"A screening mechanism sounds like a very good idea to me," Morwen told Telemain. "And we aren't questioning your competence, so stop frowning. Getting the sword back to the Enchanted Forest is too important to take chances, even small ones."
"Then you'd better help me figure out what kind of adjustments to make to the springbase loader so that it won't ignore Brandel," Telemain said. "Since I assume you don't want to leave him behind for the wizards."
Brandel looked at Telemain with alarm. "Leave me behind? Why?"
"Fire-witches are immune to most spells," Morwen said. "Including ordinary transportation spells. Telemain is quite right; if we don't make a few changes, you'll undoubtedly find yourself standing alone in the middle of Arona Michaelear Grinogion Vamist's yard when the spell goes off."
"We can't let that happen!" Cimorene said. "If the Society of Wizards catches him, they'll do something awful."
"But you just said he's immune to spells," Killer said in a puzzled tone.
"So what can the wizards do to him?"
"Break his legs, tie him to a tree for the nightshades to eat, stick him in a dungeon with no food," said Trouble. "Wizards don't need magic to do nasty things."
Horatio hissed. Killer's ears went stiff and the hair along his neck bristled. "No food! They wouldn't. Not really."
"Yes, they would," said Morwen. "If they caught him. Which they won't, because before we leave here, Telemain and I are going to make sure the transportation spell works on Brandel."
Killer bobbed his head up and down in vigorous agreement. "That's good. We don't want to leave anyone behind. No food! Those wizards really are horrible."
"You two work on the spell," Cimorene said. "I'll get everything else ready to go. How far away did you say this place is, Brandel?"
"Two or three hours' walk," Brandel said. "It'll take us an hour or so to get out of the swamp, but after that it should be easy."
Trouble lowered his head and lashed his tail in disgust. "More mud.
And no dragon to ride on this time, either."
"Dibs on Morwen's shoulder," said Scorn.
"Mrrow!" said Horatio in an emphatic tone.
"Will you need me for the changes you want to make in the transportation spell?" Brandel asked Telemain. "Because if you won't, I'd like to make a few calls. The rest of the family ought to know that the Society of Wizards is behind Vamist."
Telemain removed a silver globe the size of a tennis ball from the pouch at his belt and studied it. "What? Yes, of course. Go ahead.
Morwen, I think we should start with the shift alignment linkages.
We'll have to add two or three interrupt vectors, and we may have to modify the invisible channel connection as well."
"We'll need you when we test our work," Morwen said to Brandel, "but that won't be until we're finished. You'll have plenty of time for your calls; this will take at least half an hour, possibly more."
Brandel nodded and left. Morwen turned back to Telemain. "I don't see the point of adding interrupt vectors. All we really need is a temporary change in the definition section so that it includes fire-witches."
Telemain's face went blank for a moment as he considered the idea.
Then his nose wrinkled and his mouth twisted as if he had bitten into something very sour. "Temporary changes. How inelegant."
"As long as it's effective, who cares? Think of it as a trial run.
You can study the ways all the various pieces interact, and do a permanent redesign later."
"True." The magician began to look more cheerful. "In that case, where do you suggest we start?"
Changing the transportation spell was simple, compared to keeping Telemain from putting in various extra things he wanted to test.
Morwen insisted on doing the last few checks, since she was still a little worried about Telemain's condition. When they were sure everything worked properly, they called Cimorene, who had vanished down the stairwell while they were working.
"Coming." A moment later, Cimorene appeared at the head of the stairs, carrying her pack over her left shoulder and a long-handled straw broom in her right hand. "Morwen, have you got any of that flying ointment left? Because if you do, I think you should use it on this. We'll get to Vamist's house a lot faster if we don't have to slog through all that mud."
"I am not riding on that thing," Telemain said. "Mud or no mud."
"He wouldn't say that if he'd spent most of yesterday wading through the stuff," Scorn observed.
"You should talk," said Trouble. "Between riding on Morwen's shoulder and riding on Kazul's back, you never even got your paws dirty."
"I was going to suggest that you and Brandel ride in the laundry basket anyway," Cimorene said to Telemain. "There isn't room for all of us on the broomstick."
"There's a flying mortar and pestle in the basement," Brandel offered.
"It's too heavy to use every day, and it's a little small, but if you'll help me haul it upstairs you can use it."
"It sounds nearly as uncomfortable as a broomstick," Telemain said.
"No, thank you. I'll take the laundry basket."
"What about us?" Trouble demanded.
"You will come on the broomstick, where I can keep an eye on you," Morwen told him as she fished in her sleeve for the jar of flying ointment.
"Scorn and Horatio should probably go in the laundry basket or possibly on Killer's back. We don't want to overload anything."
"I don't know," Killer said, ruffling his wings nervously. "I still don't like cats. And they've got claws."
"You bet we do." Trouble held up a paw and flexed it, displaying five wickedly curved and sharply pointed claws.
Killer shuddered. "Couldn't I go by myself?"
"No," Cimorene said firmly. "We all have to do what we can, and what you can do is carry the cats."
"Well, I'm not doing any more flying," Killer said, planting his feet for emphasis. "It's too hard, and it scares me."
"I bet he gets airsick, too," said Scorn. "Rabbits!"
While Morwen enchanted the broomstick, Brandel picked up the laundry basket and shoved it through the open window. Cimorene set it hovering and helped steady it as the two men climbed in. Then she sent Killer and the two cats out after the basket and turned to Morwen and Trouble.
"All done," Morwen said. "I hope the laundry basket holds together, because that was the last of the flying ointment."
"Then let's go. We don't want Telemain and Brandel to get too far ahead of us."
"Not to mention that rabbit," Trouble said.
They climbed onto the broomstick and took off. Cimorene had to duck as they went through the window..
"Excuse me, Cimorene," Morwen said as they swooped out and down.
"I forgot how tall you are."
"Better watch for low branches," Trouble said.
"There aren't any low branches," Morwen told him, setting the broomstick to fly about ten feet off the ground.
A moment later, they caught up with Killer and the laundry basket, and the whole group continued on together. Their speed was limited to Killer's trotting pace, but with all the trees to dodge they could not have traveled much faster, even without him. Following Brandel's directions, they reached the edge of the swamp in fifteen minutes.
"It's straightforward from here," Brandel said. "Head west, toward those hills. At this rate, we should be there within half an hour."
"Half an hour!" Killer shook his mane, drawing yowls of protest from Scorn and Horatio. "You want me to keep running like this for another half an hour? I can't do it. And don't ask me to fly. That's even more work."
"Maybe if you didn't eat so much you'd be in better shape," Scorn said.
"Hrrm," agreed Horatio.