The horse nodded. He nibbled at Cube's pocket where she had just absent-mindedly put the magic pacifier.
"Hey, you don't want that!" Cube protested.
"Yes he does," the demoness said.
Cube sighed. "Okay, I'll fasten it to your saddle. But it will change your name and your luck." She took the pacifier and fastened it.
"Not that we know where we're going," Metria said.
"Maybe the goles can help us," Karia said.
"The whats?"
"Don't you remember? This is Gole Isle.
"Oh. Yes. You have a sharper memory than I do."
"Centaurs do. Why don't you ride Seren? He'd like that."
Cube turned to the horse. "Would you?"
Seren nodded.
She put her foot in the stirrup and climbed into the saddle. It was surprisingly comfortable. "Do I have to use the reins? I don't know reins."
The horse shrugged. The reins disappeared.
Cube considered that for half a moment, and decided not to say anything. Obviously Seren had always been his own horse, when he chose to be.
"I think you don't need me now," Karia said. "Since there is nothing I can do to return us to the path, I'll return to the pouch." She did so.
"Me too," Metria said, and slid in also, with another naughty display of thigh. Apparently she couldn't help being seductive, even when there were no men to freak out.
"We need to find the goles," Cube said to the horse. She felt uncomfortably alone, but refused to give up hope.
Seren set off at a trot. Cube grabbed the saddle horn, not used to the gait. Somehow Karia had always managed to walk or fly in a way that made Cube secure, but of course she was not a horse.
Soon they came to a lighted village. As they did, two creatures came to meet them. They were about as strange as Cube had seen. They were humanoid in shape, but their heads were those of horses and they had the hoofs and tails of horses. They also had wings. They looked like winged centaurs gone wrong.
"Uh, hello," Cube said to the creatures.
"Hello," the taller horsehead said, speaking perfect human. He had a fine brown mane. "I see that you have tamed Seren." Then he looked surprised, having thought to use a different name.
"He's a good horse."
"Evidently so. He did not seem happy here, so the demons said they would take him."
"That's over. Seren is my companion now. I am Cube, and I would like to get off this island."
"I am Gomer Gole, and this is my friend Goldie Gole."
"Hello," Goldie said. Her mane was bright golden yellow. "We can give you housing for the night, and show you the isle in the day, and conduct you to the connection with Xanth at midnight."
"But we need to be on our way immediately! We can't wait a day and night."
"We regret that," Gomer said apologetically. "But that is the only time our isle relates to Xanth. All the islands are like that; they phase in to Xanth at different times, and are otherwise separate."
Cube was feeling desperate, but knew that hysterics would accomplish nothing. There had to be a way! She simply needed to find it.
"Will you tell me more about yourselves and your island now?" she asked, hoping that there would be some hint there.
"Gladly," Gomer said. "We two are the night watch, and it does get quiet. Our kind lives peacefully and in harmony with each other. We fight only when we absolutely have to. Because we found ourselves surrounded by neighbors who did not share our values, we finally moved to this isolated island."
"He is putting it politely," Goldie said. "Our neighbors regarded us as freaks. We are not freaks, we are an established crossbreed species, similar to the centaurs."
"Well, there is the matter of the healing and the reverse healing," Gomer reminded her.
"Reverse healing?" Cube asked.
"We have natural healing powers," Goldie said. "If one of us is cut, we regenerate swiftly. But if one of us is killed, that healing is reversed, and our bodies become poison. That developed, we think, to stop predators from killing us for meat. But we don't want to poison predators, we want to be left alone."
"I can appreciate why," Cube said. "I think you're right to be isolated. But this does interfere with my Quest and my immediate mission. If only there were some way to depart without waiting--"
Then a bulb flashed over Cube's head, so bright in the darkness that both horse and goles blinked. "We can get off the isle on our own. Sidestepping."
Both goles were perplexed. "We are not familiar with this term," Gomer said.
Cube realized that she shouldn't have spoken aloud. "It's a special talent two of my friends have. They can go anywhere without normal limitation."
"But your friends aren't here," Goldie said.
"Not at the moment," Cube said. "I'll go look for them."
"They could not have reached the island unless they came when you did," Gomer said.
"Maybe not," Cube said. "I'll check anyway."
The two goles exchanged a glance, evidently suspecting that she was overtired. Cube nudged Charles (she found she could think of him by his correct name, as long as she didn't speak it), and the horse turned and walked back the way they had come.
When they were alone in the darkness, Cube explained it quietly to Charles. "I have several Companions with me. I keep them in a magic pouch. So don't be alarmed when they appear. Don't knot up their muscles."
She dismounted and put her hand to the pouch. "Cory. Tessa."
The two women slid out and stood beside her. "It's dark," Cory said. "Is there a problem?"
"There is, but I think you can handle it." Then she realized that they were looking at the horse, surprised. "This is Seren, with the ability to give muscle spasms to folk he doesn't like. He--he was in a bad situation, so now he's with me."
"He's beautiful," Tessa said.
"We're on Gole Isle. The goles are nice folk, but their island touches Xanth only at midnight. I have a baby to deliver, and--"
"What have you been doing?" Cory asked sharply.
Cube felt herself blushing. "Not my baby! I couldn't--there hasn't been time--this is a baby soul that the stork left at the wrong address. I have to get it to the right place. I have it in the pouch. It was due yesterday."
"The worlds of Ida," Tessa said, catching on. "They have places very similar to those of Xanth."
"Yes. This one was delivered to Castle Zombie on Zombie World. So I'm bringing it to the Xanth Zombie Castle. Before dawn tomorrow, if possible."
"That's urgent," Cory agreed. "We don't know the sidestepping route to Castle Zombie, however."
"If you can just get me back to the enchanted path, I'll be fine."
"To do that, we'll have to know exactly where we are," Tessa said.
"Then maybe just to the Xanth mainland," Cube said, beginning to get nervous.
"That we can do," Cory said. "Xanth is easy to find. It will be just across the water."
"Let's do it," Cube said. Then, to the horse: "Maybe I should ride you, for this, Seren. It will be strange, but don't be concerned; it's safe."
The horse nodded. Cube climbed back on the saddle.
Cory and Tessa linked hands and took a step backwards. They shimmered like ghosts in the darkness. Then they stepped forward again.
"Take my hand," Cory said to Cube. Meanwhile Tessa put her hand on Charles's neck, so that he was in contact too.
"Stay with them," Cube told the horse. "Small steps."
They took small steps, and followed the two women into the sidestepping aisle. Then they walked along it, Tessa leading, Charles following, Cory trailing. They walked through trees, startling the horse, but Cube reassured him.
They came to the water and walked across it. Again the horse was surprised, but discovered that his hooves were able to cross the waves. "I told you it would be strange," Cube reminded him.
It got stranger. Something came lunging through the water toward them. It looked like a bull, but it was under
the water. It had hooves, but also a fish tail.
"Well well, a bull shark," Tessa said.
"It looks dangerous," Cube said nervously.
"Don't be concerned; it can't gore us. We are displaced in time."
The bull charged them, leaping right into the sidestepping aisle. Charles looked at it, then started to shy back.
"It can't touch us," Cube said reassuringly, hoping she was right.
The bull came at them--and through them without contact. It was a ghost.
"We can see out, they can see in," Tessa explained. "But there can be no physical contact."
That was a relief. But the bull wasn't satisfied. It turned around and ran back, trying even harder. In fact it tried so hard that it did a somersault and landed on its back with a great splash. Little stars and planets clustered about it.
Another creature arrived on the scene. This one wore a hospital uniform--Cube had never seen a hospital, and didn't know of any in Xanth, but she still recognized the uniform--and seemed very attentive. It went to the bull and tended to it, helping it recover.
"Nurse shark," Tessa said.
Cube fancied she could hear Karia groan.
They came to the beach and stopped. "We could sidestep farther," Tessa said. "But we might just lead you astray."
"We need to know a region physically before we can craft a good sidestepping path across it," Cory said.
"We'll get there," Cube said a bit more confidently than she felt. "If I get in trouble, I'll bring someone out to help."
Cory and Tessa returned to the pouch. "Now we need to find the enchanted path to Castle Zombie," Cube told Charles. "I think if we simply cut inland we should intercept it at some point."
The horse nodded and set off. He did seem to have a general idea of the lay of the land.
The crude trail the horse was following through the darkness came to mountainous country. It passed through a narrow cleft which suddenly opened out into a fissure with vertical stone sides. Carved into one side was an illuminated sign: PETRA. Cube had no idea what it meant.
Then she found out. There were buildings carved into the cliff, with columns and steps leading into the mountain. A city of stone.
Well, that was all right, as long as this path led to the enchanted path. There was just enough light radiating from the rock to clarify the path so that Charles could follow it without stumbling.
The way opened out into a central court. Within it was a dais, and on it was a collection of tea kettles. The stone beneath them seemed to be hot, because the kettles were steaming merrily. Beside them was a collection of tea bags. A neatly printed sign said DRINK ME.
Suddenly Cube was thirsty for tea. It had been one of the few things she enjoyed at home, and she missed it. A drink of tea would be very good at this point.
She urged the horse on toward the dais, but he abruptly balked, his nostrils flaring. He smelled something.
That made Cube nervous. "What do you smell, Seren? Is there some danger?" She looked around, but didn't see anything.
But the horse still balked. After a moment she dismounted and walked toward the dais. She could have some tea while she waited to see what was bothering Charles.
A muscle in her leg tightened up painfully. She stumbled, then recovered her balance. And realized something.
"Seren!" she said indignantly. "You gave me a Charlie horse!" Obviously the horse had kept his own magic.
The horse nodded apologetically.
What was going on here? "You don't want me to drink any of this tea? Why not?"
But of course the horse couldn't explain.
Cube pondered. It might be that Charles smelled something in the tea or the water that he knew was dangerous. She didn't dare ignore that.
"Okay," she said after a bit or two. "I won't drink the tea. But I do want to look at it."
Charles nodded.
She approached the dais and bent down to read the labels on the tea bags. One said PARTEA. Cube didn't recognize that type. Another said SPONTANEITEA. What flavor could that be?
Then she thought she heard a groan. That would be Karia, in her mind's ear. There must be a pun in the neighborhood. It generally paid to fathom puns, because of course they were not just verbal, in Xanth. So she concentrated.
And got it. "Party! Spontaneity. These teas must make a person want to celebrate, or to do something unanticipated. They are magic." She read the other labels: CONFETEA, which might cause a person to shred paper. NOTORIETEA, which might make a person well known, for good or ill. IDENTITEA, which might make a person find herself. AMBIGUITEA, which seemed somewhat vague. SOFTEA, which might make a person readily give in to the wishes of others. POSSIBILITEA, which might arouse hope for new prospects.
These should not be dangerous, but might be awkward. Suppose she drank CASUALTEA or DEBILITEA? What about ADVERSITEA, or worse, CALAMITEA? Charles had been right to warn her.
She searched through the bags and finally found one that seemed suitable: MODESTEA. She held it up. "There's no harm in modesty, is there?"
She got a muscle twinge in her arm, causing her to drop the bag. Ouch! What was the matter with that horse?
Rather than make an issue, she gave up on the teas. She walked back toward Charles.
Suddenly goblins appeared in the arches and doorways of the surrounding stone houses. They were big-headed and big-footed little men, ugly and scowling in the goblin manner. Goblins were almost always trouble; they didn't like human folk. They must be the inhabitants of this odd city.
Still, it was best to assume the best, until she knew otherwise. "Hello, goblins," she called. "We are just passing through your citea, I mean city. We mean no mischief and will be on our way."
But the goblins scowled worse, closing in on them from all directions. Not only were they hostile, they seemed to be somewhat woozy, as if they had been imbibing something intoxicating. In fact a number of them looked downright crazy.
Was that a groan?
Then Cube thought of something. This was a stone city, so it was possible that the denizens could be stoned. There was the pun. But what were they stoned on? Surely the tea. The labels might not mean anything; it could all be insanitea. And they wanted her to drink it too.
Cube vaulted onto the horse, which was a good trick as she didn't know how to vault. Maybe she had sniffed some alacritea. "Let's get out of here. Seren!"
The horse moved, but the goblins clustered to shut off the main trail. He turned to go back, but they were clustering there too.
"Maybe a surprise move to the side," Cube murmured, taking a good double handful of saddlehorn.
Charles lurched to the side, finding a path there guarded by only two goblins. Those two abruptly dropped to the ground, clutching their legs. They had muscle cramps, of course. The horse charged through.
But they were still in the stone city, with the cliff-buildings closing in on both sides. They had no choice but to follow the single narrowing alley between them, with the goblins in pursuit.
Charles snorted. Cube sniffed. There was an unkind odor. They seemed to be heading into a bad section of town.
The alley ended in a dead end. Truly dead, by the smell. At its termination was a pedestal with a jar of some kind of food. It stank to high heaven. Cube was sure of that, because the very constellations above were averting their faces. The stench was so thick she had to breathe through her teeth to strain it out.
The words on the pedestal were GAME PRESERVE. That was no understatement; it was truly game. "Talk of all the things I wasn't looking for," Cube muttered. "Spoiled preserves."
And the crazy goblins were charging in from behind.
Then a bulb flashed, reflecting off the facades of the buildings. "Serendipitea!" she exclaimed. "I mean,--ty. You weren't looking for this, we don't want it, but it's what we need. Shut your nose, Seren; we're going to take this with us."
The horse glanced back at her, horrified. But then he stepped close to the pedestal so that she
could pick up the jar. The putrid aura of it surrounded them.
"Back!" Cube rasped, unscrewing the lid. "And out." She got the lid off. The fetor intensified. She was out of breath, because her chest didn't want to inhale. This stuff must have been spoiling for centuries!
Charles oriented on the alley and charged. Cube held the jar out front, fogging the air with its miasma. The goblins turned green, which was something normally impossible for them, and fell to either side, gagging. The game preserve was defeating even their madness.
The goblins thinned out, and they galloped back the way they had come, toward the center of the city. They reached the court with the quantitea--Cube groaned mentally and corrected herself--quantity of teas--and swerved around to proceed forward out of the city. But the turn was too sharp for her; she started to fall out of the saddle, and had to drop the jar and grab the horn. The jar smashed on the ground behind them.
"Oh, no!" Cube wailed. "I lost our defense!" For the horrible odor was rising and spreading out like an evil cloud, preventing any pursuit from behind, but more goblins were appearing in front.
Then another bulb flashed in the darkness, making the goblins blink. She had an idea!
She put her hand to the pouch. "Drek," she said.
The dragon slid out and came to rest on the ground beside the horse. "It's okay, Seren," she said quickly. "Drek Dragon is a friend. He'll help us escape. Drek, this is Seren Horse, another friend. We're surrounded by crazy goblins and need to clear them out so we can escape this city. We need to clear the way with a bad smell."
There was the odor of perfume. Drek was pleased to be asked.
Cube was desperate. "Touch him, Seren," she said.
Drek flinched, his tail knotting up. The perfume faded, to be replaced by a smell not unlike the game preserve.
"Onward!" Cube cried. "We've got to get out of here!"
The horse leaped forward. Cube hung on to the horn. They galloped down the street past the tea dais.
"Come on, Drek!" Cube cried. "Follow us!"
The dragon followed--and the goblins did not follow him. In fact the goblins ahead of them got an early whiff of stench and tumbled over themselves to escape it. The way cleared.