Mundania, but that was following a script while dealing with an unscrupulous man. On her own, truth was best.
"Precisely," the centaur said. "We like that, and know we can trust you."
"The second shows your determination and courage," Ryver said.
"Well, I always had gumption; that's just the way I am." But she certainly hadn't felt very brave during the crisis.
"Precisely," he agreed. "If you had been some other way, we would still be underground."
"The third shows that you found the right course when you were on your own, despite the bad thread," Melody said, seeming unusually adult for her age.
"By remembering Nimby, and the Nameless Castle, and figuring out how to get there," Harmony agreed, just as seriously.
"And without knowing that Nimby is actually the Demon Xanth," Rhythm concluded.
"Who?" Cube asked, astonished.
"And of course the Demon Xanth does not like having the Demoness Fornax poking around his territory," Tessa said.
"Demons don't," Metria agreed. "I should know, having irritated countless demons. Capital D Demons are worse."
"You told him something he wanted to know," Cory added. "So of course he helped you. And I suspect there will be no more interference from Fornax, for each Demon is supreme in his own territory."
"The Demon Xanth?" Cube asked, grasping a thin straw of understanding. Now that weird power of the dragon gaze was becoming intelligible, and the manner he did things.
"He knew you didn't know," Karia said. "He doesn't do favors for folk who know."
"I--I--" But Cube couldn't formulate any coherent thought.
"Put us back in the pouch and continue the Quest," Ryver said.
"But--" Cube paused and tried again, this time getting it out. "But all of you shouldn't go in. I might lose it again."
"Keep Diamond out," Metria suggested.
"And you," Cube said. "Because you could catch it if it fell into another stream."
The demoness shrugged, her shoulders and bosom rising off her body, then settling back. "This Quest does seem to be getting interesting enough to be worth my attention." She faded out.
"Very well," Cube agreed, enormously relieved and flattered. "If that's the way the rest of you feel." She held out the pouch.
"We do," Karia said, sliding into it. Then the others did the same, until only Ryver was left. "You're a lot of woman," he said as he approached.
"But not beautiful," Cube said ruefully.
"Not yet," he agreed, and slid into the pouch.
Oddly exhilarated, Cube turned to the dog. "Are you ready to continue?" she asked.
Diamond wagged her tail.
Chapter 11
Mooning
They followed the revived thread onward. Soon it diverged from the route the prior thread had taken, and Cube was glad to see it. It picked up an enchanted path, which she was especially glad to see, and went northeast.
It was late in the day, so she stopped at a convenient camp. Diamond was good company, but that made her wonder. "You're a Mundane dog," Cube said. "You shouldn't have to wander around Xanth indefinitely. In time my Quest will be over, one way or another, and I'll go home or get into romance, depending. You need to find someone who needs a dog like you permanently."
Diamond wagged her tail sadly. She knew.
As usual, someone else came to spend the night at the same camp. Cube realized that though the paths might not seem crowded, there were only so many camps, so that was where travelers were most likely to meet. This was a nondescript woman, somewhat dusty and tired from a day of walking.
"Hi, I'm Brenn," she said. "My talent is to change into a brick wall, but since this camp is convenient, I won't bother tonight."
"I am Cube. I can summon and control nickelpedes, but I never do it mischievously. This is Diamond."
"That's good." Brenn patted the dog. "Where are you going?"
Cube hesitated. She didn't know where she was going; she was following t
he thread. She didn't want to say that, because it would suggest her Quest. Yet it was a reasonable question.
"What have we here?" a voice inquired as a small black cloud formed between them. "A gold brick?" The cloud became a shining yellow brick, still floating.
"What are you?" Brenn demanded.
The brick expanded into human form. "Demoness Metria, not at your service. I'm keeping an eye on Cube so she doesn't get lost."
Cube realized that Metria had been doing exactly that, and appeared in time to distract Brenn from her question. She appreciated that. "Thank you, Metria. I was just talking with Brenn, here, before we settle for the night."
"Don't settle yet. There's another mortal coming."
And there was: another young woman, who of course looked significantly better than Cube. "Hello, I'm Kelsey," she said. As she spoke, her hair seemed to change color.
The other two introduced themselves, and so did Metria. "A demoness?" Kelsey asked, surprised. Her hair turned purple.
"She's watching over Cube," Brenn said.
"But demons don't care about mortal people."
"Of course I don't care," Metria said. "But I promised someone I'd see her safely home, so I'm doing it. What is with your hair?"
"Oh, that." Kelsey hair turned light blue. "That's my magic. My hair changes color with my emotions. I can't control it; it just happens."
"It's lovely," Brenn said.
Kelsey's hair turned deep red, blushing. "It's embarrassing," she said.
"Another coming," the demoness announced.
It was another young woman. "Hello. Is there room for one more?"
"I think so," Cube said, smiling.
They went through another round of introductions. The new one was Seren, who didn't know whether she had a magic talent, but was disgusted with her name.
"What's wrong with it?" Brenn asked. "It seems nice."
"My last name is Ity. People always say it as one word: Serenity. Then they pretend they are being very serene."
"That's doesn't seem too bad," Kelsey said.
"And my middle name is Dip. I tried to get it changed, but it's locked in."
"Serendipity," Cube said.
"Yes. Others find that funny, but I don't."
"But that could relate to your talent," Cube said. "Do you find things?"
"Sure, all the time, but never what I'm looking for. For example I was looking for a camp with several attentive handsome men."
"Instead you found us!" Kelsey laughed, her hair flickering yellow.
"Yes. I'm sure you're nice people, but--"
"How old are you?" Brenn asked.
"Fourteen, I think. I was a foundling, about two when found in a cabbage patch."
"That's why," Cube said. "You aren't old enough to join the Adult Conspiracy. Those men would have betrayed it. So you found something else."
"If that's my magic, I don't like it."
Metria appeared. "If you're a foundling, how do you know your name?"
"It was on the only thing I had, a broken pacifier." She held it up. Sure enough, on it was printed SEREN DIP ITY.
"I wouldn't mind having a talent like that," Cube said. "Mine is summoning nickelpedes."
The girl looked at her. "That's not very feminine."
"Exactly. It's useful when I encounter a wild beast, but I'd rather have some other talent."
"Will, if mine is finding things I'm not looking for, I'd gladly trade it for yours."
"Too bad talents can't be traded," Kelsey said.
"Or names," Brenn said.
Cube got the hint of a weird idea. "I wonder. Maybe the talent is associated with your possession."
"The pacifier? I've tried to get rid of it, but it always comes back."
Cube's idea got weirder. "I have something like that." She brought out the mirror. "I have tried to give this away several times, but it returns. Let's see if we can trade."
"All right. I wasn't looking for a mirror, but I wouldn't mind seeing my face when I do my hair."
They traded items. Cube put the pacifier in a pocket, wondering how long it would stay there. "About the mirror--"
"What is this?" Seren demanded.
"It's a rear-view mirror," Cube explained. "What you weren't looking for."
"Actually this is okay," the girl said, admiring her rear, which was a pert one.
"Let's see how long we can keep each other's things," Cube said. "They may both be magic, and will probably revert soon."
"Okay."
But the two objects did not revert that evening. In the morning Cube still had the pacifier, and Seren still had the mirror. "Maybe they can't be given away, but can be exchanged," Cube said. "If your talent really is connected, you won't find what you aren't looking for while you have the mirror."
"Does that mean I'll lose the name?"
"Maybe. I don't know how these things work."
"What else could I call myself?"
"Mirror," Kelsey suggested, her hair turning green.
"Mirror. I like it," the girl said.
They went their separate ways. Cube wondered whether her wild idea could be right: that the name and talent went with the pacifier. If so, they both might be hers now.
Ridiculous! Her imagination had made her believe something that couldn't be. Still, she wondered.
Metria appeared. "You know, Seren, this path is heading toward Castle Roogna. But you've already been there."
"What did you call me?"
"Seren." Then the demoness looked startled. Little startle lines radiated out from her, making the air wiggle. "What are you doing with that name?"
"Nothing. My name is Seren." Cube bit her tongue. "I mean Seren." She halted abruptly, causing Diamond to look askance at her. "I can't say my real name!"
"That pacifier," Metria said. "It really is magic."
"I wonder." Cube focused her mind. "Nickelpedes: come here."
Nothing happened.
"Maybe you can't summon them on the enchanted path."
Cube stopped off the path and tried again, with no better success. "What have I done?" she asked. "I was just curious about whether the mirror and the pacifier related. I didn't really mean to trade names and talents."
"You found something you weren't looking for," Metria agreed. "That's your talent, now."
"It must be," Cube agreed ruefully. "Maybe I should go back and trade back."
"You'd never find that girl if you look for her."
Cube realized that was likely to be true. "So I'd better just keep following the thread, and hope it doesn't lead me anywhere I need my nickelpedes."
"That works for me," the demoness agreed.
Then Cube had another idea. "Diamond--how would you like to have this pacifier?"
The dog looked at her and wagged her tail, not quite understanding.
"I'll take it back if it messes you up," she said. "I promise. I just need to see how this works."
She found a thread and used it to tie the pacifier to the dog's collar. Then she stepped back. "My name is--Cube," she said. Then realized the significance. "It worked!"
Seren wagged her tail agreeably.
"Now you can find the girl and trade back," Metria said.
"Now I don't need to."
"Sometimes we demons have trouble understanding mortals."
"Sometimes we have trouble understanding ourselves."
They continued along the path, following the thread. They stopped at a conveniently situated garden at noon, where Cube harvested and ate a peanut pie and Diamond discovered a biscuit tree with assorted dog biscuits. The dog was obviously surprised, but pleased, and feasted on them.
Cube pondered that as they resumed their walk. Diamond had found something nice that she wasn't looking for. Could that be coincidence?
As evening loomed, they came to another camp. It was already occupied. Cube suddenly realized that she liked traveling like this, meeting fellow travelers, then moving on. Little was required exc
ept an exchange of amenities and a bit of tolerance for individuality. She knew that here on the enchanted path there would be no dangers, and that included other travelers. She appreciated the paths much more since meeting Patxi, who had labored so long and hard to make them. She would be sorry when the Quest was done, and she would have to return home.
Of course she would be beautiful. That would make all the difference, wouldn't it?
The campers were a man and a horse. Diamond seemed surprised; she had not been looking for folk like this. That was indeed interesting, because there were few straight horses in Xanth, and not many unicorns. "Hello!" she called as she approached. "I am Cube, and this is Seren."
"Hello," the man said. He had a vaguely horsy face, and his voice sounded somewhat like a neigh. The horse, in contrast, had a vaguely human countenance. "I am Bert, and this is Lam. We are the two parts of a centaur."
Cube couldn't help showing her surprise. "But centaurs are--"
"Merged," Bert agreed. "We made the mistake of trotting into Mundania, where we split into these two parts. We hurried back into Xanth, but the damage was done. We remain a split personality."
"Oh." For the moment Cube couldn't think of anything appropriate to say.
"We plan to visit the Good Magician, and ask how we can be unified again."
"That seems good," Cube agreed, somewhat blankly.
The pair turned out to be fair company for the night. They remained close together, and the horse seemed to understand everything that was said. But it was plain that neither was whole alone; they needed to be restored. Cube hoped the Good Magician enabled them to do that.
In the morning Bert and Lam took the fork marked for the Good Magician's Castle, while Cube and Diamond took the one marked for Castle Roogna. Soon they hove into sight of it. Cube had never tried to hove before; it had just come naturally.
"I'd better get back into the pouch," Metria said, appearing. "The denizens here have been known to get annoyed with me."
Cube wondered what the demoness had done to deserve it, but didn't argue. Surely she would need no protection here. She held out the pouch, and Metria lifted her lovely leg in that annoyingly suggestive way she had, almost but not quite showing panty, and slid into it. Then Cube glanced at Diamond. "You too?" But the dog decided to stay outside. That was fine.