Part 9 (1/2)
”Well, I'm tired and overloaded by new experience,” she said. ”But I've never made love without magic, and never in someone else's body, and never to a Mundane man. That's three to two in favor of doing it now. So let's do it.”
So they did it. It was surprisingly clumsy and somewhat messy. But Chlorine didn't mind. She had wondered whether things would be as good without magic, and now she knew: they were not. She wondered why Mundanes even bothered to signal storks. But this also meant she would really appreciate it when they returned to Xanth. Now she had a basis for comparison.
”Are you sorry?” she asked him as they relaxed for sleep.
He squeezed her hand in negation. She appreciated that too. For all its negatives, this experience was like a honeymoon.
Chapter 4: TALENTS.
Edsel woke in darkness. He had not availed himself of the privy section before, and now he needed to. Pia was sleeping beside him; she being more sensible about such things, had no problem. What a delight she could be, when she tried! But he knew she was serious: she still intended to divorce him when they returned to Mundania, and he would not be able to protest. So he had to hope that something happened in Xanth to make her change her mind.
Because though his pa.s.sion had faded somewhat in their years of marriage, he still did love her. She could be selfish and difficult and cutting, but she could also be wonderful. Tonight had been an example. She knew exactly how to please him, and she was matchless when she tried.
He got up and crawled up the side of the nest to the ladder. He was clothed; they had dressed again, after, as neither one of them was quite used to the ways of Xanth, and wanted to be ready for surprises. He climbed down and walked toward the privy. This was just a pit covered by illusion, but it served well enough. He could see, as there was a faint glow from the ground, maybe of magical origin. He liked the ambient magic of Xanth.
He emerged from the privy and paused. Had he heard something?
”Edsel,” a voice called from the night.
”Here,” he said, surprised. ”Who are you? Where are you?”
”I'm Breanna. Here by the path. Come quickly.”
He walked toward her. She was standing just beyond the path, in the darkness. ”What's up? I thought you were with Justin.”
”I was,” she said. ”But something came up. You must come right away.”
”What came up?”
”There is danger. You must leave this place now. Come with me.”
”Danger?”
”Yes. Hurry.”
This was confusing. ”I thought this place was enchanted to be safe.”
”Bad magic is coming,” she said urgently. ”We must be well away before it gets here. At dawn. Far away. We must go.”
”Without Pia? Without Justin?”
”Justin is finding a safe place.” she said. ”Get Pia.”
He remained bothered. ”Are you sure? I mean, to sneak out in the night-”
”I am sure. Quickly, Edsel. We must go. Be very silent.”
”Okay.” He returned to the nest. ”Pia,” he whispered, touching her shoulder.
She was hard to wake. It was her diabetes, he thought; when she went down, it was for the count. But he kept after her. ”Pia. Wake up. We have to get out of here.”
She stirred. ”Huh? Didn't I already take care of you?”
”This isn't s.e.x. Wake up. We have to go.”
”You go. I'll stay.” She pulled the blanket over her head.
It was a struggle, but he finally got through to her. She got herself together, grabbed her purse, and followed him out of the nest. They descended the ladder and walked across to where Breanna was waiting.
”What's this?” Pia asked. ”We can't go outside the enchanted area.”
”We must,” Breanna said ”Danger.”
”But-”
”She says it's coming here at dawn,” Edsel said. ”Bad magic. We have to clear the area before it gets here.”
Pia evidently didn't have the mental coherence to argue. ”Then let's get to where I can finish sleeping ”
”This way,” Breanna said, turning to follow a small side path. Small glowing fungus growing along the sides marked it.
They followed. Edsel didn't like this, but it was the job of the Companions to keep the visitors safe, and he had to trust their judgment. They had been right about everything else.
The path wound deviously through the night. Edsel had no idea where they were going. He wanted to ask, but didn't want to be too obvious about his ignorance. So he tried to lead into it by broaching a different subject. ”How did it work out with Justin?'
”Justin is finding a sate place,” she said.
She had said that before ”No, I mean last night You know, holding hands.”
”We do hold hands.” she agreed.
”Not this way Petting.”
”We pet pets,” the girl said ”They are nice.”
Something was wrong ”Does this make sense to you?” he asked Pia”
”No I don't think this is Breanna ”
Uh-oh. But he had to find out. ”Breanna, exactly what is this danger that's coming? We have a right to know.”
”Danger,” she said ”Coming at dawn You must get far away ”
”You said that before,” Edsel said.
”Before,” she agreed ”You must hurry, before the danger comes at dawn '