Part 41 (1/2)
”Don't gooomph!” Fornax cried, as Breanna stifled her piteous wail with a comprehensive kiss. Woman to woman it might be, but love and desire set Fornax back; she wasn't used to this.
After a moment the footsteps resumed. Justin continued on out of the castle. Every time Fornax tried to wail after him, Breanna stuffed her mouth with another kiss. Fornax tried to fight it, but the powerful emotions vitiated her effort. She didn't know how to handle them. Neither did Jaylin.
”You can quit now, girls,” Che said. ”It's done.”
They paused in their struggle. ”Done?” Fornax asked.
”He's out,” Sim squawked. ”We won the game. Our folk are no longer nulled.”
”Bleep!” Fornax said. ”I almost had him.”
”There's no call for language like that,” Cynthia said. ”There will be other games.”
They disengaged and stood up, wild-haired and ragged. ”There will be other games,” Fornax agreed.
”We shall be returning to our own galaxy now,” Che said. ”Do you wish to come along?”
”What are you talking about?” Breanna demanded as she tried to repair what was left of her skirt. ”This bleep of a bleep tried to destroy our whole universe! You're inviting her along?”
”There was nothing personal in it,” Sim squawked. ”Demons vie for status.”
”Yes, I am curious to see your environment,” Fornax said as the castle disappeared, leaving them standing with Justin. ”Perhaps Earth will show me some more mortals.” She flounced her robe, in the guise of adjusting it. Jaylin would have tried to blush again at the way her flesh was being flaunted, had she been able. Why hadn't Fornax left her body?
”Because I will be conveying it to your galaxy,” the Demoness replied internally.
”There is no need,” Earth said through Justin's mouth.
”What, did I not tempt you a little?” Another flounce, this time making sure he saw. He did; Justin's eyes began to glaze. She was getting better at it, or maybe he was no longer fighting it.
”Cut that out!” Breanna said.
”You admixed your love with my desire,” Fornax retorted. ”If you don't want to kiss me more, then allow me to explore other options.”
”Not with my man!”
”He is merely the sh.e.l.l hosting the Demon Earth at the moment.”
”True.” This time it was the Demoness Venus speaking.
Justin picked up the Swell Foop. Then they were zooming through the universe, seeing stars and clouds of dust zip by. They landed in the main chamber of the Nameless Castle.
”The mission is done,” Cynthia reported. ”Demon Earth is with us.”
”True,” Earth said with Justin's mouth.
Chlorine nodded. ”Then we can relinquish the Swell Foop and the Rings of Xanth.”
Justin gave her the Foop. She took it-and it vanished.
”What happened?” Jaylin asked, startled.
”It hides itself,” Chlorine explained. ”It will be just as challenging to find next time. Now you must return the Rings to the Zombie Master.”
”But the Rings were on the Foop,” Jaylin protested. Then, startled, she looked at her own hand. The Ring of Void was there. She saw the other Rings on the other hands. They had returned to their holders when the Swell Foop departed.
”Will do,” Breanna said.
The Demons remained with them, apparently interested in the proceedings. But that rang false to Jaylin. ”Why should Demons have any concern at all about anything mortals do?”
”Normally we do not,” Fornax replied. ”Mortals are useful only in the introduction of random elements for games. But this game introduced emotions. Until they fade, it is not safe for us to leave our hosts.”
”Not safe? But mortals can't do anything to Demons.”
”Emotions can have destructive effect when not filtered through mortal beings. The game is done, but we are not yet free of the effects of the Swell Foop.”
Jaylin decided not to argue the case. She just wanted to get on with things so she could return home. She realized that this was probably an aspect of the Foop-sponsored desire, so Fornax was right: It had not yet faded.
They moved the party to Castle Zombie. Fornax was using her omniscience to look about, learning details at an incredible (for a mortal) rate.
”But I thought no Demon had power outside its own bailiwick,” Jaylin thought.
”We do if there is not a game rule prohibiting it,” Fornax explained. ”At the moment we are between games.”
”You seem remarkably sanguine about losing your game.”
”Demons are. Had the Swell Foop given me the emotion of anger or grief, I would not be as accepting. As it is, I merely wish to explore the further ramifications of desire, before entering the next game.”
They met with the Zombie Master and turned the Rings over to him. ”New zombies will hide them,” he said, satisfied. ”For their next time of need, in a few centuries.”
Jaylin saw Roxanne Roc sitting in sight of Castle Zombie, ready to resume her duties. The big bird had had more of a respite than she might have expected, but she was obviously prepared to return to work.
”All of you are invited to the wedding,” Breanna announced. ”Coming right up, or else.”
The a.s.sorted guests made their ways to the glade where the wedding was scheduled. ”How did everyone get here so fast?” Jaylin asked, perplexed. ”How could it be organized, when Breanna just announced it?”
”I helped,” a nearby man said. ”I am a talent agent. My talent is finding talented people. I found people who knew when the wedding would be, and what to do to prepare for it.” He looked around, fixing on another man who was straightening some chairs. ”Like this one, whose talent is to bring something forward or back in time. He got the chairs from the future, and the wedding ring from the past, which the groom had forgotten about.”
Jaylin shook her head. ”It's good to be back in Xanth, where puns and talents abound, and folk are so helpful.”
”It does have a certain naive appeal,” Fornax agreed.
A soft nose nudged Jaylin. ”Putre!” she cried gladly, turning to hug the zombie horse.
But he had bad news. ”The Night Stallion will not allow me to remain in Xanth,” his speech balloon wrote. ”Now that my mission is done, I must be abolished. I came to bid you parting. It was a pleasure to a.s.sociate with you.”
”No!” Jaylin cried. ”He can't do that!”
”I am originally a dream horse,” the balloon wrote. ”My fate was postponed while I served duty as the knower for the Ring of Void. A new zombie will take the Ring. I am now expendable. You were kind to me, and I thank you for that.”
”No! It can't be!” Jaylin protested tearfully. ”You're a good horse.”