talent. So he is free to suggest things I can make come true. That’s valuable, and I don’t want him to find out any sooner than is needful. As you know, only a person who does not know my talent can make a suggestion I can use.”
“Oh. Of course. But he is sure to figure it out before long.”
“Yes. Then there will be no one in our little party who can effectively suggest things. We will be limited.”
“I suppose so,” Wenda agreed.
“But there’s another matter,” Ida continued inexorably. “I am concerned that someone knows our mission.”
“We haven’t told anyone,” Wenda protested.
“Neither has anyone at Castle Roogna. But I have an intuition that news has leaked.”
“Prince Charming wouldn’t tell. And neither would Demoness Eris.”
“It may be that the number of folk who know it exceeds the critical number, so that a leak is inevitable. It’s a rule of magic the Good Magician espouses. It does not mean that anyone is telling, just that the secret cannot be contained.”
“I suppose so,” Wenda agreed uneasily.
“That means we must accomplish the mission as rapidly as possible, and be prepared for opposition.”
“I wouldn’t know how to handle opposition,” Wenda said.
“We shall simply have to avoid it. I merely wanted you to know it is to be expected.”
“This is already more complicated than I expected!”
“There is more. I have been provided with special magic that should help. But it may be awkward to apply.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It is the humidor.”
“The what?”
Ida got off her carpet, rolled it up, put it in her handbag, brought out a small box and opened it. Inside were a vial of clear liquid and a glass tube with a sponge in it. “The humidor is a device to keep the interior of the box humid. The vial contains water. When the sponge is wetted, the humidifying action starts. The effect is temporary, but it should enable us to escape from a difficult situation.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“You will, in due course. If there is a crisis, and you see me opening the box, gather the rest of the party in close. This is important. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try,” Wenda said bravely. She was thoroughly confused.
“With luck, I won’t have to invoke the humidor.”
But almost immediately the luck went bad. The first sign of it was the return of Meryl and Dipper.
“Harpies!” the bird exclaimed. “A squadron!”
“Carrying baskets,” Meryl said as she landed on her tail. “We don’t like the look of this.”
Their minds are hostile, Jumper’s thought came.
“Maybe they’re just passing by,” Wenda said hopefully.
But they weren’t. “There they are!” one screeched. “Bomb them!”
The flight zoomed low, passing just overhead. The harpies passed just overhead, releasing eggs. The eggs exploded as they struck the ground. Balls of putrid smoke roiled up.
Jumper appeared as the giant spider. “We’re lucky their aim was bad,” he said. “But they’ll zero in next time. I’ll try to catch the eggs before they strike.”
“There are too many,” Wenda said. “Some will get through, and hurt us.”
Ida brought out her box.
“Gather in close!” Wenda cried. “All together, right here!”
The others didn’t understand, but obeyed. They gathered closely around as the harpies turned in the sky, orienting for another pass.
Ida opened the vial and shook a drop of water into the sponge. Immediately mist emerged, expanding into a fog that formed a ball around them. In the fog a door formed.
“Open it!” Ida cried. “Go through it!”
They piled through as the harpies dive-bombed again. Ida slammed the door behind them just as the bombs detonated. They were safe.
“Where are we?” Meryl asked in wonder.
Wenda looked around. They were on a sloping blue field. To one side was a stand of yellow trees. To the other was a red stream.
“I don’t think we’re in Xanth anymore,” Dipper said.
“We
“Oh. Of course. But he is sure to figure it out before long.”
“Yes. Then there will be no one in our little party who can effectively suggest things. We will be limited.”
“I suppose so,” Wenda agreed.
“But there’s another matter,” Ida continued inexorably. “I am concerned that someone knows our mission.”
“We haven’t told anyone,” Wenda protested.
“Neither has anyone at Castle Roogna. But I have an intuition that news has leaked.”
“Prince Charming wouldn’t tell. And neither would Demoness Eris.”
“It may be that the number of folk who know it exceeds the critical number, so that a leak is inevitable. It’s a rule of magic the Good Magician espouses. It does not mean that anyone is telling, just that the secret cannot be contained.”
“I suppose so,” Wenda agreed uneasily.
“That means we must accomplish the mission as rapidly as possible, and be prepared for opposition.”
“I wouldn’t know how to handle opposition,” Wenda said.
“We shall simply have to avoid it. I merely wanted you to know it is to be expected.”
“This is already more complicated than I expected!”
“There is more. I have been provided with special magic that should help. But it may be awkward to apply.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It is the humidor.”
“The what?”
Ida got off her carpet, rolled it up, put it in her handbag, brought out a small box and opened it. Inside were a vial of clear liquid and a glass tube with a sponge in it. “The humidor is a device to keep the interior of the box humid. The vial contains water. When the sponge is wetted, the humidifying action starts. The effect is temporary, but it should enable us to escape from a difficult situation.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“You will, in due course. If there is a crisis, and you see me opening the box, gather the rest of the party in close. This is important. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try,” Wenda said bravely. She was thoroughly confused.
“With luck, I won’t have to invoke the humidor.”
But almost immediately the luck went bad. The first sign of it was the return of Meryl and Dipper.
“Harpies!” the bird exclaimed. “A squadron!”
“Carrying baskets,” Meryl said as she landed on her tail. “We don’t like the look of this.”
Their minds are hostile, Jumper’s thought came.
“Maybe they’re just passing by,” Wenda said hopefully.
But they weren’t. “There they are!” one screeched. “Bomb them!”
The flight zoomed low, passing just overhead. The harpies passed just overhead, releasing eggs. The eggs exploded as they struck the ground. Balls of putrid smoke roiled up.
Jumper appeared as the giant spider. “We’re lucky their aim was bad,” he said. “But they’ll zero in next time. I’ll try to catch the eggs before they strike.”
“There are too many,” Wenda said. “Some will get through, and hurt us.”
Ida brought out her box.
“Gather in close!” Wenda cried. “All together, right here!”
The others didn’t understand, but obeyed. They gathered closely around as the harpies turned in the sky, orienting for another pass.
Ida opened the vial and shook a drop of water into the sponge. Immediately mist emerged, expanding into a fog that formed a ball around them. In the fog a door formed.
“Open it!” Ida cried. “Go through it!”
They piled through as the harpies dive-bombed again. Ida slammed the door behind them just as the bombs detonated. They were safe.
“Where are we?” Meryl asked in wonder.
Wenda looked around. They were on a sloping blue field. To one side was a stand of yellow trees. To the other was a red stream.
“I don’t think we’re in Xanth anymore,” Dipper said.
“We
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