Cimorene and Morwen stared at the mirror for a moment in appalled silence. Then Cimorene said, "Can't get through? Why not?"
"How should I know? I'm just a mirror."
"Try again," said Morwen.
"And no humming this time!" Cimorene added, but she was too late.
The swirling colors-and the humming-were back.
This time the wait seemed interminable. Cimorene paced back and forth in front of the mirror, frowning and biting her lower lip. Finally, the humming stopped and the mirror cleared.
"Nope," it said. "There's nothing to communicate with. Are you sure he has a magic mirror?"
"He did when we left," Cimorene said.
"Maybe someone broke it," Killer suggested.
"Unlikely, but possible," Morwen told him. "Still, I think the difficulty is probably at this end."
"There's nothing wrong with me!" said the mirror indignantly. "I've had no complaints, not one, in all the years since I was first enchanted."
"That was, however, a long time ago." Morwen turned to Cimorene.
"Telemain did the spell on the mirror at the castle, didn't he?"
Cimorene nodded. "Last year, as a wedding present. He updated it just a few weeks ago."
"Then it is possible that the two mirrors are incompatible," Morwen said.
"Ridiculous," said the mirror. "I'm very easygoing. I get along with everyone, even that dreadful woman who spied on her stepdaughter all the time. Now, that woman was incompatible with everyone. Honestly, the things she did-" "Go to sleep," Morwen said.
"Phooey," said the mirror, and the milk white surface faded back into blotchy silver.
"Do you really think it's just a problem with the different spells?"
Cimorene asked doubtfully, but her expression had lightened a little already.
"It doesn't happen often, but it does happen," Morwen said. "We can ask Telemain about it tomorrow morning. Maybe he'll have some sugges-" "I don't know." Cimorene chewed gently on her lower lip. "I think I need to talk to Kazul. Killer-" "Oh no," said the donkey. "Not me.
Flying is too much work. And I haven't had any dinner yet."
"He does sound like Fiddlesticks," said Trouble.
"I suppose I should get you something," Brandel said without much enthusiasm. "What would you like?"
Killer's eyes lit up. "Clover. With sweet flowers and slightly tart leaves, for a nicely balanced mix of flavors, and maybe a little parsley as a palate cleanser. Not the kind of parsley that crinkles up, the kind with the flat leaves."
"I'll see what I have," Brandel said, sounding slightly stunned.
"Well, if Killer won't help, I'll have to take the laundry basket," Cimorene said with a shrug. "Will you show me how to use it, Morwen?"
"Certainly," Morwen said. "Just bear in mind that the balance is a little tricky."
"It can't be any worse than the magic carpet Mendanbar and I had to ride when we were looking for Kazul," Cimorene replied. "I'll manage."
Morwen nodded, and she gave Cimorene the short list of basket-control commands. Together, the two women wresded the basket out the window and set it hovering. Then Morwen held it while Cimorene climbed carefully into it. To make sure nothing went wrong, Morwen watched as Cimorene started down, then she turned away from the window with a smile. Cimorene was right. She could manage.
A new series of thumps and scrapes echoed up the stairwell, and Brandel appeared, carrying a bushel basket heaped full of clover.
"Now, where did you find that?" Morwen asked.
"The sorceress didn't like running to town for groceries," Brandel said, setting the basket in front of Killer. "So she enchanted her pantry so it would always have whatever she needed, for herself or for any visitors who happened to stop by."
"I thought she didn't have visitors," Morwen said.
"She didn't have many. I suppose she thought having company was bad enough without having to go shopping to feed them, too."
Killer's ears stiffened, and he paused in midbite. "Enchanted?" he said around a mouthful of clover. "This is more enchanted food?"
"No, no, it's the pantry that's enchanted. The food is perfectly normal," said Brandel. "Weren't you listening?"
"You'll have to pardon him," Morwen said. "He's trying to be cautious because he's had a bad experience. A series of bad experiences."
"You're sure this is safe?" Killer said anxiously. "I'm getting tired of all these changes."
"It's a little late to worry about it now," Trouble told him. "You've already eaten some. I don't suppose Brandel thought to bring a saucer of cream along with all that rabbit food?"
"Yes, about the rest of us… ," Morwen said.
"Oh, sorry." Brandel looked embarrassed. "I guess I'm not used to having company. What would you like?"
"Let's see what you have," said Morwen, and started for the stairs.
By the time Cimorene returned, Morwen and Brandel had laid out a substantial supper, including roast boar, baked potatoes, carrots, green beans and tiny onions, and spring water for the people; and sardines with cream for the cats. Killer had finished his first basket of clover, the second was half gone, and he was beginning to slow down.
It looked as if he might, for once, have enough to eat at a meal.
"Did you have a nice chat with your dragon?" Brandel asked as Cimorene pushed the laundry basket into a corner where it would be out of the way.
Cimorene rolled her eyes. "Kazul is not, and never has been, my dragon. I was her princess for a while, but now we're just friends."
"Oh. Well, did you have a nice chat with your friend, then?"
"Sort of." Cimorene looked at Morwen. "Kazul is leaving."
Morwen considered. "When? And why?"
"Right away. She-" Something large whooshed past the window outside.
"There she goes," Cimorene said.
"That still leaves why." Morwen pulled a chair up to the table and sat down. "You can explain over dinner."
"Something smells good up here," Scorn said from the staircase, poking her black nose over the top of the last step. "Hey, Horatio, there's cream!"
"If i don't get any, I will be very upset," said Trouble, lashing his tail for emphasis as the other two cats bounded out of the stairwell and headed for the bowls Brandel had left on the floor.
Cimorene smiled absently at the cats and joined Morwen at the table.
"It's-well, dragons aren't very patient at the best of times. And we haven't run into any wizards yet, and Kazul wasn't sure your enchanted pantry would be up to feeding a dragon. So since I was worried about Mendanbar-" "And since Mendanbar said something about wizards in the Enchanted Forest when you talked to him last night-" Morwen said.
And since there's not much dragon food in the swamp-" Killer put in.
"-Kazul offered to go home and-and see what's going on." Cimorene took a large helping of the roast boar and dug in with relish.
"It may be just as well." Morwen took a much smaller portion of the boar and looked at it doubtfully, wondering whether her stomach was up to it. "Once we have the sword, we'll want to return to the Enchanted Forest immediately. Telemain won't be fit for much for a day or so, but-" "Oh no! Morwen, we can't afford to sit around here for a whole day!"
"If you have a better idea, I'd like to hear it," said Morwen.
"Besides, we haven't got the slightest idea where we're going, so rushing off won't get us there any quicker. We'll be better off if we take time to plan."
"I suppose so," Cimorene said, but she didn't sound happy about it.
"As I was saying: By tomorrow morning, I'll have some idea when Telemain will be able to do a proper transport spell again. Without Kazul, he can take us considerably farther each time and still stay within the safety position."