"But that leaves me without a wish-I mean without an Answer," he said. "I paid for it with my life, but don't know what to ask."
"No problem," Humfrey said. "I could tell you what to ask."
"You could?" Then Chester saw the trap. "But that would use it up! I mean, your telling me the Question would use up the Answer-and then I wouldn't have the Answer to my Question!"
"That does seem to present a problem," Humfrey agreed. "You might elect to pay another fee-"
"Not by the hair of your handsome tail!" Cherie cried. "No more adventures away from home!"
"Already my freedom is slipping away," Chester muttered, not really displeased.
Bink listened glumly. He was glad to be getting home, but still felt guilt about what had happened to Jewel. He had a wish-but he knew he could not simply wish Jewel out of love with him. Her love was real, not magical, and could not be abolished magically. Also, how would Chameleon react to this matter? He would have to tell her
They galloped up to the palace as night became complete. The grounds were illuminated by shining luna moths whose fluttering green radiance gave the palace an unearthly beauty.
Queen Iris was evidently alert, for three moons rose to brighten the palace as they entered, and there was a fanfare from invisible trumpets. They were promptly ushered to the library, the King's favorite room.
Without ceremony, Bink told his story. King Trent listened without interrupting. As Bink concluded, he nodded. "I shall make arrangements to set the shield as you suggested," the King said at last. "I think we will not publicize the presence of the Demon, but we shall see that no one intrudes on him,"
"I knew you would see it that way," Bink said, relieved. "I-I had no idea there would be such a consequence to my quest. It must have been terrible here, without magic."
"Oh, I had no trouble," the King said. "I spent twenty years in Mundania, remember. I still have a number of little unmagic mannerisms about me. But Iris was verging on a nervous breakdown, and the rest of the kingdom was not much better off. Still, I believe the net effect was beneficial; citizens really appreciate their magic, now."
"I suppose so," Bink agreed. "I never realized how important magic was, until I saw Xanth without it. But here in our group we're left with distressing magical loose ends. Chester has a surplus Answer, and I have a wish I can't use, and Crombie is confined-"
"Ah, yes," the King agreed. "We'd better reconstitute him now."
Bink uncorked the bottle, releasing Crombie. The griffin coalesced. "Squawk!" he proclaimed.
"About time," Grundy translated.
King Trent looked at the griffin-and it became a man. "Well," Crombie said, patting himself to make certain of his condition. "You didn't need to leave me bottled up. I could hear what was going on, all the time." He turned to Chester. "And you, you hoof-headed hulk-I only fought you because the coral controlled me. You didn't have to be scared of me once that was settled."
Chester swelled up. "Scared of you! You featherbrained punk-"
"Anytime you want to try it again, horsetail-"
"That will suffice," the King said gently, and both shut up, albeit with imperfect grace.
King Trent smiled, returning his attention to Bink. "Sometimes you miss the obvious, Bink. Let Chester give his Answer to you."
"To me? But it's his-"
"Sure, you can have it," Chester said. "I don't need it"
"But I already have a wish I can't use, and-"
"Now you use Chester's Question to ask the Good Magician what to do with your wish," the King said.
Bink turned to Humfrey. The man was snoring quietly in a comfortable chair. There was an awkward pause.
Grundy went up and jogged the Magician's ankle. "Get with it, midge."
Humfrey woke with a small start. "Give it to Crombie," the Magician said before Bink opened his mouth, and lapsed back into sleep.
"What?" Chester demanded. "The Answer I sweated for only brings a free wish to this bird?"
Bink marveled himself, but handed the wish-bubble to Crombie. "May I ask what you mean to use it for?"
Crombie fidgeted a moment, an unusual performance for him. "Uh, Bink, you remember that nymph, the one who-"
"Jewel," Bink agreed. "I dread trying to explain about her to-"
"Well, I-uh, you see, I had this fragment of the magic mirror in the bottle, and I used it to check on Sabrina, and-"
"I fear consistency was never her strong suit," the King interposed. "I don't believe you two were right for each other anyway."
"What about her?" Bink asked, perplexed.
"She was two-timing me," Crombie said, scowling. "Right when she had me on the verge-but the other guy is married, so she was going to let on the kid was mine, and-I knew I couldn't trust a woman!"
So Sabrina had deserted Crombie, as she had deserted Bink himself, before he knew Chameleon. Yet she connived to marry Crombie anyway-and it had been fated that he would have to marry her unless he married someone else first "I'm sorry," Bink said. "But I think it would be best simply to let her go. No sense wasting a wish for vengeance."
"No, that's not what I had in mind," Crombie assured him. "I wouldn't trust any woman now. But I think I could love a nymph-"
"Jewel?" Bink asked, amazed.
"I don't expect you to believe this," Crombie said seriously. "I don't really believe it myself. But a soldier has to face realities. I lost the battle before it started. There I was, lying in that cleft where you had slain me, Bink. I don't blame you for that; it was a hell of a good fight, but I was really hurting. Suddenly she came, smelling of pine needles and gardenias, bringing the healing elixir. I never saw anything so sweet in my life. She was weak and hesitant, just like a nymph. No threat to any man, least of all a soldier. No competition. The kind of female I could really get along with. And the way she stood by you-" Crombie shook his head. "That's why I went back in the bottle, after pointing out the antidote for you. I wouldn't do anything to hurt that nymph, and killing you would have torn her up. And if you got the antidote, you'd get out of love with her, which was how I wanted you. She's lovely and loyal. But since she still loves you-"
"That's hopeless," Bink said. "I'll never see her again, and even if I did-" He shrugged. "There can be nothing between us."
"Right. So if you don't mind, I'll just take this wish and wish her to drink some of that love potion-and to see me next thing. Then she'll feel about me the way you felt about her. Only I'll be available, seeing as I have to marry someone anyway."
And Crombie was a dashing soldier and a handsome man. Inevitably the love the potion started would become real. The hurt Jewel felt for what Bink had done to her, striking her down with his sword, would make the transition easier. Except-"But you like to travel about," Chester said before Bink could formulate the same objection. "She lives below, planting precious stones. That's her job; she wouldn't leave it"
"So we'll separate-and rejoin," Crombie said. "I'll be seeing her part-time, not all the time. That's the way I like it. I'm a soldier."
And that, neatly, solved Bink's problem. "What about me?" Grundy demanded. "Without birdbeak, I have no job. I'm real, now; I can't just disappear."
"There is occasional need for translation around this court," the King said, "We shall find employment for you." He glanced about "That about suffices for tonight. Quarters have been arranged for all of you, here at the palace." With that he ushered them out. Bink was last to go. "I-I'm sorry I caused all this trouble," he said. "The Good Magician tried to warn me, and so did Beauregard the demon, but I wouldn't listen. Just because I wanted to know the source of magic-"