“Now consider this: If you hadn’t been forced to intervene on my behalf your duar would not have been damaged. Consequently you would never have been compelled to travel to Strelakat Mews. Mudge would never have encountered his Weegee. You would not have discovered the gate between your world and mine. You would not have been able to return to your home to learn where your true destiny lies. Consider.”
Putting aside his initial anger, Jon-Tom did just that. It wasn’t easy. He didn’t want to consider the matter logically and dispassionately. He wanted to stomp about and yell and shout imprecations. Unfortunately he knew he was doomed to lose from the start. Not only was Clothahump right, the turtle had two hundred and fifty years of debating experience on him.
“I resent having to admit it, sir, but you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” said Clothahump blandly. “You are a spellsinger; not a solicitor, not a ‘rock singer’, whatever that may be, not anything else. I am your teacher and you are my student. That is your fate and that is your mate.” He nodded toward Talea, then gestured around the room.
“These are your friends.”
Jon-Tom took a deep breath and returned their stares: Mudge and Weegee, the four otterlings, a sober Sorbl, and back again to Clothahump. Talea completed the circle. So many things seemed to have come full circle. He thought of all the delightful companions he and Mudge had encountered; of massive but ladylike Roseroar, of Teyva and Colin the koala, of Clothahump’s first famulus Pog, the transmogrified bat.
For company they sure as hell beat hanging around the pre-yuppies at the student union.
“I guess you can’t argue with the world’s greatest wizard.”
“Not advisable,” said Clothahump.
He smiled down at Talea. “Will you have me back? If love can be magnified by traveling, then mine’s big enough to encompass the whole world.”
“Have you back? A big, ugly, clumsy catastrophe-prone freak like you? On one condition.”
“Name it.”
“That you shave that grotesque fuzz off your face as soon as we’re back in our own tree. It makes you look like a damn otter.”
He bent to kiss her but Wicket bit her on the leg.