double take. “Woe! Why aren't you with the children?”
Surprise realized with a shock that she had checked on the two real children, and overlooked the illicit presence of the fake child. The distraction of the love elixir was really getting to her. Of course the demon could pop across, neither flying nor wading.
The child frowned cutely. “What, when the interesting stuff is occurring here? Not that anything really naughty has happened, yet.”
Surprise pointed back the way they had come. “Back to the babysitter. Now.” She put the last word into bold italics, making it irrefutable.
Woe popped off, leaving behind only a disgusted fading “Awww.”
Che looked thoughtful. “Could she have been along, invisibly, during our lake dialogue?”
“It's possible. Fortunately we didn't say anything naughty, as she put it.”
“Surely a severe disappointment,” he agreed. “Now we must disappoint some monsters.”
They resumed motion, trotting across the plain. Before long the monsters manifested, fanning out from the castle to intercept them. Soon two detached themselves and came forward, while the others hung back. Evidently they had a system to determine whose turn it was for love.
The two were a motley four-footed female griffin and a grotesque warty male winged dragon. Winged monsters—that made sense, since technically two winged monsters were approaching the castle.
“Sorry, folk,” Che said. “We crossed together. We're not interested in any of you.”
“Not at all,” Surprise agreed.
The monsters sighed and gave way, as it was obviously true. Had the visitors been love-smitten, they would have immediately clasped their opposite numbers and proceeded to actions that would have freaked out Woe Betide, for all that her adult selves were thoroughly familiar with them. As it was, the only creature Surprise wanted to clasp was—
She damped that down to a smoldering remnant and made her way through the clustered monsters toward the crown-shaped castle. Che walked beside her.
A young woman appeared at the front gate. “Centaurs!” she exclaimed.
“I am Che, and my companion is Surprise,” Che said. “We are effectively immune to the love elixir for obvious reasons. We have come for the Mask.”
“I am Pyra, as you must know.” A patina of flames danced about the woman's skin, thicker across her bosom and hips. That seemed to be her only clothing. Her hair was auburn, turning red at the ends. “You can't have the Mask.”
“Perhaps we shall be able to persuade you that we have legitimate need of it,” Che said smoothly.
“You couldn't use it even if you stole it.”
“We wouldn't do that,” Surprise protested.
Pyra considered, frowning. She did not seem at all friendly. “Come in and talk.” She turned and walked into the castle, her body moving like flickering flame. It was a shapely effect, Surprise thought, for those who might like that type. Che did seem to be taking it in.
The center of the castle was a huge covered dome, with a pleasant garden growing inside. Nothing looked scorched. Evidently Pyra could control her temper when she had reason.
“This is very nice,” Surprise said, looking around.
The woman thawed, for all that she had hardly been frozen. “Are you hungry?”
Surprise exchanged a surprised glance with Che. “We are,” he said.
“The elixir does it. New love consumes energy. Wait here.” Pyra went to a side chamber.
“Love consuming energy,” Che remarked. “That is not something I anticipated, but there does seem to be a rationale.”
“I, neither,” Surprise agreed. But probably her energy was being expended trying to suppress the awkward feelings that were burgeoning. It wasn't that she didn't love her husband Umlaut, but that Che was here and fascinating. Knowing that the elixir was responsible helped only intellectually.
Che looked around. “This is a veritable garden of rarities. I recognize a number of obscure plants.”
“It must
Surprise realized with a shock that she had checked on the two real children, and overlooked the illicit presence of the fake child. The distraction of the love elixir was really getting to her. Of course the demon could pop across, neither flying nor wading.
The child frowned cutely. “What, when the interesting stuff is occurring here? Not that anything really naughty has happened, yet.”
Surprise pointed back the way they had come. “Back to the babysitter. Now.” She put the last word into bold italics, making it irrefutable.
Woe popped off, leaving behind only a disgusted fading “Awww.”
Che looked thoughtful. “Could she have been along, invisibly, during our lake dialogue?”
“It's possible. Fortunately we didn't say anything naughty, as she put it.”
“Surely a severe disappointment,” he agreed. “Now we must disappoint some monsters.”
They resumed motion, trotting across the plain. Before long the monsters manifested, fanning out from the castle to intercept them. Soon two detached themselves and came forward, while the others hung back. Evidently they had a system to determine whose turn it was for love.
The two were a motley four-footed female griffin and a grotesque warty male winged dragon. Winged monsters—that made sense, since technically two winged monsters were approaching the castle.
“Sorry, folk,” Che said. “We crossed together. We're not interested in any of you.”
“Not at all,” Surprise agreed.
The monsters sighed and gave way, as it was obviously true. Had the visitors been love-smitten, they would have immediately clasped their opposite numbers and proceeded to actions that would have freaked out Woe Betide, for all that her adult selves were thoroughly familiar with them. As it was, the only creature Surprise wanted to clasp was—
She damped that down to a smoldering remnant and made her way through the clustered monsters toward the crown-shaped castle. Che walked beside her.
A young woman appeared at the front gate. “Centaurs!” she exclaimed.
“I am Che, and my companion is Surprise,” Che said. “We are effectively immune to the love elixir for obvious reasons. We have come for the Mask.”
“I am Pyra, as you must know.” A patina of flames danced about the woman's skin, thicker across her bosom and hips. That seemed to be her only clothing. Her hair was auburn, turning red at the ends. “You can't have the Mask.”
“Perhaps we shall be able to persuade you that we have legitimate need of it,” Che said smoothly.
“You couldn't use it even if you stole it.”
“We wouldn't do that,” Surprise protested.
Pyra considered, frowning. She did not seem at all friendly. “Come in and talk.” She turned and walked into the castle, her body moving like flickering flame. It was a shapely effect, Surprise thought, for those who might like that type. Che did seem to be taking it in.
The center of the castle was a huge covered dome, with a pleasant garden growing inside. Nothing looked scorched. Evidently Pyra could control her temper when she had reason.
“This is very nice,” Surprise said, looking around.
The woman thawed, for all that she had hardly been frozen. “Are you hungry?”
Surprise exchanged a surprised glance with Che. “We are,” he said.
“The elixir does it. New love consumes energy. Wait here.” Pyra went to a side chamber.
“Love consuming energy,” Che remarked. “That is not something I anticipated, but there does seem to be a rationale.”
“I, neither,” Surprise agreed. But probably her energy was being expended trying to suppress the awkward feelings that were burgeoning. It wasn't that she didn't love her husband Umlaut, but that Che was here and fascinating. Knowing that the elixir was responsible helped only intellectually.
Che looked around. “This is a veritable garden of rarities. I recognize a number of obscure plants.”
“It must
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