Part 39 (1/2)
”Where?”
They looked carefully, but none of the dancers looked like Justin. In fact, they all looked the same: The men were identical, and the women were too.
”These are robots or illusions,” Breanna said.
”I must kiss someone,” Venus repeated longingly.
”I wonder if Justin could be hidden among them, made up to look like one of them, so we would pa.s.s him by?” Breanna asked. ”How would we know?”
”Kiss them!”
”You know, maybe that would work. I'd know Justin anywhere by his kiss. He is so delightfully amateurish.”
They decided on the bold approach. They took one more look for guards, then took away all the torches so as to darken the ballroom. The dancers continued without seeming to notice. They cut in on the nearest couple, taking the dancing man away from the dancing woman. He did not seem to notice the difference. They danced a few steps with him, then kissed him. He was definitely solid, no ghost, but completely unresponsive.
”A life-sized golem,” Breanna said distastefully. ”Or the equivalent. A robot. No soul, just a mocked-up body on a set program.”
They turned the man loose. He continued dancing, now without his partner, who was dancing by herself. They cut in on another man, and kissed him, with no better result.
”This is fun,” Venus said. ”But it would be better if the men were real.”
”For sure. If we find Justin, he'll be real.”
But it became apparent, as they broke up more and more couples, that Justin was not among them. His handkerchief was here, but he was elsewhere.
They did the last man, and turned away, disappointed. And there was a guard, reaching for them, about to tag them.
Breanna had no time to think. She surprised the guard by stepping into him, grabbing both his hands, and kissing him.
He stood there for a moment like a golem. Then he crashed to the floor, stunned.
”I guess that counted as a tag,” Breanna said. ”One more down; six to go.”
”Let's kiss them too!”
”We're better off avoiding them. We're looking for Justin, not guards.”
”But where is he?”
”That's the sixty-four-dollar question.”
”The what?”
”It's something I picked up from Justin. He's just full of ancient archaic lore. He says that once upon a time in Mundania there was a quiz show that started with one dollar for the first question, then doubled it, and kept doubling until the last one was worth sixty-four dollars. It means a make-or-break question. Why anyone would want any dollars in Xanth I don't know. But-hey, look at that!”
”All I see is a b.u.t.ton.”
”That's one of Justin's b.u.t.tons! I'd know it anywhere. He's been here!” She ran to pick it up. ”Yes-he likes these old-fas.h.i.+oned s.h.i.+rts with b.u.t.tons that catch on things and rip off. He's twenty-one, physically, but mentally he's still pretty old. I love him for that too; he treats me like an old-fas.h.i.+oned lady.”
The b.u.t.ton was at the portal to another large chamber. Here there were ancient paintings on the walls and statues from extinct cultures. ”Definitely Justin's type,” Breanna said, ignoring them.
But there were no people here, and certainly not Justin. At the far end was another chamber, containing potted flowers. ”I love these!” Venus said, sniffing a red red rose.
”You love everything. But they are nice. I wonder why Fornax bothered with things like art and flowers?”
”To corrupt Justin, and thereby Demon Earth.”
Breanna would have looked at her, but of course couldn't. ”Cultural things would do it, if anything could. Justin's big on culture. But not if joining Fornax leads to the destruction of the universe. Justin's not that dedicated.”
”But he might forget, if also blinded by love.”
”He loves me, but he's not blind.”
”Fornax will try to seduce him.”
Breanna froze. ”You're sure of that?”
”Why else did she a.s.sume a female mortal form? It is the way we Demons operate.”
”But Jaylin's just a girl, and Mundane at that. She wouldn't-”
”Two things,” Venus said seriously. ”Fornax is not a girl, she's a Demon, and she governs, unlike the way it is with the rest of us in this game. That was part of the negotiation, so that she would accept one of our mortals. Jaylin will not have a choice about the use of her body. And the fact that she is Mundane will appeal to the Demon of Mundania. She is of his realm.”
”Great fishes and little G.o.ds! This is devilis.h.!.+”
”Demonic.”
”For sure! We've got to find Justin!”
”And kiss him.”
”That too.” Breanna hurried on, ignoring the lovely flowers. They had become symbols of corruption.
At the end of the art gallery was another portal, and on its floor was another b.u.t.ton. Breanna swept it up and charged through to the next chamber.
It was a balcony overlooking the castle wall. There was a sheer drop to the darkly heaving sea far below. A chill wind blew. There was no sign of Justin.
”Why do I suddenly think this is a wild-goose chase?” Breanna demanded rhetorically. ”That we've been led along a nowhere trail?”
Then the door slammed closed behind them. Breanna turned to it, bringing out her key. But the keyhole was blocked with another key from the other side, left in place.
They were trapped on the balcony, with no exit save the deep dark sea. Even if they could survive a plunge, how could they ever get back into the castle in time to do any good?
Che followed the pa.s.sage to the end, where it terminated in a locked descending stairway. He unlocked the door, took a torch, and stepped cautiously down. The stairs, like the pa.s.sages, were broad enough to accommodate his body; that was one of the terms of the game. He would have preferred to fly, but of course there was no room inside the castle.
The next story was evidently dedicated to castle business. There were chambers filled with bedding, uniforms, chamber pots, and similar servant supplies. But no servants; they had been removed, if they had ever truly existed.
”This is a waste of time,” Demon Mars said angrily. ”There's nothing here.”