“Max, is that you?” one member of the trio screeched.
A second later all three of them were hanging on my neck. It was pleasant, but pretty darn heavy.
“Well, you’ve finally dropped the ‘Sir.’ It’s about time,” I said, trying to pat all their heads at once with my two hands. “Just stop strangling me to death. You need me alive, trust me.”
While I was struggling for my inalienable right to breathe, Lonli-Lokli sauntered into the hall, greeting people here and there and offering a laconic but digestible version of what had happened. He had a number of old acquaintances among the courtiers who were victims of this sorry affair. His presence was as effective as the strongest calmative, and I could sense the tension in the room subsiding.
“Girls, if you don’t let go of me, I’ll have to put a spell on you,” I moaned, trying to speak sternly at the same time.
No go. The sisters just sighed in delight and gripped my neck still more tightly, which by that point I would not have thought possible.
“I absolutely and wholeheartedly share your delight, young ladies, but now you must release Sir Max for a time,” Lonli-Lokli said sternly. “He still has to make sure that we return home safely. Then you may do anything with him that you see fit. Agreed?”
“That’s a somewhat daring claim. If everyone who wishes does anything with me they see fit . . .” I muttered, hurrying to put the girls, who were quite taken with this splendid speech, back into the red chair. I kissed three little noses, one after the other. “Sir Shurf is right, girls. Now we will go home, and all will be well. I promise.”
They gasped in delight and nodded. Three pairs of eyes looked up at me trustingly. There were sixty more pairs of eyes staring at me with the same expression. There is nothing worse than being the one everyone else depends on, but it seemed I had to get used to this awkward position.
“Now we’ll go outside into the garden,” I said in the jaunty manner of a Boy Scout leader. “I ask all of you to follow me, and not to lag behind or to go off on your own. It would be really swell if you would try to step in my tracks. It could turn out that your very lives depend on it. We’ll soon be home, and then you can rejoice, get angry, be afraid, ask questions, and do anything that you wish—even dance on the table naked. Sir Shurf, you will have to bring up the rear and make sure that everything goes smoothly. Let’s roll, folks!”
I winked at the triplets, who had finally quieted down after my address, and flung open the door leading into the garden.
It was night. I had already forgotten that night could be so dark—no moon, no streetlights, just the murky, dark-purple stain of a cloud-covered sky. But I knew exactly where to go. Turn right, into the thickest undergrowth of the neglected old garden. There were ancient stone steps by which you could descend the incline of a steep hill, feeling your way along, to a place where a wrought-iron fence glistened after a recent rain. I guessed which opening Mynin had been referring to. I even remembered where the fence was missing one bar, and the one next to it was bent out in such a way that there was enough room for a strapping young lad to slip through and raid someone else’s orchard. Even a sizable grown-up who was not averse to the idea could squeeze through. This was very convenient in the present situation, seeing as how I was shepherding an entire group of adults who were not particularly scrawny.
I must give credit where credit is due, though: my traveling companions did not cause me any trouble whatsoever. After all, they were not a bunch of frightened farmers but educated members of the court of His Majesty King Gurig VIII. They followed behind me in silence, not making any kind of fuss and not looking around. The sisters also followed in my footsteps, holding each other by the hand. It seemed that losing one another was their greatest fear. Even Droopy sensed the seriousness of the situation and pressed close to my leg instead of leaping and frolicking through the ancient garden, which was what I had feared he might do.
I found the opening immediately and stopped next to it. “Now I will crawl through the fence, and you must follow after me. Do not hurry, and don’t be anxious. All will be well. I will be there on the other side to help you, if necessary. Sir Shurf, you must bring up the rear again and make sure no one gets left behind. That is your bitter fate.”
“Why bitter?” he said, surprised. “You do love to exaggerate.”
“I won’t deny it,” I said.
I allowed myself a moment—no more than a second—of weakness. I stared fearfully at the gap in the fence, behind which lay only the impenetrable fog of the unknown, and whispered softly, “Please let everything be all right.”
I inhaled, taking in a last gulp of fresh night air that smelled of dampness, dead grass, and last year’s pine needles, and slithered through the bars of the fence. I still consider it to be another gift from the magnanimous King Mynin that I managed not to snag my Mantle of Death on a fragment of the broken wrought-iron bar. My own powers are usually not sufficient to prevent such things.
As soon as my feet touched the ground on the other side of the fence I had to jump aside: Droopy the Brave was right at my heels.
“Good boy. Now sit!” I said sternly. The dog clearly wanted to play, though. It was written in huge letters across his happy snout.
“I’ll call Uncle Shurf!” I threatened.
Droopy whimpered and sat down obediently a few feet from me. I shook my head in delight. Sir Lonli-Lokli was surely the most amazing creature in the Universe. Just the sound of his name was enough to calm the indomitable shaggy force of nature known as Droopy.
“Sir Max, where are you?”
I thrust my hand into the fog in the direction of the voice and felt a little warm hand grasp it. “Come over here,” I said, trying to speak quietly and gently. “That’s good. Is that you, Kenlex?”
“Yes,” she peeped.
“You see, I don’t mix you up anymore. By the way, no more ‘Sirring,’ remember?”
“Yes,” she said, poking her nose into my shoulder. “I just forgot. Max, I was so frightened! I followed you through the gap, and there was suddenly nothing there and no earth beneath my feet. Then you gave me your hand, and everything reappeared.”
“That was my fault,” I said. “I should have realized right away that I needed to give you my hand. Now you must move aside, or you may get shoved.”
She let go reluctantly and took a step back.
I thrust my hand into the darkness where Lady Kenlex had just materialized and shouted, just in case, “Over here!” A few seconds later I was wiping away the tears of the terrified Xeilax with one hand, while with the other I pulled the giggling Xelvi out of the dark fog. A kindred spirit: I probably would have been giggling too, if I had been her.
Things got easier after that. I quickly got the hang of thrusting my hand into the darkness in just the right place at the right moment. The courtiers, Gurig’s and my own, had stronger nerves than the girls did. A few moments later I winced involuntarily, feeling Lonli-Lokli’s iron grip. The rough leather of his protective gloves ruled out the possibility of a soft touch.
“Thank you, Sir Max,” he said courteously. “What is this place?”
“I’m not sure, but it smells like Echo. Though it doesn’t really smell like anything here.”
“I understand just what you mean,” he said. “I feel almost certain that we are in Echo, too. But where?”
“I think we might be in Xolomi,” one of the courtiers piped up. “This is one of the cells. It looks like one, in any case.”
“In Xolomi?” I said, surprised. “Well, that’s just what I deserve.”
Then I roared with laughter. I laughed so hard I couldn’t stop. Lonli-Lokli had to call the guards and explain what had happened. His explanation was remarkably tactful and convincing, naturally.
When I was finally laughed out, I discovered that the room was almost empty. Droopy was sitting on the floor next to me. A few feet away from us the inseparable trio was huddled on the floor. Sir Shurf stood in the do
orway, his arms crossed over his chest. He shook his head in disapproval.
“All the same, you must try to control yourself,” he said softly. “Are you all right, Sir Origin?”
“I’ve been all right all along,” I lied. “Where did everyone go?”
“I suppose the warden is treating them to kamra in his office.”
“So we really have landed in Xolomi? Amazing. It’s good the cell was empty.” I shook my head in amusement, then asked anxiously, “Have you found out how long we were gone?”
“One day and one night,” Shurf said. “Did you think we were away for longer?”
“Yes. Juffin says that time can play practical jokes on those who loaf around on the Dark Side. Since then I’ve been afraid that I’d leave for half an hour and return a hundred years later or more. Actually, I’ve always been afraid of that—disappearing for many years and then returning to find that everyone had gotten along fine without me the whole time. That would be terrible.”
“Most likely you will have to go through that at some point,” Shurf said in a melancholy voice. “All of us, sooner or later, have to undergo our biggest fears. Tell me, do you really have to sit here on the floor, or are you just unable to stand up?”
“I can get up, of course. You know, I really want to go home. No chitchat in Sir Kamshi’s office, no tears of gratitude, no pestering with incoherent questions. Everything can wait until tomorrow. Even seeing Sir Juffin. I don’t think I’ll make much sense now, anyway. I want to steal home and hide under my blanket. What do you think, is that possible?”
“Very well. That means it is my turn to make miracles,” he said. “I’ll accompany you to the amobiler. I’ll manage all the rest, as well. Do you have the strength to take these young ladies home? And your dog, of course.”
“I think I’ll be able to manage that.” I smiled and winked at the sisters. “Ready to go home, girls?”
They nodded vigorously. Even Droopy wagged his ears in ecstasy, his own version of wagging his tail.
Magicians be praised, Lonli-Lokli was an unsurpassed expert in navigating the labyrinthine passages of the Royal Prison of Xolomi. A few minutes later he led us into the fresh air, called the head of the guards, ordered him to furnish me with an official amobiler, and accompanied us to the ferry.
“Thank you, Shurf,” I said. “You’ve saved my skin, of course. Not to mention my sanity. I am not exaggerating in the least!”
“And I thank you,” he said. “I could never in my life have imagined anything like the walk we took together.”
“Same here, believe me. You haven’t forgotten your book, have you?”
“Sometimes you say the most surprising things,” Lonli-Lokli said, shaking his head. “How, may I ask, could I have ever left it behind?”
I stopped the amobiler in front of the Furry House.
“We’re here, girls.” They didn’t budge. Three pairs of pleading eyes stared at me.
“Shall I come in with you?” I said, smiling. “Oh, that’s right. It’s dark, empty, and cold in there, and your servants are being plied with free kamra by the warden of the Royal Prison. You want me to turn on the lights, sit for a spell in the living room, and wish you all a good night. Of course I’ll come in. Only not for too long, so please don’t get angry with me.”
They beamed and made a dash for the door. Droopy, just about to doze off, raised one ear, sized up the situation, and leaped from the amobiler. I yawned, desperate for sleep, then followed after them.
Despite my expectations, it was light in the hallway and smelled of good food. The enormous living room was plunged in a cozy semidarkness, so I didn’t notice right away that we had guests.
“Didn’t I tell you that this nasty brute was gallivanting around who knows where with a pack of pretty women?” Melifaro said to Tekki.
“What are you doing here?” I was so glad to see them, and so confused, that I asked them the dorkiest question of all.
“What do you mean? Tekki made a date with me here,” Melifaro said, grinning. “Everything was great until you showed up.”
I looked over at Tekki.
“Did you know we were getting back today? And that I would be stopping by here? But I had planned to go immediately to your place, only the girls didn’t want to go home to an empty house . . . What if I had gone straight to the New City?”
“Well, if the girls had come home without you, I would have just sent you a call,” said Tekki. “Isn’t that what Silent Speech is for?”
“Still, how did you know that we were coming back today?” I said, hugging her.
“What difference does it make, Max?” Tekki said, laughing. “The last thing on earth you want to do now is uncover this secret since you’re so weary of your own mysteries. What you really want to do is sleep. And maybe just one mug of my kamra—there is it, on the table.”
“You know everything about me,” I said. “Am I really such a predictable bore?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding.
I sat down next to her, then shifted my attention to Melifaro. The fellow looked like he hadn’t had the easiest day, but now he was glowing with happiness. He didn’t even try to outdo Tekki by flinging some outrageous insult at me. Kenlex, shy but pleased, sat down next to him, and her sisters gazed at the couple indulgently.
Meanwhile, Xelvi, the flibbertigibbet, took a small gray object from the pocket of her looxi and showed it to her sister. Xeilax smiled approvingly.
“What do you have there, Xelvi?” I said in alarm. “Come on, let me see.”
“It’s just a toy,” she said, embarrassed. “I found it in that house where we woke up today. It was lying there on the red chair. You’re not angry?”
“Of course not.”
I reached out and took the souvenir. Then I regretted that I had expended my quota of laughter at Xolomi. Now was just the time for another such outburst of hysterical merriment, but I had no strength left. Xelvi had brought home Doroth himself, the Master of the Manooks, the main culprit in our recent misfortunes. Now that he was missing his tail, he himself had become a stuffed toy. Doroth looked almost sweet in this state and didn’t seem to pose the least bit of danger. I handed him back to Xelvi.
“Let me introduce you. This cute little mouse is Doroth. He once lived in Uandook, in the very heart of the Red Xmiro Desert, by the walls of the enchanted city of Cherxavla. Then he served King Mynin and spent his later years in the Barren Lands, where he ruled over your neighbors, the ill-starred Manooks. Now he will be your toy. I think this little rodent should make quite a powerful talisman.”
“That same Doroth from the ancient legends, once sung by the Manooks?” Xeilax said.
“The very same. Don’t be afraid. Without his tail he can’t cast a spell on anyone.”
“Will you tell us everything?” Xelvi said hopefully.
“Everything? Well, probably not. But I will certainly tell you about what happened to you. Tomorrow. Or the next day.”
“Max’s trademark promise,” said Tekki. “Tomorrow, or the day after, or the Last Day of the Year.”
“Can’t say it’s not,” I agreed.
Then I dropped off to sleep right there in the armchair, with a full mug of kamra in my hand. That was a first.
When I woke up, I discovered that I was no longer sitting in the armchair but lying under a blanket. I had no clue how I’d gotten there, but it was great. I floated off into the sweet darkness of sleep again.
It didn’t stay sweet for long. I was beset by alarming dreams, confusing but distinct, like frames in a newsreel. I dreamed that I was lost in the forest, and I was approached by some crazy, pathetic creatures who had at one time been elves of this World. Unsteady on their legs, they shuffled around, staring at me with their turbid, teary eyes. They said nothing, but they didn’t leave, as if they were waiting for something. Suddenly I knew what they wanted from me.
I drew the invisible Sword of King Mynin from my aching chest and plunged it into the
throat of the nearest elf. He fell to the ground quietly and slowly, like a dry leaf in autumn, and I shouted, “Next!” Then I lost my wits altogether. Remarkably, I seemed to wield the sword like I had been practicing fencing all my life. Rather, it seemed the sword was wielding me, and not the other way around.
My dream was full of senseless rage, emerald-green blood, and indescribable relief. But whether it was me or my victims who were experiencing it, I didn’t know.
When it was all over, King Mynin’s Sword wanted to return to its sheath—to my chest, that is.
I woke up from my own screaming. I shouted from an excruciating pain in my chest and between my shoulder blades—as though a skewer was turning inside of me. A few seconds later the pain subsided, leaving behind just a slight numbness in my chest muscles and a bad memory. I buried my head in the pillow and laughed out loud from relief. Actually, I didn’t so much laugh as cry. I sobbed, gasping for breath like an orphaned child.
“What’s wrong, Max?” Tekki, pale with fright, was standing in the doorway. She looked at me, took a deep breath, and smiled. It seemed my wet cheeks were not in the least incompatible with her knowledge of the world. And I, idiot that I am, had so often feared revealing to her my wretchedness of spirit, hiding out on the Street of Yellow Stones with my head buried under the blankets. Why? I now wondered.
“Well, praise be the Magicians, you’re alive. Did you have a nightmare?”
“Something like that. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said, wiping my nose. I smiled weakly, then looked around. “Where are we?”
“In your little palace. You nodded off right in the living room, remember?”
“Well, let’s just say I do. So this is my royal bedchamber, huh? Jeepers.” I twisted the checkered pillow, wet with my tears, in my hands, then threw it into the far corner of the bed, as big as a football field. “Now I see why I had such a hideous dream.”
“I liked sleeping here,” Tekki objected. “Today I felt like a true royal concubine, in spite of the fact that you were here with me in name only.”