“Not so,” Fornax said.
They all looked at her. “They don’t miss us?” Win asked.
“They did miss you, the morning you were lost. Kandy contacted me, alarmed. I told her that you were reasonably safe and working your way through the labyrinth, and would return to them in due course. They were reassured, and went on about their business.”
“This was an aspect of your compromise,” Astrid said, working it out. “You could not do anything to help directly, but you could provide information about what Nemesis had done.”
“Exactly. Telling on him did not constitute a violation of the Demon Protocols, though I did not identify him personally.”
“Neat,” Myst said, giggling.
“Still,” Astrid said, “we should not let them worry any longer. We should return there now.”
“But we want the Playground,” Firenze said.
“Because we can use it to better plan what to do,” Santo said.
“And it’s fun,” Squid said.
Astrid threw up her hands, almost losing them in the sky. “You really want to rescue the Playground, after all the mischief it brought us?”
“Yes,” Win said. “Because that mischief was with you.”
Astrid fended off her flush of pleasure. “So you want to search it out. Fighting off all the monsters in the way as we go to the Gap?”
That made the children pause. “Commune,” Myst said.
They linked hands, Communing.
“That Communing is really an extra talent,” Fornax remarked. “Each of them must have a piece of it, and when they get together, it manifests. I don’t recall seeing that in Xanth before.”
“Maybe in the future people have learned how to get a bit more than one talent apiece,” Astrid said, similarly intrigued.
The children separated. “We have it,” Firenze said.
“I will make a hole,” Santo said.
Astrid exchanged a glance with Fornax. “A hole?” she asked blankly.
“A big one. From here to there.”
“But there are mountains between here and there,” Astrid protested. “You get tired just making holes through stones.”
“My power is growing, and the other children enhance me. I can do it.”
“They are special in the way they support each other,” Fornax said.
What could she do? “If that’s the way you want it, then do it,” she said. “But it’s still a long haul.”
“Maybe not,” Squid said.
Santo focused. A huge hole with a circular rim appeared before him, going in the direction of the arrow. It seemed to be a translucent hole in the substance of Xanth itself, for it started at the slope of the mountain and angled down slightly, passing through the air on the way to the ground across the valley. Inside it was shiny and slightly glowing.
“But it’s still a long way,” Astrid said. “And not big enough for me to walk upright.”
“We’ll make a cart,” Win said.
They got to work on it, fetching fallen branches and tying them together with vines. Firenze heated his head and burned the edges off three sections of wood to form disks, and Santo made holes in the centers. They put poles through the holes. Before long they had a three-wheeled cart with a sail made of a harvested sheet. They set it in the hole and sat on it with Squid in front, her tentacles wrapped around the steering column of the front wheel.
Then Win, standing on the back of it, started her wind. It caught the sail and pushed the cart forward. It accelerated, and soon they were moving rapidly along the tunnel.
Astrid, seated in the center with Firenze, Santo, and Myst, was amazed. The ride was remarkably smooth. She could see through the wall of the tube as they zoomed through hill and dale, now in the air, now underground. The children had made all this, somehow knowing how to do it.
“Really talented kids,” Fornax remarked approvingly.
Something about the way she said it aroused Astrid’s suspicion. The children were too talented. They had developed not only magic talents of remarkable power, but also the ability to coordinate them so as to accomplish more than seemed likely. This seemed to be way beyond the likely abilities of children. They were receiving effective guidance. They called it Communing. But it had to be more than merely pooling their awareness.
In fact it seemed more likely that they were actually channeling advice and support from a phenomenally more potent source. One who was sincerely trying to understand and assist the children. One who could not help openly, because that would constitute Demonly intervention and be banned by the other participants in a Wager. By passing it through the mechanism of Communing, she could mask the real source. A friend who was not seeking credit.
Astrid could not say a word, lest she trigger mischief. But she realized that just as she loved the children, she was coming to love Fornax too.
The Demoness glided along beside her, pretending to be oblivious.
“We’re getting there,” Squid said.
The wind eased. The cart slowed. They drew up to the end of the hole. They scrambled out.
They were deep in a U-shaped canyon whose sides rose awesomely high. This was the dreaded Gap Chasm.
“The Playground will be somewhere around here,” Firenze said. “We just need to find it.”
There was a puffing sound. “That’s a steamer,” Squid said.
“Stanley Steamer,” Astrid said. “The Gap Dragon.”
“We can’t go until we find the Playground,” Santo said.
“You look for the Playground,” Astrid said. “I will intercept Stanley.”
She walked out toward the approaching sound. Now she heard a whomping, as the dragon undulated toward her. She stood her ground.
The Gap Dragon hove into view. It was full dragon size, long and sinuous. It had six small legs, two vestigial wings, and a horrendous green head. Steam puffed from its mouth and joints. It moved by lifting a section and whomping it forward like a giant inchworm, the raised section traveling back along its body until it expired at the tail. The raised section seemed not to move; it was the rest of the body that moved, sliding through it. Overall, it was an intriguing and impressive effect.
The dragon spied her and paused. He inhaled.
“I wouldn’t,” Astrid said. “I give you fair warning that I am a basilisk in human form. I can stun you or kill you before either your teeth or your steam can reach me. I suggest you listen to me before proceeding further.”
Stanley considered. Then he resumed inhaling.
Astrid removed her glasses without looking directly at him.
Maybe it was her clear disdain for his power that impressed him. Few creatures acted that way without reason. He breathed out, not firing a jet of super-heated steam.
“Good enough,” Astrid said, putting her glasses back on. “I am Astrid Basilisk-Cockatrice, on a mission to eradicate the pun-destroying virus. We are a party largely of children who have lost a rather special Playground. Someone folded it up into a matchbox and tossed it into the Gap. We are here to find it, and when we do, we will depart. We mean no harm to you or the Gap Chasm. We know you, Stanley Steamer, and would much prefer to cooperate with you than oppose you. Will you agree to a truce?”
The dragon considered. Then he nodded.
“The children will be glad to meet you,” Astrid said. “They know you by reputation.” She turned and walked back the way she had come.
The dragon followed.
“Children!” Astrid called. “Allow me to introduce Stanley Steamer, the dread Gap Dragon. We are in a state of truce.”
The dragon nodded again.
“And Stanley, here are the children: Firenze, Santo, Squid, Win, and Myst.” Each child dutifully faced the dragon and nodded when identified.
“Ooo!” Squid said. “You’re so
handsome, Stanley. I adore fearsome dragons.”
The dragon’s snoot turned a darker shade of green: his way of blushing.
“The children would like to meet you up close,” Astrid said. “May they?”
Stanley nodded again. Squid, Win, and Myst ran up to him, hugging his scaly neck and kissing his hot nose. He plainly liked the attention. Before long they were riding him, squealing with delight as they rode the traveling hump and slid off the tail. Astrid was glad to see it, knowing how appealing little girls could be, but she did keep a careful eye out. One never could be quite certain with dragons.
Meanwhile the boys continued the search, but there was no sign of the matchbox. “It’s got to be here,” Firenze said, frustrated.
“Strike a match,” Astrid suggested.
He banged his head with the heel of his hand as if knocking the dottle out. “I forgot.” He brought out his match and struck it against a rock. And disappeared.
Astrid looked around, searching for him.
“Over here!” he called.
He was in a large bramble bush some distance to the side. He was holding up the matchbox, having found it where it had fallen out of the partridge pear tree. In a moment his head heated; he put it down and burned off the brambles, and stepped out.
Astrid went to him and kissed him, relieved, as he held his breath. Then she called to the other children. “We have the Playground! Firenze found it!”
The three girls left the dragon, to mutual reluctance, and rejoined Astrid. Only Santo remained apart, standing beside Fornax; the two had evidently been talking. “I think we need to consult,” the Demoness said.
“There’s a problem?” Astrid asked.
“He’s catching on.”
“Uh-oh,” Firenze said.
Astrid did not ask for details. “We need privacy.”
“My place will do.”
“Your place,” Astrid agreed.
“This way.” Fornax ducked down and stepped into the open hole they had used to get to the Gap.
Astrid herded the children after her, sitting them on the wagon, facing in. Then she joined them. Win blew it forward. In a moment they were zooming back through the tunnel.
In another moment they came out. Not by the mountain they had started at, but in a stone castle. “Welcome to my residence,” Fornax told them.
“In Fornax Galaxy?” Firenze asked.
“With CT matter?” Santo asked.
“The terrene enclave that I maintain in the ContraTerrene galaxy,” Fornax agreed. “You are safe here, as long as you do not stray beyond the castle environs, and our dialogue will not be overheard. Complete candor is possible. But with it must come complete trust.”
The three girls looked puzzled. “Why?” Squid asked.
“Because your lives could be in danger if you break the trust,” Astrid said.
Now Squid caught on. “Aunt Fornax’s been messing in again!”
“I have,” Fornax agreed.
“To help us,” Win said.
“As before,” Myst said.
“Why?” Firenze asked.
“Because we would not have survived or escaped Storage otherwise,” Santo said.
“Tell us how,” Squid said.
“And who,” Win said.
“And when,” Myst said.
“When Squid swam across the underground river I enabled her to change her smell as well as her appearance, so the predators did not recognize her.”
“My smell!” Squid said. “I forgot about that! I did not have that ability before.”
“ When Myst floated under the Dungeon exit door, I gave her cloud mobility she did not have before.”
“That’s right!” Myst said. “That’s when I found I could do it! I thought I was just discovering more of my talent.”
“And later I enabled her to expand to a much larger size without losing control, so she could identify the invisible monsters in the gulf.”
“That too,” Myst agreed. “Thank you, aunt Fornax.”
“When Win blew the dragons away, I enhanced her power.”
“I could only do a light breeze before,” Win said. “Suddenly I could do Gale and Hurricane. I thought I just hadn’t really tried before.”
“When Firenze needed to stop the fiend and dragons, I enhanced his fireworks to full hotheadedness.”
“That’s when it happened,” Firenze agreed. “I wondered. I never got beyond fireworks before.”
“And me,” Santo said. “For this last trip. Suddenly I could do big, long tunnels without tiring. I thought it was just the natural development of my powers. But then I wondered. I tried to ask Aunt Fornax, but she wouldn’t answer. Now I think I know why. She’s not supposed to mess in.”
“I’m not,” the Demoness agreed. “I have been cheating. Nemesis will have my backside if he finds out.”
“And the Communing?” Astrid asked.
“That was my first gift, along with increased intelligence. They needed to believe in each other.”
Which explained the uncommon intelligence and judgment the children had showed. They were far beyond their ages.
“So you have been enhancing us all along,” Squid said. “Ever since you helped Aunt Astrid rescue us.”
“The rescue was a joint effort,” Astrid said. “We were exploring friendship, and believed that working together with children would help.”
“And did it?” Win asked.
“Yes,” Fornax said, her eyes closed.
“What do you want with us?” Myst asked.
Fornax looked at Astrid. “Must I answer that?”
“I think you must.”
“I want to love and be loved. To love all of you, and be loved in return. So that my friendship with Astrid can be complete.”
“But how would you expect us to be grateful if we never knew what you did?” Firenze asked.
“I did not do it for your gratitude. I did it because—” she broke off.
“You need to finish it,” Astrid said.
“Because I already loved you.”
The children gazed at her. “Don’t you have a Demon Bet against Xanth surviving?” Santo asked.
“I do.”
“But if we survive and get adopted out, Xanth will survive,” Squid said.
“Yes.”
“And you will lose your Bet,” Win said.
“Yes.”
“You really do love us,” Myst said.
“I do.” She had been proving it all along.
Firenze considered. “Can we safely touch you, here in your home?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
The children pounced. Suddenly Fornax was buried in hugs.
“We do love you,” Santo said. “At least I do.”
“We all do,” Squid said.
“We just didn’t know it,” Win said.
“Until now,” Myst said.
Now there were tears on Fornax’s face. “May I kiss you?” she asked.
For answer, they started kissing her, all over.
Astrid watched, feeling the tears on her own face.
After a while the children’s brief attention span moved on. “What else is here?” Firenze asked.
“Everything,” Fornax said. “Gardens, parks, playrooms, kitchens—”
“Eye scream?” Santo asked.
“A mountain of it.”
In little more than an instant the children were reveling in that mountain while Astrid and Fornax watched. “The boredom and loneliness are gone,” Fornax said. “The children have banished it.”
“They have,” Astrid agreed.
“But I can’t keep them here. All that will remain is my friendship with you.”
“I can’t keep them either,” A
strid said. “How I wish I could! But the friendship will remain.”
In due course the children, tired out from their activities, bounced on the playroom beds and sank into sleep, while the adults sat in large easy chairs. Only Santo delayed briefly. “I meant it,” he said to Fornax. “I wish I could stay with you.”
“Stay with me for a while now.”
He joined her on the chair, curling up on her lap. She put her arm around him, and he slept with his head on her shoulder. She looked as happy as he did.
This had worked out almost too well. Astrid had come to distrust anything that was too easy. Where was the catch?
Hours later, when they all woke, Astrid organized the children for the return. “Aunt Fornax has trusted you with information that could severely damage her among Demons,” she cautioned them. “You must never speak of it outside. In fact, don’t even show the extent of your talents unless you have to.”
They nodded in unison. “We won’t,” Squid agreed.
Then they entered the tunnel, blowing back to the Gap Chasm. The Gap Dragon was gone, having moved on about his rounds. All they had to do was make a new hole to the original campsite.
“Um, should we do that?” Astrid asked.
“Why not?” Firenze asked.
“It should be a longer trip back to our campsite. If we suddenly appear there, thanks to a huge new tunnel you make, that will reveal the extent of your talent. Maybe it won’t make a difference to most folk, but a watching Demon could be suspicious.”
“I don’t want suspicion,” Santo said. “It could get someone in trouble.” There was no need to say whom he meant.
“Why don’t we walk home?” Squid asked. “We’ve walked plenty in Storage. We can walk some more in Xanth.”
“And see the sights,” Win agreed.
“Maybe some naughty ones,” Myst said, giggling.
They tackled the chasm wall. There was a small path winding up the slope, cut into the wall. It looked dangerously narrow, but they should be able to navigate it if they were careful. This time Astrid sent Squid up first, in her natural form, so that her sensitive tentacles could feel out the way and make sure it was firm. Then Firenze with a staff made from a suitable dead branch, treading carefully. Then Win, Myst, Santo, and Astrid. Fornax was along, but would not trek with them.