Read Online Luck of the Draw (Xanth) by Piers Anthony - Free Book Online Page B

cautiously, schooling his mind to orient on the vision of his right eye. The alternate vision of the left eye remained, but now he ignored it. Only if it showed real danger would he take it seriously. Most of the time he neither needed nor wanted future vision. Ten seconds was after all pretty limited.
    He saw a large yellow flower. No, it was a cup filled with butter. “Buttercup,” he said, plucking it.
    The cup dissolved, its pun expended. But now two of his fingers, actually his finger and thumb, the ones that had touched the cup, had become bars of butter. He could not use them in the normal manner.
    “Oh, no, you’ve got butter fingers!” Mindy said.
    The butter dissipated, and his normal digits returned. She had fathomed the second pun.
    They walked on toward the other castle. There was a gully, which became a cleft in the land, deep and dark. They paused at the brink. “I’ve seen something like this before,” Mindy said. “But I can’t remember exactly what it was.”
    “That’s because you’re duller than an ogress, and almost as pretty,” a voice called from the depth.
    “Now I remember,” she said. “It’s a sar chasm.”
    The chasm evened out, becoming a mere dip in the ground. But now several monkeylike creatures appeared, evidently evicted from their home in the depth. “What a bag!” one cried. “That’s not a bag, that’s her face,” another said. “And look at the idiot who’s with her,” a third said. “He gives ugly a bad name.”
    “And these are the sars from the chasm,” Mindy said grimly. “Making sar caustic jokes.”
    The sars, exposed, dissipated.
    They came to Castle Maidragon. A dragon raced around it and bore down on them. It was an impressively fearsome creature, with spreading wings and puffs of fire from its snout. But Bryce, seeing ten seconds ahead, realized it was about to stop without attacking. He held his ground, as did Mindy.
    The dragon stood before them, considering. It had bright green scales, a purplish tinge at the end of its wings, and of course a fearsome toothy snout.
    “I am Mindy, serving at Caprice Castle,” Mindy said boldly. “This is Bryce, a suitor for Princess Harmony. Princess Dawn sent him to interview King Trent.”
    The dragon became a girl with blond hair and brown eyes. “And I am Becka, caretaker of Castle Maidragon, for the three princesses. It is my job to protect this castle from unwarranted intrusions. Do you have better identification?”
    “Not exactly,” Mindy said. “But I believe King Trent will recognize me.”
    “Wait here.” The girl turned and walked into the castle.
    “Castle Maidragon,” Bryce said. “Maintained and guarded by a maid who is also a dragon.”
    “Yes. The three princesses have other things to do, so they aren’t here much, but they want it kept in good order.”
    “If I married Princess Harmony, is this where we’d live?”
    Mindy was startled. “I thought you had no intention.”
    “True. It’s an academic question.”
    “Yes, probably you would live here. Her sisters have other things in mind.”
    Becka emerged. “Magician Trent will be out shortly, with Queen Iris,” she said, impressed. “Princess Dawn must have mirrored him about your visit.”
    Mirrored: contacted him via magic mirrors, which could be much like visual telephones. Xanth had facilities similar to those of Mundania, only powered by magic instead of science.
    “Thank you,” Mindy said.
    “Do I know you?” Becka asked. “You seem somehow familiar.”
    “I’m just a maid at Caprice Castle. Before that I was—elsewhere.”
    “I guess not,” Becka said. “Well, back to business.” She transformed back into dragon form and ran off.
    “A literal dragon girl,” Bryce said, amazed. “I am still being surprised by things.”
    “There are surely more surprises in store. But we’ll try to get you safely through them.”
    A man and a woman emerged from the castle. He was tall, stately, about thirty-nine, with