been exposed to my crazy notions, are familiar with the histories of these two,"
and he indicated Flor and Jon-Tom, "and because I have no more time to waste
with others, if we are to make haste toward distant Polastrindu."
"Now, guv'nor," said Mudge reluctantly, "I've agreed I 'ave, and I'll stick by
me word, but Polastrindu? You want that we should go... do you know 'ow far,
meaning no disrespect, that be, sor?"
"Quite precisely, my good otter."
"It'd take months!" shouted an exasperated Talea.
"Yes it would... if we were to travel overland. But I am not so foolish or so
young as to consider such a cross-country hike. We must make speed, for while I
know what is going to happen I do not know when; consequently I am ignorant of
how much time we may have left to prepare. In such circumstances it is best to
be stingy with what we may not possess.
"We shall not trudge overland but instead will make our way up the River
Tailaroam."
"Up the river?" said Talea, eyebrows raised.
"There are ways of traveling against the current."
"To a certain point, Your Wonderness." Mudge looked skeptical. "But what 'appens
when we reach the rapids o' Duggakurra? And I've 'eard many a tale o' the
dangers the deep parts o' the river possess."
"All obstacles can be surmounted." Clothahump spoke with confidence if not
assurance. "They matter not. Obstacle or no, we must hurry on."
"I think I'd rather go by land after all," said Talea.
"I am sorry, my dear. Tailaroam's secrets might be better concealed, but it will
be the cleaner and faster route."
"Easy for you to say," she grumbled. "You'd be right at home in the water if we
had any trouble."
"I have not spent more than occasional recreational time in the water for some
years, my dear. While I may be physiologically adapted to an aquatic life, my
preferences are for breathing and living in air. As just one example, scrolls do
not hold up well at all beneath the water.
"Furthermore, we have now an excellent means for making our way to the river."
"The L'borean riding snake." Talea nodded thoughtfully. "Why not take it all the
way to Polastrindu?"
"Because the river will be as steady and much faster. Perhaps our young friend
Jon-Tom can conjure up an equally efficient form of water travel."
"Conjure up?" The query came from Flores Quintera, and she looked sideways at
Jon-Tom. "You mean, like magic?"
"Yes, like magic." He endeavored to stand a little straighter as he held out the
duar. "Clothahump was casting about for an otherworldly magician to assist him
with his troubles and he got me. It turns out that my singing, coupled with my
playing of this instrument, coupled with something--I don't know what--gives me
the ability to work magic here."
"That's very impressive," she said in a voice that lit a fire high above his
boots.
"Yes, it would be, except that it's kind of a shotgun effect. I fire off a song
and never manage to hit exactly what I'm aiming at. I was trying for an old
Dodge Charger and instead materialized the grandfather of all pythons. It turned
out to be tamed to riding, though." He smiled at her. "No need to worry about
it."
"I'm not worried," she replied excitedly. "I love snakes. Where is it? It's
really big enough to ride?" She was heading for the door at a respectable jog.
Mudge was whispering to him. "Now you'll 'ave to do better than that, mate.
That's no ordinary maiden you've brought t' yourself. Now if I were you..."
But Jon-Tom didn't hear the rest because he was hurrying after her. Clothahump
watched them, frowning.
"I must make ready. Pog!" the wizard yelled.
"Here, Master." The bat moved tiredly to hover over the workbench, knowing what
would be expected of him. Together they began assembling several large piles of
potions and powders: a traveling sorcerer's work kit.
"Now 'ow did we get ourselves roped into this, luv?"
Talea looked across at the otter. "Don't trouble your furry noggin about it.
We're committed. You agreed yourself."
"Yes, yes," he said softly, looking back to see if Clothahump was paying them
any attention. He was not. "But it were only to keep the old bugger-nut from
puttin' a spell on me. Then I'd never 'ave a chance to slip away when the proper
time comes."
"It's better that we go," she told him. "I've been thinking, Mudge. If a wizard
as great as Clothahump says that the danger is so great, then we must help fight
it if we can."
"I don't think you follow me thoughts, luv. This wizard Clothahump, 'e's a
brilliant one, all right. But 'e 'as lapses, if you know wot I mean." He tapped
his head with one furry fist.
"You're saying he's senile."
"Not all the time, no. But 'e is two 'undred and ought odd years old. Even for a
wizard o' the hard-shell, that's gettin' on a bit, wot? I'm a thinkin' 'e's
overexaggeratin' this 'ere Plated danger."
"Sorry, Mudge, I don't agree with you. I've seen and heard enough to convince me
he's more sane than senile. Besides," she added with a disdainful air, "he was
right in that we have no immediate prospects. In fact, it would do us good to
get out of this area for a while. He'll pay us to do that. So we're doing right
if he's mad and right if he's not."
Mudge looked resigned. "Maybe so, luv. Maybe so. Though I wish 'e'd been a bit
more specific in spellin' out just wot 'e meant by 'worth our while.'"
"What do you mean?"
"Sorcerers 'ave the use o' words that you and I ain't privy to, luv. So it
stands t' reason they could be more subtle when it comes t' the employin' o'
more familiar ones."
"Mudge! Are you saying he lied to us?"
"No. 'E couldn't do that, not and keep 'is wizardry powers. But there be direct
truth and then there be spiral truth, as me sainted mother used t' tell me."
"You had a mother?"
He took a playful swipe at her with a paw and she stepped lithely out of reach.
"I always did think a lot o' you, luv. If you only 'ad a bit more body fur, at
least on your chest, say."
"No thanks." She edged toward the door. "We'd better go see how the others are
making out."
They started down the hallway. "I'm not worried much about the giantess," Mudge
was saying, "but our friend Jon-Tom still displays pangs o' loneliness. I worry
that the appearance o' the girl from 'is 'ome may do him more 'arm than good,
seein' as how besotted 'e is on her."
"Besotted?" Talea studied the walls. "You think so?"
They had almost reached the doorway. " 'Tis in the lad's voice, in 'is manner
and look. I've dodged traps that were better 'idden. But I don't think 'e'll
'ave much luck with this one. She's cheery enough, but I 'ave a 'unch 'er true
love's reserved for 'er new sword. She strikes me a proper mate for a wolverine,
not our Jon-Tom."
"I don't think he's besotted," Talea murmured. "A boyish attraction, certainly."
"And that be somethin' else. 'E may act boyish, but in a fight 'e's all right.
Remember 'is magic, and they also say that those who can draw the gneechees in
the numbers 'e can may 'ave greater powers locked within 'em than even they can
imagine."
"He's already admitted he doesn't know much about his own magical capabilities,"
she replied. "I don't think they're so much greater than what we've seen."
"We're likely to find out on this bug-brained journey."
The riding snake would have carried the extra load with ease, but they had only
four saddles. They were fashioned of the finest hides and specially worked in
far-off Malderpot by the warmland's most skilled leatherworkers.