Read Online Isle Of View by Piers Anthony - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Piers Anthony
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said.
Electra looked helplessly at Nada. What were they to do?
But Nada had a notion. “Is he here now?”
“In the castle, yes,” Grey said. “I can call him. But—”
“Tell him I'll let him kiss me, if he can tell me where Che is,” she said. “And give him a good view. I mean, review.”
She had been right the first time, Electra thought. Nada's dress clung to her tightly, except where it was forced to jump the gap across her heaving bosom. If the ghost floated close enough to kiss her, he would get the best view available in Xanth.
“That might encourage him,” Grey said. He looked into blank air. “Ghorge—” He paused, evidently waiting for the ghost. “We would like to know which goblins have captured Che Centaur. Nada Naga, the woman with the—” He hesitated, his eyes traveling across wet assets and valley-hurdling cloth, until Ivy made a frowning ahem. “The amazing, uh, dress, she, er, will let you kiss her, if you answer.”
Actually, Electra's dress was wet too, but it didn't have to strain to cross her front, and nobody's eyes got hung up on it, and the promise of kissing her would not have excited a living man, let alone a ghost. She might have been resentful, if Nada hadn't been such a good friend and fellow Betrothee.
After a moment Grey lifted a sheet of paper from the desk. Very well, was written on it, in ornate script.
Nada walked to the center of the chamber, put her hands behind her back, lifted her chin, pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and inhaled. Her décolletage went into terminal strain. Ivy crossed quickly to Grey and put her hands over his eyes just as the last event was starting. That was probably just as well, Electra thought, because those eyes had been in danger of popping loose.
After a moment Electra saw something. Writing was appearing on the sheet of paper, written by an invisible hand. It said: Go find Che, With a Cookee.
“Ghorge's given the answer!” Electra exclaimed, jumping with excitement. She could afford to do that, even in a wet dress; with Nada it would have been dangerous.
Nada opened her eyes. “He's really cool!” she said.
“Well, he is dead,” Ivy reminded her. “But I think that is a good review.”
More writing appeared. Never a cleavage like that short of the Gap Chasm! Electra didn't bother to call attention to that message; it didn't seem relevant. “But what kind of cookie do we need to find Che?” she asked.
Grey looked at the message. “I think he means the With-a-Cookee River. That must be where he saw Che.”
“Already?” Electra asked. “But he hasn't had time to travel around!”
“Oh, he has, he has,” Ivy said. “He's very fast, being unlimited by mortal considerations. Now, Nada, let's get some dry clothing on you. You too, 'Lectra.”
They went with Ivy and got changed and snatched a bite to eat. By that time the day was getting late.
“We have to be on our way,” Electra said.
“We can get you there,” Ivy said. “Grey has been researching the gourd while we were eating.”
“The gourd?” Electra asked, alarmed. “We don't want to get caught in that!”
Ivy laughed. “Don't worry, you won't. The Night Stallion needed an Answer, and he paid for it by giving us a few big gourds. We use them for emergency transport. All you have to do is step in the one here, and follow the path to the one near the With-a-Cookee River, and step out. That will get you there almost immediately.” She paused, looking concerned. “But it's pretty rough country there, and the goblins can be bad. Maybe we should give you some extra magic to handle things.”
Electra considered. “Nada can handle just about anything, in serpent form. But maybe we could use something to signal for help, in case we do get in trouble. We have a whistle, but if the goblins are listening, they might come before our friends and make things worse.”
“We happen to have some sparkleberries,” Ivy said. “A branch of them should do
Electra looked helplessly at Nada. What were they to do?
But Nada had a notion. “Is he here now?”
“In the castle, yes,” Grey said. “I can call him. But—”
“Tell him I'll let him kiss me, if he can tell me where Che is,” she said. “And give him a good view. I mean, review.”
She had been right the first time, Electra thought. Nada's dress clung to her tightly, except where it was forced to jump the gap across her heaving bosom. If the ghost floated close enough to kiss her, he would get the best view available in Xanth.
“That might encourage him,” Grey said. He looked into blank air. “Ghorge—” He paused, evidently waiting for the ghost. “We would like to know which goblins have captured Che Centaur. Nada Naga, the woman with the—” He hesitated, his eyes traveling across wet assets and valley-hurdling cloth, until Ivy made a frowning ahem. “The amazing, uh, dress, she, er, will let you kiss her, if you answer.”
Actually, Electra's dress was wet too, but it didn't have to strain to cross her front, and nobody's eyes got hung up on it, and the promise of kissing her would not have excited a living man, let alone a ghost. She might have been resentful, if Nada hadn't been such a good friend and fellow Betrothee.
After a moment Grey lifted a sheet of paper from the desk. Very well, was written on it, in ornate script.
Nada walked to the center of the chamber, put her hands behind her back, lifted her chin, pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and inhaled. Her décolletage went into terminal strain. Ivy crossed quickly to Grey and put her hands over his eyes just as the last event was starting. That was probably just as well, Electra thought, because those eyes had been in danger of popping loose.
After a moment Electra saw something. Writing was appearing on the sheet of paper, written by an invisible hand. It said: Go find Che, With a Cookee.
“Ghorge's given the answer!” Electra exclaimed, jumping with excitement. She could afford to do that, even in a wet dress; with Nada it would have been dangerous.
Nada opened her eyes. “He's really cool!” she said.
“Well, he is dead,” Ivy reminded her. “But I think that is a good review.”
More writing appeared. Never a cleavage like that short of the Gap Chasm! Electra didn't bother to call attention to that message; it didn't seem relevant. “But what kind of cookie do we need to find Che?” she asked.
Grey looked at the message. “I think he means the With-a-Cookee River. That must be where he saw Che.”
“Already?” Electra asked. “But he hasn't had time to travel around!”
“Oh, he has, he has,” Ivy said. “He's very fast, being unlimited by mortal considerations. Now, Nada, let's get some dry clothing on you. You too, 'Lectra.”
They went with Ivy and got changed and snatched a bite to eat. By that time the day was getting late.
“We have to be on our way,” Electra said.
“We can get you there,” Ivy said. “Grey has been researching the gourd while we were eating.”
“The gourd?” Electra asked, alarmed. “We don't want to get caught in that!”
Ivy laughed. “Don't worry, you won't. The Night Stallion needed an Answer, and he paid for it by giving us a few big gourds. We use them for emergency transport. All you have to do is step in the one here, and follow the path to the one near the With-a-Cookee River, and step out. That will get you there almost immediately.” She paused, looking concerned. “But it's pretty rough country there, and the goblins can be bad. Maybe we should give you some extra magic to handle things.”
Electra considered. “Nada can handle just about anything, in serpent form. But maybe we could use something to signal for help, in case we do get in trouble. We have a whistle, but if the goblins are listening, they might come before our friends and make things worse.”
“We happen to have some sparkleberries,” Ivy said. “A branch of them should do
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