The Warlock's Gambit by David Alastair Hayden, Pepper Thorn Page A

tablet?”
    She paused and cocked an eyebrow at him. “You know, you’re probably right.”
    “You might have a personal computer of some sort in your room,” he suggested, trying to lure her.
    “Nice try. We are not looking in my room.”
    Arthur imagined Morgan’s room would be filled with computers, tablets, phones, and other devices. And all the décor would be in black-and-white … with maybe a few anime posters.
    “I haven’t read all the novels in these series, so I’m glad they’re here. But it would’ve been cool if the Manse had given me stuff in another series or two that I might want to read. Like, something modern maybe.”
    “I suspect it picked out what we wanted by scanning our brains and then … well, I don’t know how it can provide books you haven’t read before.”
    Arthur shrugged. “This is good, though. It makes me comfortable.”
    “I daresay that is probably the point,” Vassalus said. “It is your room in a new and stressful place. Comfort should be important.”
    A loud scratching noise came from the far corner. Lexi had crawled up onto a perch on a cat tree just like one for a house cat, only it was five times larger, making it the perfect size for Lexi. Arthur hadn’t even noticed it at first, since it was in the corner behind a giant potted tree with green and purple leaves.
    “Ooh, this is perfect,” she said, rolling around. “Catnip! Catnip! Catnip !” At that point, she nearly rolled off the top and only barely scrambled back on.
    Vassalus shook his head and made a disdainful groan. “Comforts, indeed.”
    Arthur headed toward the couch and the giant screen. “I bet the TV only plays my favorite movies, or sequels to them that I haven’t seen yet.”
    “What’s your favorite movie?”
    “It’s a tie between the Blues Brothers and Fellowship of the Ring .”
    “That’s eclectic,” she responded. “Fellowship is your favorite of the three?”
    “Well, only because I have to pick one.”
    “I think it’s fair to count all three as one movie.” She checked the couch, the coffee table, and the end tables. “I don’t see a remote anywhere. I bet it’s voice activated. Try it.”
    “What do I say?”
    “You’re such a moron. Just tell it what you want it to do.”
    “Play the Blues Brothers movie,” Arthur said in the direction of the TV. As the screen came to life, a thought struck him. “The first one! Not the second! Never play the second one.” Within moments, they were looking at a smog-filled, industrial part of Chicago in the early 1980’s. He sat on the couch. “Excellent. Now play The Fellowship of the Ring .” The TV instantly switched to Frodo in the Shire. “This is going to be awesome. I don’t even own a copy of my favorite movies. I just watch when they come on cable.”
    “Oh, this is the theater release,” said Morgan with a hint of distaste. “I only watch the extended editions of Lord of the Rings movies.”
    “There are extended editions?”
    “Oh, god, Arthur. You’re like … a barbarian … you know that, right?”
    “I’m starting to figure it out.”
    “I really can’t believe I’m friends with you.”
    “Know anybody else who likes manga, drawing, and … er …”
    “Being a freak?” she said, almost with a laugh. “No, I don’t. And until two days ago, you were easy to be friends with. Never asked for much. Didn’t make me have to talk all the time.”
    “Until two days ago, you were stuck on Earth and didn’t have the chance to cruise the universe with me.”
    “Touché,” she replied.
    Of course, until two days ago, they had only been friends in Morgan’s imagination, but that argument was pointless. Arthur finished his second sandwich, dusted off his hands, and then wiped them on his pants.
    Morgan, who had only eaten one sandwich, glared at him.
    “What?”
    “You’re such a pig.”
    Shaking his head, Arthur hopped off the couch and went to examine the large metal square on the floor,