Part 14 (1/2)
”Forget it.” She wasn't mad at him; she just wanted to maintain control. He was ever the opportunist. Anyway, this was hardly the time.
The boat drew up to a rock beside the water. Edsel stepped onto it, feeling his talent change, then braced himself and held out his hand to steady Pia.
They walked to the interior, searching for the teller's pedestal. ”Before we leave it, we had better make sure we have good talents,” Pia reminded him.
He brought out the teller. ”What's my Talent?”
”You can modify or deflect other folks' talents.”
”That's worth saving.” Pia said.
”Yeah, I guess so.”
She took the teller. ”What my talent?”
”You can speak things real.”
”What does that mean'” But of course the thing didn't answer.
”I guess you'll just have to try it to find out.” Edsel said unhelpfully.
”What am I going to do-speak of a mountain of chocolate?” A mound appeared before them. It was a small mountain of chocolate. She reached out and broke off a piece to taste. It was delicious.
”But now I've used up the talent,” she said regretfully. ”I can't speak anything else real.”
”Sorry about that.” he said, breaking off a chunk of chocolate for himself.
Frustrated, she addressed the teller again. ”What's my talent?”
”To put wings on anything ”
She considered. ”How useful might that be?”
”I'm not sure.” Edsel said. ”There's no guarantee they could make anything fly. Take a person, for example: put wings on him, and he wouldn't be able to fly, because he would not have the muscle or the balance or the experience.”
She trusted his logic ”Very well. I'll throw this one away.” She looked around, spied a rock, and willed it to have wings.
Wings sprouted. Evidently startled, the rock flapped them wildly. It sailed up into the air and flew away.
”Then again. I could be wrong.” Edsel said.
”Now he tells me.” she muttered. But she doubted she would have wanted to keep that particular talent anyway. ”What's my talent?”
”To know what is inimical.”
”That will do.” she said. ”I won't invoke it now ”
”If Justin's right, once we get off the isle without the teller, our talents will stay.”
”Yes. Let's do it before we lose them.”
They found the pedestal and set the teller on it. This time it stayed. They walked carefully back, never jumping.
In due course they reached the rock. There was the boat a little way out. Justin and Breanna were sitting in it embracing. Actually she seemed to be sitting on his lap, and one of each of their hands was out of sight. ”They ate making progress.” Pia murmured.
”For sure.” he agreed, smiling. ”That little girl could hold my hand anytime.”
”Oh?” Pia inquired dangerously.
”Look, Pia-you said we should be dating out. Of course I wouldn't touch Breanna, because she belongs to Justin. But someone else-” He shrugged.
He had a point. If they were going to divorce, they needed to be trying other relations.h.i.+ps ”Sorry. You're right. You can hold hands with someone else.”
”How about a nude nymph?”
He was testing her. ”If you can catch her, you can have her.” She masked it. but he had succeeded in making her faintly uneasy. He had always been faithful to her, and it wasn't comfortable to give him leave to be otherwise.
They waved to the boat, and it paddled in. Pia braced against Edsel and stepped in first, then he followed. The boat moved out.
”So what talents do you two have?” Breanna asked eagerly.
”Knowing what's inimical.” Pia said.
”Modifying or deflecting other talents,” Edsel said.
”These are useful talents.” Justin said.
”You should have seen the one that got away,” Pia said. ”T made a mountain of chocolate.”
”And you left it behind9” Breanna wailed.
”Not entirely.” Edsel said, producing a big chunk.
Breanna took it. ”I love chocolate, especially black chocolate.” She broke off a section.
”She has a fondness for all things black,” Justin remarked. He glanced at her. ”So do I, now.”
Breanna looked at him. ”So does that mean you want me or the chocolate?”
”Both are surely delicious.”
She nodded. ”Correct answer.” She broke off a piece for him. then gave the main ma.s.s back to Edsel.
”This is supper. I think.” Edsel said. ”So we don't have to stop to look for a pie tree.”
They pitched in. demolis.h.i.+ng the chocolate.
”But we'd better test our talents,” Pia said. ”To verify, and make sure they don't fade.” She looked around. ”Anything maybe dangerous around?”
”Deep water's usually dangerous, if there aren't mermaids in it.” Breanna said.