“But all those statues. People. The servants said she silenced them by your command,” insisted Herb.
“My command? She would take no order from me, dear boy,” Zygote scoffed. “It would be just like Jasmine to place the blame elsewhere, and perpetuate her innocent act. I suppose it helped keep the servants in line.”
Herb reluctantly agreed with the line of reasoning. She did seem innocent. It was not likely she would worry about using Zygote for an excuse. Herb knew only too well how she enjoyed her power for its own sake. The memory of his close call brought on an involuntary shudder.
“I would believe him, Spring,” Lily said, revived by her brief rest. “He has treated me well, except for my confinement.” She looked around the small room.
“To keep you from harming yourself, only, dear Lily,” Zygote answered. “I assure you, you are still too weak to wander very far. It was best you not try.”
“I’m glad you’ve been less the monster than we supposed, Zygote,” Spring said. “But the fact remains that you caused my father’s death.”
“That,” Zygote said grimly, “was an unfortunate affair, which I deeply regret. The overly zealous bitch I hired to induce your father to cooperate became carried away by blood lust. Yet, I believe he would have survived had not young Elton lost his temper.” He looked genuinely chagrined. “I needed your father’s help to implement the information you store. If only he had been more reasonable, he would be yet with us. I had great respect for him, whether or not you believe that.”
Fury swept over Spring’s face. “So it was Elton! But it was your fault. If you had left my father alone, it would never have happened!” Her rage turned to despair as she remembered.
“Yes. I concede that much. Still, however I regret the means, there remains the end to accomplish,” Zygote said meaningfully. “Else, all has been for naught, and that would be hideous, considering the price.”
“I won’t let you touch her,” Herb exclaimed angrily. He grabbed up a glass container and threw it at the tall magician’s face. It, too, hit against the invisible barrier, shattering to the floor as the others dodged the sharp, flying bits.
“Really, Herb,” Zygote sighed. “This becomes tiresome. I can see if you keep this up, you’ll succeed only in harming the ladies, and probably yourself.” He snapped his fingers and the door clicked behind him. He moved aside to admit a fierce giant of a man. Probably the guard Cling Ling mentioned roaming the grounds earlier.
Herb was thankful Cling Ling retained his freedom. Perhaps even now he had conceived some plan to set them free. The last time they had tried to rescue Lily, they had met with the same lack of success. History had a way of repeating itself in discouraging ways.
“Show our friends to one of the guest rooms downstairs, Larg,” Zygote ordered.
Large? That was an apt name for the monster. They were hassled back down the narrow stairway, but did not emerge on the first floor. Instead, they continued on through a different door leading farther down. This time they ended up deep beneath the castle walls in a section of dungeons.
Lily was not among their number. Zygote evidently still considered her as a patient under his protection. Though they had to be separated, Herb was thankful that Zygote seemed to bear her no ill will for her part in the deception.
They were abruptly thrust into separate cells in the darkness. The closing doors clanged loudly behind them.
25
Truths
Spring screamed. Herb pressed against the adjoining bars of their cells, extending his arms and reaching frantically in the darkness for her.
“Spring, where are you? What’s wrong?!” he called out. Then his hand made contact with her body. She was soft and warm there. She grasped his hand in hers and moved it.
“I’m all right. Something ran over my foot. I think it was a smouse. It frightened me! I’m not fond of smouses,” she said, remembering the ones back on the lightship.
“Smouses? Oh, yes. We have a kind of smouse on P#23. They are partially plant, green, and resemble pine cones.”
“How funny.”
“Not to Veganettes. They are harmless pests, really, but the feminine gender seems to get overly excited whenever they see one.” He laughed softly.
“Oh really? What about men? No one likes smice. Admit it!”
Herb smiled to himself. Naturally, Spring would say that. She had already declared herself to be one of the liberated species of female. She claimed that on her home planet, the women were exactly like men. That had greatly puzzled Herb, who knew Spring was nothing at all like any man he had seen.
It was probably a joke; that was one source of her great attraction for him. Her playful nature, along with good looks, strength of character, intelligence, and honesty. Not necessarily in that order, either. There had to be more to a woman than well-grown limbs to please him. And the longer he knew Spring, the more she had pleased him.
He wanted so much to help, but each time he tried, it had been a colossal failure. Now they were prisoners. Again.
“I’m glad you’re here with me, Herb,” Spring said, holding his hand tighter. “I mean, no! Of course I’m not.”
“Yes,” Herb said, misunderstanding. “You wish it was that—that other man you knew. I don’t blame you. He could probably have protected you much better than I have.”
“Herb! No!” she said sharply.
Herb released the hold of her hands. He should never have presumed such liberties. The misery in his voice was apparent. “I’m sorry.”
“Herb! You don’t understand anything, do you!” Spring said in exasperation. “I am the one who is sorry. Listen to me. What I said about that man, well, it was just talk. So forget it, okay? I made that up. There’s no other man.”
Hope, confusion, and anger all collided in Herb’s brain. “But why did you say that? Why did you lie to me?”
“Because. Because when we were writing, I didn’t really know you then. When I showed up at your house as I did, you might have thought that I wanted to—that I was a—a-—” She floundered.
“A passionflower?” suggested Herb.
“That sounds nicer than what I had in mind, but yes. That’s the general idea. I thought if I made up a story, you wouldn’t try anything. You wouldn’t want me,” she explained.
“Whether I wanted to or not, is beside the point. I would never have tried forcing you into anything like that. No male on Paradise would.”
“I know that. Now. But not then. I didn’t know about your culture. I didn’t know how nice you were. And—wait a minute. What about you, anyway? You were reading those sexy zines. That’s how you saw my advertisement,” she said accusingly.
“Well, yes, but—” he began defensively. “But, I wouldn’t have seen it if you didn’t write it. What about that?”
“That’s different. I found those zines at the retreat. I found them when I dropped a crystal. Never mind. They were a way for me to escape. What’s your excuse?”
“I don’t need one. I’m a man. Men like to look at pretty girls. What’s so terrible about that?”
Spring sighed. “Nothing at all, Herb,” she answered quietly. “This was supposed to be an apology. I don’t know why I picked a fight. Guess I’m feeling guilty for deceiving you. You’ve been wonderful all the way, and I know I could never have made it without you. I am so sorry I ever lied to you.”
“I know you only did what you had to,” Herb said, mollified.
“Another lesson in how lies never pay, even well intentioned ones. In trying to protect both of us, I only hurt us more.”
Herb had assimilated everything she’d said, but only one thing was that important. There was no other man. His chlorophyll was surging. If only he had known that before!
“Anyway,” she continued. “Another reason I didn’t say anything later was because of Lily. If you two planned to marry, you were in love. It would have been tacky of me to intrude, to come on to you just for a hiding place. Just becaus
e I found you attractive, after all.” But her thoughts were ironic. She found Herb attractive? Only if gorgeous eyes, a slim body, and rakish smile were just attractive. True, his skin was green, but that only made him more special to her. And he was so kind, so genuinely nice, that he’d passed “special” a long time ago.
“Tacky?” Herb asked. That was a term he’d never heard.
“Inappropriate. Besides, I like Lily. Now she’s in undeserved trouble, all because of me. I owe her,” Spring said, meaningfully.
“Lily is a good person,” Herb agreed. “I’m thankful that nothing has happened to her.”
“Herb. Everything has happened to her!” Spring exclaimed. “She just hasn’t been killed. Yet. Who knows what that crazy old man will do to get to me? I’ve been thinking about that, too. If I agreed to cooperate quietly—”
“No!” Herb shouted. The thought of Zygote laying just one of his bony fingers on Spring filled him with rage again.
Spring squeezed his hands in hers. “Herb, we can’t stop him now. I may as well do what good I can under the circumstances. If I go along, maybe he will agree to let you and Lily go home. After all, once he has the secret, what harm could anyone do him? If what he suspects is true, he will be virtually invincible.”
Herb was torn. “If it comes to that, you know I want Lily to be free, but I couldn’t stand for you to—to do that. Not with him!”
“Dear Herb,” Spring said, pulling him up against the bars, her flesh pressing his in alternate spots. “You are so sweet to care what happens to me, after all I’ve done to you.”
Herb knew it was a lot more than being understanding. It was all over now anyway, so why not confess? “Spring, about Lily—” he began.
“Yes, you and Lily must be together. After all you both have suffered for me, I couldn’t bear to be the cause of anything else happening. The love you share mustn’t be destroyed by Zygote.”
“But Spring. I—”
“Shh. Listen. Someone is coming,” she whispered.
Torchlight illuminated the darkness, casting long shadows. They were still holding hands when the giant came to bring them food. Zygote did not intend to starve them, at least.
Larg opened Herb’s cell and gave him a small bowl of thick stew, some bread, and a jug of liquid before relocking the door. He then unlocked Spring’s and repeated the motions of handing in the dishes. Before she could accept the last one, it flew from his hand and crashed onto the dirt floor. The giant went down with a heavy thud and did not get back up. A round shadow rolled back to them.
“Cling!” Spring cried happily. “You found us!”
He had subdued the giant in the same manner as the goon in the greenhouse on Paradise. Plucking the key from the giant’s belt, he tossed it to Herb, who quickly opened his cell. He looked down at the sleeping hulk.
“That’s amazing,” Herb said. One didn’t have to be a giant to defend oneself if one knew the right moves. “You have to teach me how to do that when we get out of this!” he exclaimed. Herb was tired of feeling helpless.
“So sorry to be delayed, but much magic in this castle to avoid,” Cling Ling explained.
The trio moved carefully past the small human mountain and up the long stairway. Prepared to fight, they opened the door to the tower room, but it was empty. Where had Zygote taken Lily?
Cling Ling decided to do what he did best, and slipped out the open window to creep along the castle walls. If Lily was anywhere in the castle, he would find her.
Spring and Herb went back down to the first floor to check out the rooms there. For a large castle, it was oddly deserted. They did not see a single servant. Yet Zygote had no family that Spring knew of, and in his line of work he would hardly desire many house guests as witnesses. Still, it must be a lonely life, even for someone like Zygote. Spring quickly upbraided herself. Pity for Zygote? Never!
After searching the entire lower floor, they ascended to the second, starting just below the tower. They were coming to the last few rooms when Spring put a finger to her lips, signaling Herb to silence. She thought she heard faint voices coming from the next room.
Cautiously, she shoved against the door and peered through the tiny slit. A small gasp escaped her lips. Herb pushed past her to look inside.
There was Lily reclined upon a bed, and there was Zygote. He was embracing her. After he had sworn he had never forced himself on her, the liar! Blood boiling, Herb burst into the room despite Spring’s attempt to restrain him. This was no time for stealth! He no longer cared what powers Zygote might use against him; he couldn’t let Lily be raped by that mad old man.
“Let her go, Zygote!” he shouted.
“Herb!” Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise and fear. Naturally she was afraid, Herb thought. Who wouldn’t be, with that beast pawing her? In her weakened condition, too.
Zygote rose from the bed and faced Herb. Herb dashed forward, but surprisingly, made no headway. Another huge minion of Zygote’s had appeared from behind him and clutched Herb tightly about the arms and chest, totally immobilizing him.
Lily looked at Zygote with tears in her eyes. “Please don’t hurt Herb,” she implored.
Just then, the stained glass of the window broke away as Cling Ling flung himself into the room. One strong roll brought the goon to his knees, breaking the grip on Herb.
“Run!” yelled the Vinese, and taking his own advice, rolled quickly out the doorway. Julep-so he might know, but he was no match for Zygote’s magic. The wisest course was to put a wide space between them and the magician before he took action. It was not long in coming.
They dashed down the steps to the floor below, flying out the front entrance toward the gate. The drawbridge had been raised.
“We’ll have to swim for it,” Herb called. “We’ll return for Lily when we can.” He removed his shoes and advanced to the water’s edge.
“No, don’t!” Spring screamed.
Herb looked where she was pointing and withdrew his toes just as a huge, warty, moat creature snapped at it. Sea serpents in a moat? He should have anticipated as much. It was right in line with Zygote’s mythical world. Well, mythical it might be, but those jaws were real enough. Zygote did no shoddy workmanship.
Shoving his feet back into his shoes, Herb and the others fled around the side of the castle. Suddenly, they heard the unearthly cry above them.
They looked up. It couldn’t be, and yet it was. A mammoth lavender dragon with huge silver wings, bearing down upon them, fire issuing from its toothy mouth.
They needed cover fast, but there was only one place. Back into the castle they tore, the heat of its hot breath scorching their backsides.
“Where can we hide?” Spring gasped, as they stopped to catch their breath in the doorway.
“Hold it right there,” came a voice they all recognized. A thin form stepped out from the shadows brandishing a vapor gun. Without pausing, he aimed and fired. A chunk of the marble floor in front of them disappeared into smoke. He laughed coldly at their fright.
“Elton!” Spring cried.
“Yes, Spring, I have finally arrived. Apparently none too soon. I trust you enjoyed your little charade, for it’s all over now.” He fired another shot, this time finding a mark. Cling Ling lost a few leaves.
“Stop it. You’re insane!” Spring screamed. “I am the one you want. Take me to Zygote. Just put down the weapon.”
“It’s too late for that, Spring, don’t you see? Or shall I call you Lily? How about Mank?” he added with contempt.
“You knew?” asked Spring in a small voice.
“I finally figured it out. How else could you have hidden from me on the ship, except in disguise? You must think you’re very clever. I may not be able to have your secret, but neither will anyone else. In another moment you’ll all be dust, my dearest.”
He fired another blast, ripping a gash from the front of her skirt. Herb grasped Spring in his arms, spinning around to protect her with his body.
br /> “That won’t help, hero,” Elton said. “This baby can take out a dragon at twenty feet.” He smiled insanely.
Spring struggled to free herself from Herb’s arms. “Don’t. I don’t want you to be hurt.”
“Whatever happens, Spring, we’ll face it together,” he said.
Elton rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Oh please. Spare me. What is this power you have, Spring? One at a time, or two, it makes no difference to me. As long as you die.” He raised the weapon again and took careful aim. They knew this was the end. He had only been playing with them before, making them suffer, but knew better than to delay too long.
The vapor gun fell harmlessly to the floor as a huge cockroach went scurrying away. The foot of the giant came down to smash it with a horrible cracking sound.
Zygote stood behind him. “A fitting end. He was always an insect at heart,” he said coldly.
The others stood looking on in shock. Zygote had turned Elton into a bug? There was only a greasy smear on the floor where he had stood moments before. Hideous. And yet, he would have left even less of them.
Herb came suddenly to life. Grabbing for Spring, he bolted toward the stairs and down into the darkness. Cling Ling rolled shakily behind, the loss of his leaves throwing him off balance for the moment.
“There’s no escape!” Zygote called out from behind them. That might very well be, but they would elude him for as long as possible, Herb thought. He was grateful for Zygote’s intervention, but knew it was only to further his own vile purpose. To obtain Spring’s secret.
Down past the cells they raced with the slower giant lumbering a small distance behind them. Zygote seemed to have told the truth, however. There were no more doors at this level. Cling Ling had rescued the giant’s torch and used it to illuminate the dead end before them. The goon’s footsteps grew nearer.
Herb spied a narrow cleft between the two walls at one side. Probably just bad construction, but if they could squeeze between, they might be able to hide for a while longer. Spring tried it first. It was a tight fit, but pressing as flat as possible, they edged inward, one behind the other.