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and Leee Combined, thereby melting the stiff silence and restoring magic.”
    â€œGood … speech.”
    â€œI’ve had a lot of practice. It’s another duty I perform as Queen Jebb of the Acrotwist Clowns. The one difference is that you didn’t smash a pie in my face when I finished.”
    â€œIf I had bun … one … I would.”
    â€œWe should have a pie fight when this is all over and done. I’ll fly you to Fan Wa’s Island, and we’ll have a trampoline pie fight. Those are the best.”
    â€œKar?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œWhenever we … adventure … together, it’s the … the … toast … no … roast … no … most … yoss, that’s it! … fun.”
    â€œYou said ‘yoss’ instead of ‘yes’.”
    â€œI know. So … said. Blue … Stew … True! Kar, on my adventure through … through … time … I missed …. I missed … your … your…”
    â€œInsane lackwittedness?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWonderful shiftiness?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat then?”
    â€œYour ... you!”
    â€œWell then, make a vow. Never more adventure without me.”
    â€œI … vow.”
    â€œWhen do you think the top of the hill will open?”
    â€œWhen … it … does.”
    â€œThere’s clarity. I’m shifting to Dragon and flying to the lake to get more moonplums. I’ll be right back. Don’t do anything without me.”
    Before I could reply, the black silhouette of Kar in the night bulged, produced wings and flew off. I looked up at the star-spattered sky. Why did I sound more and more like the witch herself? I didn’t know. I was me inside, but I spoke so such like as the witch. Why did I know that a shaft of silver blue light would erupt from a sudden opening on top of the hill and leap for the stars? I was certain of that. I just knew. I sat relaxed, riding the pleasant back and then forth of the hills. Kar returned, flapping noisily near me, sprinkling me with droplets of lake water. She melted from great black form of Dragon down to humble black form of bendo dreen.
    â€œHere, Bek. Nice and ripe.”
    â€œBanks … Cranks … Thanks … Oh! Lime! Time! Hurry!”

Chapter Twenty-Six
    The Snaves of Ennek
    The shaft of silver blue light pierced the night. I popped the sweet goodness of the moonplum into my mouth and ran up the hill, closely followed by Kar. I stopped at the edge of the opening.
    â€œKar, you go … worst … first this lime … time!” I said, still munching on moonplum.
    Kar gave me a grateful smile and dove in. She likes to be the first to do things. Such has always been so. I jumped after her and landed with a bounce and a roll on the expected silver blue platform at the top of the expected long winding silver blue stairway.
    â€œThe theater of the waves … snaves of Ennek awaits … us … below,” I said, pointing down the stairs.
    â€œI’ll go first. Shall I go first? I’ll go first,” said Kar.
    I waved her forward without a word, and down we went. A hum of babble buzzed below and grew more audible as we descended.
    â€œHear ‘em, Bek?” Kar shot back over her shoulder.
    â€œMmm,” I replied, not willing to struggle so such with my witch speak.
    Around a final turn we entered the expected cavern. The babble was a din until we were noticed. Then it became a hush. With one booming exception, all Kar and I looked upon was familiar and expected. Great cavern theater bathed in silver blue light. Tiers and tiers of benches circling a single round stage. A mass of one-eyed snaves, each one of ‘em with four writhing tentacles. The booming exception? These snaves were not red of skin like as the snaves of Annek. These were bright orange so such like as common sour frazzberries found so easily in Villcom Wood. The single snave