"Not everyone," Morwen said, giving Kazul a sharp look.
"I am widely considered to be unduly suspicious of everyone and everything," Kazul said in a dry tone. "Particularly wizards."
"And what do your suspicions make of this business?"
"I think Zemenar is trying to find out something about the Caves of Fire and Night," Kazul said. "Something he hasn't been able to learn from visiting the caves in person, hence his recent interest in histories that describe the caves, however briefly."
"And you're hoping I have something in my library that will help you figure out what it is," Morwen concluded.
"I don't hope," Kazul said. "I know. Unless someone has run off with your copy of DeMontmorency's A Journey Through the Caves of Fire and Night."
"If someone has, he'll regret it," Morwen said. "Wait here, and I'll check." She rose and went out. Through the doorway Cimorene could see a room full of tall, dark-stained shelves.
Cimorene blinked. "Isn't that the door you came in through?"
Kazul nodded. "Of course."
"I thought it led out into Morwen's yard."
"It leads wherever Morwen wants it to lead," Kazul said.
"I see," said Cimorene, wishing her father's court philosopher were there. He was very pompous and stuffy, particularly about magic, which he claimed was 90 percent trickery and the rest illusion. Cimorene had found him very trying. Dealing with Morwen's door would probably have given him a headache.
Morwen came back into the kitchen holding a thin red book. "Here it is. I'm sorry it took me so long to find it, but the nonfiction isn't organized as well as it should be yet."
Kazul surged to her feet, shedding cats in all directions. The cats gave her reproachful looks and then stalked out the front door with affronted dignity. Kazul paid no attention. She curled her head around to peer at the book over Morwen's shoulder.
"I suppose you'll want to borrow it?" Morwen said.
"I certainly do," Kazul said. "Is there a problem?"
"Only if it gets stolen," Morwen said. "There are very few of these around, and I'm not sure I could replace it."
"I'll keep it in the vault with the treasure," Kazul promised.
"Zemenar won't think to look for it there, and even if he does, he won't get in. I've got enough anti-wizard spells on the door to stop the whole Society. They can't get in unless someone invites them."
"All right," Morwen said, handing the book to Kazul. "Is that everything you came for?"
"No," said Kazul. She looked at Morwen with limpid eyes and went on in a plaintive tone, "I still haven't had any cider."
Morwen laughed and went to one of the cupboards. She pulled out two mugs and a large mixing bowl and filled them with an amber-colored liquid she poured from a heavy-looking pottery jug. She set the mixing bowl in front of Kazul and gave one of the mugs to Cimorene, then sat down with the second mug herself.
They were in Morwen's kitchen for over an hour, drinking cider and speculating about what the wizards were up to. After a while several of the cats came back, and Morwen gave them a dish of goat's milk, which soothed their ruffled feelings somewhat.
"How is that fireproofing spell of yours coming?" Morwen asked as she returned to the table.
"I have everything I need except the powdered hens' teeth, and I'm beginning to think I'm never going to find any," Cimorene said. "Kazul has offered to let me look through the jars in the treasury, but if there isn't any there, I don't know where I'll look next."
"Really," Morwen said, giving Kazul a sharp look. "Well, if you can't find any hens' teeth, you could try substituting snake fingernails or the hair from a turtle's egg. I wouldn't try it except as a last resort, though. Altering spells is a very tricky business."
At last they had to leave. Kazul went out the same way she had come in while Cimorene watched in fascination. Then Cimorene and Morwen went onto the front porch. Kazul sidled up to the house, and Cimorene stood on the porch railing to climb onto her back. The cats were seriously affronted by this maneuver and expressed their displeasure in reproachful glances and low yowls.
"Don't take any notice," Morwen said. "It only encourages them."
Cimorene nodded. "Thank you for everything."
"You're quite welcome," Morwen answered. "Don't wait too long to come again."
"You'd better take this, Princess," Kazul said, reaching back over her shoulder to hand Morwen's book to Cimorene. "I can't carry it and run at the same time."
Cimorene took the book and tucked it into her pocket. "I'm all set," she said, and they started off.
Cimorene enjoyed the ride back to the Mountains of Morning. She was now sufficiently accustomed to riding on a dragon to be able to concentrate on looking at the forest as it flashed past. The trees seemed almost identical to one another, but Cimorene spotted quite a few odd-looking bushes and vines, and twice she thought she saw small faces staring out at her from among leafy branches.
They reached the threshold of the caves much sooner than Cimorene expected. Kazul waited while she slid to the ground, then said, "The entrance is a little narrow. I'll go first and make sure there's nothing unpleasant waiting for us."
Cimorene nodded, and Kazul vanished into the cave. Before Cimorene could follow, she heard a shrill cry above her. She looked up and saw an enormous white bird plummeting toward her, its clawed feet extended to attack. For an instant, Cimorene was frozen by surprise and fear.
Then she ducked and reached for her sword.
She was almost too slow. The bird was on top of her, shrieking and slashing, before she had done more than grasp the hilt of her weapon.
But the sword seemed to leap out of the scabbard as soon as she touched it, and she swung clumsily as she rolled aside. She did not expect to do any damage, just to force the bird to back away a little, but she felt the sword connect and heard a wail of pain from the bird.
Thanking all her lucky stars individually and by name, Cimorene twisted and scrambled to her feet, sword ready.
There was nothing for her to guard against. The sword stroke had been more effective than she realized. The bird was dying. As she stared at it, it raised its head.
"You killed me?" the bird said incredulously. "But you're a maiden."
"Actually, she's a princess," Kazul's voice said from behind Cimorene.
"My princess, so you'd have been in even bigger trouble if you'd succeeded in carrying her off."
"I don't think I could have done it if I hadn't had a magic sword," said Cimorene, who was beginning to wish she hadn't. She had never hurt anyone before, and she didn't like it.
'Just my luck," the bird said disgustedly. "Oh, well, fair's fair.
You killed me, so you get my forfeit."
"You're not dead yet," Cimorene said. "If you'll let me near, I can try to stop the bleeding-" "Not a chance," the bird said. It was beginning to sound rather faint.
"Do you want the forfeit or don't you?"
"Take it," Kazul advised.
Cimorene said nothing, and after a moment the bird said, "All right, then. Under my left wing, you'll find three black feathers. If you drop one and wish to be somewhere else, you'll find yourself there in the twinkling of an eye. Any questions?"
"Can I take anyone else with me?" Cimorene asked, thinking that if the bird was so determined to give her the feathers, she might as well cooperate with it.
The bird looked at her with respect. "Will wonders never cease. For once a human with sense is getting the forfeit. Yes, you can take someone with you, as long as you're touching him. Same for objects; if you can carry it , you can take it with you. You get one trip per feather. That's all."
"But-" said Cimorene, and stopped. The bird's head had fallen back, and it was clearly quite dead.