Ryver, if you can find him.”
“Ryver? Isn't he the water boy?”
“Yes. He gave me a water ball.” Cube brought it out.
The demoness popped off again.
Cube continued walking along the path, hoping she had done the right thing. She wasn't quite sure she could trust the demoness, because demons had no souls and therefore no consciences. But Metria's help could make a huge difference.
A wisp of smoke formed before her. “Back already, Metria?”
“He wants to know if you are beautiful yet.”
Darn! She had forgotten about that. How could she recruit Ryver if he wanted her lovely first? “I guess that's a no,” she said wearily.
The demoness formed, unconscionably lovely. “So it's like that. I'm sorry.”
“You're sorry? You don't have human feelings!”
“Yes I do. Ever since I married and got half a soul.”
“You have a soul? That means you can be trusted!”
“Half a soul. So you can trust me halfway. Actually a quarter soul now; my baby got half of it.”
“You have a child?”
“Yes, after signaling the stork 750 times and serving a summons on it. It used to be that a half-mortal child of a demon with a soul got all of it, but the Time of No Magic must have shaken up the rules, and now it's just half. Too bad about your boyfriend.”
“But if you're married, how can you join the quest? Don't you have to tend to your husband?”
“My alter ego Demoness Mentia is doing that, and keeping an eye on my seven-year-old son, Ted. So I'm free to adventure, for the nonce.”
“How can a demon have an alter ego?”
“It's not easy. D. Mentia is a little crazy. So is Demon Ted. But my husband doesn't care as long as Mentia pretends to be me. In fact he likes a little craziness mixed in with his delirium. And Ted likes my child alter ego, Woe Betide. Those two little mischiefs are trying to figure out how to get around the Adult Conspiracy.”
Cube decided not to question that further. What counted was the discovery that Metria could indeed be trusted, at least halfway. That made her feel better. Not enough to compensate for the loss of Ryver, but better than nothing.
“I could cover your face and body with a shroud of myself and make you look beautiful.”
For half an instant Cube was obscenely tempted. But then she realized that it was unworkable because Ryver would know, and dishonest if he didn't know. “No. I'll just have to do without Ryver.”
“Well then, I have nothing to do, so let's try your pouch.”
Cube brought out the pouch and held it out. “Put your foot in it.”
The demoness lifted a lovely leg indecently high, and poked an exquisite dainty foot in. Then she slid all the way into the sock and disappeared. All that was left behind was the sound of her voice: “Wheeee!”
Cube returned the pouch to her pocket. It wasn't any larger than before.
Another person passed. Traffic was not thick, but she was meeting more people than she had at home. Was this a prospect to be a Companion? “Hello. I'm Cube. My talent is summoning nickelpedes.”
“I am Kate. Dupli Kate. I make twins or triplets.”
“You mean you get the stork to deliver them?”
“No, I twin or triple grown folk. I could demonstrate on you, if you wish, but you might find it inconvenient to have a twin, and I can't undo them after they appear.”
“Thanks, I'll pass that up,” Cube agreed hastily. The thought of there being two of her was awful; one was plain enough. She decided not to mention the quest.
Some time later she saw something off to the side, beyond the enchanted path. It was a person sitting on the ground, not moving. Was something wrong?
Cube left the path and went to investigate. It was a woman with a pale yellow complexion and wild
“Ryver? Isn't he the water boy?”
“Yes. He gave me a water ball.” Cube brought it out.
The demoness popped off again.
Cube continued walking along the path, hoping she had done the right thing. She wasn't quite sure she could trust the demoness, because demons had no souls and therefore no consciences. But Metria's help could make a huge difference.
A wisp of smoke formed before her. “Back already, Metria?”
“He wants to know if you are beautiful yet.”
Darn! She had forgotten about that. How could she recruit Ryver if he wanted her lovely first? “I guess that's a no,” she said wearily.
The demoness formed, unconscionably lovely. “So it's like that. I'm sorry.”
“You're sorry? You don't have human feelings!”
“Yes I do. Ever since I married and got half a soul.”
“You have a soul? That means you can be trusted!”
“Half a soul. So you can trust me halfway. Actually a quarter soul now; my baby got half of it.”
“You have a child?”
“Yes, after signaling the stork 750 times and serving a summons on it. It used to be that a half-mortal child of a demon with a soul got all of it, but the Time of No Magic must have shaken up the rules, and now it's just half. Too bad about your boyfriend.”
“But if you're married, how can you join the quest? Don't you have to tend to your husband?”
“My alter ego Demoness Mentia is doing that, and keeping an eye on my seven-year-old son, Ted. So I'm free to adventure, for the nonce.”
“How can a demon have an alter ego?”
“It's not easy. D. Mentia is a little crazy. So is Demon Ted. But my husband doesn't care as long as Mentia pretends to be me. In fact he likes a little craziness mixed in with his delirium. And Ted likes my child alter ego, Woe Betide. Those two little mischiefs are trying to figure out how to get around the Adult Conspiracy.”
Cube decided not to question that further. What counted was the discovery that Metria could indeed be trusted, at least halfway. That made her feel better. Not enough to compensate for the loss of Ryver, but better than nothing.
“I could cover your face and body with a shroud of myself and make you look beautiful.”
For half an instant Cube was obscenely tempted. But then she realized that it was unworkable because Ryver would know, and dishonest if he didn't know. “No. I'll just have to do without Ryver.”
“Well then, I have nothing to do, so let's try your pouch.”
Cube brought out the pouch and held it out. “Put your foot in it.”
The demoness lifted a lovely leg indecently high, and poked an exquisite dainty foot in. Then she slid all the way into the sock and disappeared. All that was left behind was the sound of her voice: “Wheeee!”
Cube returned the pouch to her pocket. It wasn't any larger than before.
Another person passed. Traffic was not thick, but she was meeting more people than she had at home. Was this a prospect to be a Companion? “Hello. I'm Cube. My talent is summoning nickelpedes.”
“I am Kate. Dupli Kate. I make twins or triplets.”
“You mean you get the stork to deliver them?”
“No, I twin or triple grown folk. I could demonstrate on you, if you wish, but you might find it inconvenient to have a twin, and I can't undo them after they appear.”
“Thanks, I'll pass that up,” Cube agreed hastily. The thought of there being two of her was awful; one was plain enough. She decided not to mention the quest.
Some time later she saw something off to the side, beyond the enchanted path. It was a person sitting on the ground, not moving. Was something wrong?
Cube left the path and went to investigate. It was a woman with a pale yellow complexion and wild
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