Part 24 (2/2)
”We don't. This is faked up. Wait till you see the little shop of horrors. There's a plant like a tangle tree.”
”The green against the greens,” she agreed appreciatively.
By the time the doctor got to the shop, the meal was served. The plate contained a ma.s.s of something yellowish and a sickly salad drenched in oil. Breanna tasted it and made a wry face. ”What is this stuff?”
”Inedible bulk vs. a little slop of humongous,” he quipped, smiling. ”Standard fare on flights.”
”Thank you so much for clarifying that. Now I can really enjoy it.”
”If you do, you'll be the first to achieve that fate.”
She had to laugh. That helped.
When they finally reached Hawaii she was thoroughly tired of sitting, and her stomach was not at all certain that ”inedible bulk” was a joke. But they set down safely.
”I gotta get to the men's room,” David said, embarra.s.sed. ”I knew I shouldn't have eaten that stuff.”
”Me too,” she agreed.
They hurried to the rest rooms and took the separate doors. Breanna finished her business efficiently and stood, looking for the flush handle on the toilet. There was none. She stood-and the toilet flushed of its own accord, startling her. There must be a little magic in Mundania after all.
She washed at a sink, the water flowing the moment her hands came near and stopping when they were removed. Definitely magic!
The Ring warmed. Breanna put it to her ear. ”Yes?”
”David's in trouble in the men's room,” Metria said.
”I can't do that particular thing for him.”
”Robbers. Like the movie.”
Oh. And David couldn't turn into a green ogre. ”Can you help?”
”If you touch the Ring to someone. But I don't have a lot of power. Better to save it if possible.”
”Okay.” Breanna dashed out of the women's room and into the men's room, heedless of propriety, her mind whirling. By the time she made the scene she had a crude plan. She would have to make like the green ogre, in her fas.h.i.+on. She opened her black robe partway and flounced out her hair, forming a wild expression. She knew she didn't look much like a maenad, one of the killer wild women of Mount Parna.s.sus who ripped men apart and drink their blood, but this was the best she could do, on short notice.
Two big men had David backed up against the wall so that he couldn't escape. It was clear that if he didn't give up his wallet soon, he would lose more than that.
”There you are!” Breanna cried, pus.h.i.+ng by the nearer man to reach David. ”What do you mean, keeping me waiting like that?” She slapped him resoundingly across the cheek, glaring balefully around. The men were staring, amazed to see her in this room. ”But I'll forgive you this time.” She grabbed his head and planted a hot kiss on his mouth. ”Now come on; we've got business ahead.” She took him by the hand and headed for the door, hauling him along.
By the time the two toughs finished staring, the travelers were back in the main concourse, safe from further molestation. ”You're a wonder,” David said shakily.
”I had to get you out of there before you lost your credit card,” she said. ”I still need your help.”
”That too.”
She laughed. ”Kisses you can have. Just not the rest.”
”Yeah.” But she suspected that he had a certain hankering for the rest too. That pleased her. It was illicit fun impressing an impressionable boy.
”Now to zero in on Jaylin,” she said briskly.
”What's her address?”
”I don't have that.”
He stopped walking. ”You what?”
”The dream vision didn't give that detail. But we know it's Hawaii. She's here somewhere.”
”Breanna, there are tens of thousands of people here! We need an address.”
”No we don't.” She lifted the Ring of Fire. ”Which direction?”
David looked halfway fit to be tied.
A little arrow speared out from the Ring, pointing the direction. ”That way,” Breanna said.
”So nice to have that clarified.”
They found a map on the wall. ”Southeast,” she said. ”A fair distance.”
”That would be the main island of Hawaii.”
”For sure. Get us there.”
”We'll have to take a commuter flight.”
”Whatever.”
Still, he hesitated. ”Are you sure this is right? That we aren't wasting our time and money?”
Breanna wasn't sure, but saw no alternative but to plow ahead. ”How can I convince you? Do I have to kiss you again?”
Her bluff worked. ”No! That wasn't what I meant. It's just that-”
She stepped into him and kissed him. When she released him she saw his green eyes turn momentarily black, reflecting her image. ”No problem,” he gasped, and set off for the ticket office.
The little commuter plane seemed like a toy compared to the huge airline they had come on, but it buzzed up into the air and got them two hundred miles to Hawaii island without cras.h.i.+ng. Breanna was relieved.
They landed at Hilo in the evening. She checked the Ring for direction, and it sent them south. Breanna was relieved again; it meant they hadn't overshot the mark.
They took a taxi south, and Breanna checked the Ring frequently, zeroing in as the direction changed. The taxi driver looked doubtful as they kept asking him to change direction, but David gave him a good tip and he played along.
At last they came to a particular house that had to be it. They got out of the taxi, and it sped away, evidently glad to be rid of these odd customers.
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