Part 15 (1/2)
”You are thinking a book could be like the pouch?”
”Perhaps in the sense of being a portal to another realm. We think it is figurative, but with magic it just might be literal.”
”It just might,” Cube agreed.
They walked back through the fair until they came to the book they had admired before,Phaze. Cube poked a finger at the picture on the cover.
It went into the picture. Then she was sliding after it. She was entering the book, just as she had the pouch.
She landed on green turf. The three people looked at her, startled. ”Who be thee?” the man asked.
”I, uh--just dropped in,” Cube answered.
Then Karia landed beside her. The three people stared. ”What manner of creature art thou?” the man asked.
”I am a winged centaur,” Karia said. ”You haven't seen one before?”
”Never.”
Then Cube caught on. ”We entered the book! We are in the book's world. Phaze.”
”True, this be Phaze,” the man said. ”Thy world is different?”
”We call it Xanth,” Karia replied.
The man exchanged a blank glance with the two women. ”We know it not.”
”The book--it's a portal,” Karia said. ”Just as we guessed. We have entered another world.”
”Could the dragon be here?”
”Here there be dragons,” the man agreed. ”Mostly in the Purple Mountains to the south, but some do wander.”
Drek could have hidden in the world of a book! ”We came here looking for a particular dragon,” Cube said.
The man laughed. ”Why wouldst thou desire a dragon?”
”We believe he can help us. But he is hiding. We need to locate him.”
”Dragons ne'er help others,” the man said. ”They eat them.”
”I think we had better get a new direction,” Karia said.
Cube wanted to bring the Princesses out, but didn't want the strangers to see it happen. Then she had a bright notion. ”I think the rest of our party is about to arrive.”
”The same way we did,” Karia agreed.
Cube put a hand into the concealed pouch. ”Princesses,” she whispered.
The three girls appeared. ”Yes, here they are,” Cube said.
”Whence come these?” the man asked.
”We are all from Xanth,” Cube said quickly. ”Just visiting Phaze. We just want to find the dragon.”
The three Princesses huddled, then pointed the direction. ”That away,” Melody said.
”Far away,” Harmony agreed.
”But a stronger signal,” Rhythm concluded.
”Then we had better get going,” Karia said.
The man exchanged another glance with his companions. ”Phaze be not a land safe for strangers to travel,” he said. ”There be dangers on land and in air. Particularly for children.”
”He is surely correct,” Karia said. ”This isn't Xanth. We should not take unnecessary risks.”
Cube considered. ”Maybe we can make a deal.” She faced the man. ”We have--some magic. What might we do for you, in exchange for your help finding our dragon?”
”We were looking not for reward, but merely advising of danger. We like not to see children endangered.” He smiled at the Princesses, who smiled back.
”Perhaps we should introduce ourselves,” Karia said. ”I am Karia Winged Centaur, and these are Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm.” She had not identified the rank of the children.
”And I am called Cube,” Cube said.
”So appealing to meet thee, mare,” the man said, his eyes lingering for a long moment, perhaps a moment and a half, on her front. Then he turned to Cube. ”And thee, woman,” his eyes not lingering. Then to the three Princesses. ”And you, girls. I am Stoturyso Wolf, Stu for brief, and these are my companions Viola Corn and Forili Vamp. We be competent travelers, for we return not to our own kind.”
Karia nodded thoughtfully. ”I mean no offense, but I suspect you are not fully human.”
”Indeed we are not,” Stu agreed. ”And I think neither be thy children mere young folk nor this thy full party. Shall we exchange wider introductions?”
Cube struggled with propriety versus secrecy, and decided that since this was a different realm, they could afford to be open. ”We will do this, if our full nature is not told elsewhere.”
Stu glanced at the two women. ”We agree to bruit it not about.”
”The children are the Sorceresses Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm,” Cube said. ”Capable of performing considerable magic.”
The three reacted. ”Adepts?” Stu asked, alarmed.
”What is an Adept?”
”A person with much power o' magic, a likely ruler o' his demesnes.”
”That's close,” Cube said. ”But they are not planning on doing any mischief here.” Then she reached her hand into the pouch. ”Ryver,” she murmured.
The man appeared. His eyes oriented instantly on the two attractive Phaze women. ”h.e.l.lo!”
”Our salutation to thee,” Stu said.
”And one more member of our party,” Cube said. She reached in again, and brought out Metria. ”The Demoness Metria.”