Part 24 (1/2)

”No it isn't.” Monica said. ”They chomp children ”

The boat accelerated. but the centaur was in full gallop and still gaining. ”Haaa!” it repeated, just in case they hadn't heard the first time. ”I am Dyrak. scourge of mortals, and you are on my path.”

”I think we took the wrong fork,” Edsel said.

”For sure! Duck feet can't outrun that thing. But maybe if we can reach water-” She looked desperately from side to side ”Para! Take that detour ahead. It leads toward the river.”

The boat slowed around the sharp turn and plunged into an offshoot path. The tree branches closed overhead, forming a canopy, making it seem like a hall. The demon centaur's hoofs screeched to a halt; he did not follow them. ”You'll be sorry!” he called.

”Oh, pooh!” Monica called back.

”Yeah, p.o.o.p!” Ted agreed.

Now Edsel saw creatures standing between the trees that lined the hall. They had the lower portions of men and the upper portions of bulls. They looked ferocious, but they weren't moving. ”What are those?” he asked.

”I think they're hall minotaurs,” Breanna replied. ”They keep order in halls, but I hear that folk seldom like the order they keep.”

”They don't seem to be doing anything,” Edsel said.

”That's because we're going the way they want,” she said darkly. ”They'll step in if we try to escape.”

Edsel glanced at the children. They looked nervous. That made him nervous. ”We can't get out of this?”

”Rempel said we'd have to use our talents.”

Edsel concentrated. What was his talent? Ah, yes-to modify or deflect other talents. He hadn't tried to use it, but this must be the time.

Breanna peered into the deepening gloom surrounding them as the foliage of the trees became thicker. Edsel remembered that she could see in blackness. ”Worse coming.” she said tersely. ”Ugly folk I wish I had a pair of binoculars.”

Edsel knew better than to guess. ”What are they?”

”They help you to see in the dark, twice as far.”

The boat slowed. The way ahead was being blocked. ”Don't stop.” Breanna cried. ”Plow on through!”

Para tried, but hands were grabbing onto his sides. They were gnarly, warty hands. They belonged to people clinging to the boat, trying to climb in.

Edsel reached out a hand, about to rip it off the boat. ”Don't touch them,1' Breanna said. ”They look poisonous.”

”Who arc you?” Ted asked a horrendous male face as it drew up over the rim.

”E Coli,” the face answered.

Edsel didn't like the sound of that.

”Who are you?” Monica asked a disreputable female face.

”Salmon Ella.”

The sound of that was no better. But could his talent help? Edsel leaned over E Coli. How did his talent work? Did he have to touch, or speak?

Then Coli heaved himself up and sprawled half in the boat. Edsel put both hands out to push him back, recoiling at the touch.

And the man turned green and lumpy, and fell away. What had happened?

”Great,” Ted said. ”You turned him into Broc Coli!” Now Salmon Ella hauled herself into the boat. Edsel pushed her hack. She turned into a sleek fish and fell away. ”Ella's a salmon,” Monica said.

So that was how his talent worked, in true Xanthian fas.h.i.+on. The dark path lay right under an innocent looking tree, beyond which was open water and light. ”Don't go there!” Justin called, and the boat veered to the side, cras.h.i.+ng through brush. ”Why not?” Edsel asked. ”It's a captivi tree.” Oh. Of course Justin knew his trees.

Now the boat shot out of the gloom and splashed onto the water of the river. They had won through.

”That was fun,” Ted said. ”Let's do it again.”

”Isn't it about time for your nap?” Breanna inquired.

”We don't take naps.” Monica said.

”You do now,” Breanna said. She unfolded one of the stored blankets and draped it over them. It was decorated with pictures of tires.

”Look out!” Ted cried. ”She's making a bed.”

”It's part of the Adult Conspiracy to subjugate children,” Monica said, appalled.

Then, to Edsel's surprise, the two children settled immediately into nap mode. ”What kind of blanket is that?” he asked.

”It's a tire.”

”It's attire?”

”A tire. It makes children tired.” She shook her head. ”I must confess, at times the Adult Conspiracy is convenient.”

”You mean, naps really is part of it?”

”As far as they know.” Breanna smiled mysteriously. He realized that she being underage, was not yet officially part of the Conspiracy. She had been bluffing.

Now that they were on the water, it seemed to be clear sailing. Edsel relaxed. That last session had demonstrated that Xanth was not necessarily benign. ”Say we should check in.” he said, remembering. ”Another day has pa.s.sed.”

”For sure.” Breanna produced the Ear and handed it over.

”Edsel Mundane here.” he said into it. ”All is well for the moment.”

”That's fine,” Chlorine's voice returned. ”Same here.”

He returned the Ear ”I feel a bit guilty for that, but there's no point in worrying them.”

”Oh, look-Siamese triplets,” Breanna said, pointing to the sh.o.r.e.

”Wha?” Then he saw them: three identical cats.