Piers Anthony - Night Mare (Xanth Novels)

Queen Iris met them at Castle Roogna. "Some how I knew it, she said. Every time we get our de fense going well, we lose our King. I have been mourning for my husband when I should have been protecting his successors. You two go directly to Good Magician Hum frey; he must be the next King. Don't let him put you off; the old curmudgeon can't refuse this time! I'll send word to Millie the Ghost, if a regular night mare hasn't beaten me to it, and will organize things here at the castle.

Tell Hum frey this is pre-emptive; he's the last male Magician of Xanth and must assume the office immediately, and no gnomish grumbling." Imbri realized that the old Queen still had considerable spirit and competence. Now that the crisis was deepening, she was putting aside her personal grief and shock to do what needed to be done. She was providing some leader ship during the vacuum. Grundy had commented with in nocent malice on the uselessness of the Queen, whom King Trent had married mainly out of courtesy; now Imbri knew directly that there was much more to it than that. Queen Iris's grief was genuine, but so was her mettle. Fortunately, Imbri's century and a half of night labors had inured her somewhat to busy nights.

The golem re mounted and they galloped for the Good Magician's castle. Night Mare She used the same gourd patches she had taken with Cha meleon, but her rider was different and so the gourd ter rain differed. This time they charged through a region of carnivorous clouds that reached for them with funnel shaped, whirling, sucking snouts and turbulent gusts. They whistled with rage when unable to consume this seeming prey. Clouds tended to be vocally expressive. Then there was a forest of animate trees whose branches clutched at them and whose leaves slurped hungrily, but these, too, failed.

Finally they threaded through a field of striking weaponsswords, clubs, and spears moving with random viciousness, nooses tightening, and metallic magic tubes belching fire, noise, and fragments. Yet again they passed through safely, for Imbri was long familiar with this region. The world of the gourd had to supply every thing that was required for bad dreams, and weapons were prominent. This is a fun scene you have in your gourd, Grundy remarked, relaxing once he realized they were safely through. They emerged near the Good Magician's castle and charged through its walls and into its halls. Humfrey was in his study, as usual poring over a huge tome.

He looked up glumly as Imbri and Grundy materialized. "So it has come at last to this, he muttered. For a century I have avoided the onerous aspect of politics, and now you folk have bungled me into a comer." Yes, sir, Grundy said. The golem was halfway respect ful, for Humfrey had enabled him to become real, long ago when he had been unreal. Also, Humfrey was about to come into considerably more power. "That's a Mundane anachronism." He scowled as his old eyes scanned a shelf on which sat a row of magic bullets, giving him the lie. "I'm not the last Magician of Xanth, you know." Amolde Centaur doesn't count, Grundy said. "His tal ent only works outside Xanth, and anyway, he's not hu man." 168 Night Mare "Both arguments are specious. "His tal ent only works outside Xanth, and anyway, he's not hu man." 168 Night Mare "Both arguments are specious.

His turn will come. But first must come Bink; he will be King after me." Bink? the golem cried incredulously. "Dor's father? He has no magic at alll King Trent had to cancel the rule of magic for citizenship, just so Bink could stay in Xanth." Bink is a Magician, Humfrey insisted. "Possibly the most potent one alive. For the first quarter century of his life, no one knew it; for the second quarter, only a select few knew it. Now all Xanth must know it, for Xanth needs him.

Bear that in your ugly little mind, golem, for you will have to pass the word. Perhaps Bink will break the chain." Breaking the chain! Imbri sent. "That's your advice for saving Xanth from the Nextwavel" Yes, indeed, Humfrey agreed. "But it is proving hard to do. I shall not succeed, and I am unable to prophesy beyond my own doom. But I think Bink is the one most likely to break itor perhaps his wife will." Golem and mare exchanged a glance.

Had the Good Magician lost what few wits remained to him? The Gorgon appeared in the doorway. A heavy opaque veil covered her face completely. "I have packed your spells and your lunch, my love," she murmured. And my socks? Humfrey snapped. "What about my spare socks?" Those, too, she said. "I might forget a spell, but never something as important as your spare socks." She smiled wryly under the veil and set a tied bag before him on the desk.

Not on the open tome! he exclaimed. "You'll muss the pagesi" The Gorgon moved the bag to the side of the book. Then she dropped to her knees before Humfrey. "Oh, my lord, must you go into this thing? Can't you rule from here?" What's this 'my love, my lord' business? Grundy de manded. The Gorgon kneels to no one! Humfrey picked up the bag. What must be must be, he said.

So it is writtenthere. He jammed a gnarled finger on the open page of the tome. Imbri looked. The book said: IT IS NOT FOR THE GOOD MAGICIAN TO BREAK THE CHAIN. Night Mare 169 The Gorgon's veil was darkening as moisture soaked through it. "To petrifyand she wears a concealing veil she wouldn't need for an invisible face. "To petrifyand she wears a concealing veil she wouldn't need for an invisible face.

The Gorgon's been loosed!" Her power must not be loosed prematurely, Humfrey said. "Not till the King of Xanth so directs, or it will be wasted and Xanth will fall. She must fetch her sister for the time when the two of them are needed." But how will we know? the Gorgon demanded. "You restored the Siren's dulcimer and have it waiting for her here. But we may not even have a King of Xanth, let alone one who knows what to direct!" Someone will know, Humfrey said. "Mare Imbrium, I must borrow you until I recover my flying carpet.

Golem, you must baby-sit this castle until the girls return." Me? But Or until need calls you elsewhere. What need? the golem asked, baffled. You will know when it manifests. Humfrey cocked a forefinger at the miniature man. "Do not diddle with my books. purple bugbear, the Gorgon concluded, and the go lem's excitement faded. purple bugbear, the Gorgon concluded, and the go lem's excitement faded.

The Magician climbed onto Imbri, using a comer of his desk as a stepping block. He was small, old, and infirm, and Imbri was afraid he would fall. Then he hauled up the heavy bag of spells and almost did fall as it overbalanced him. I'd better use a fixative spell, he muttered. He opened the bag and rummaged in it. He brought out a bot tle, worked out the cork, and spilled a plaid drop.

A plaid banshee formed and sailed out through the ceil ing with a trailing wail. Night Mare no Wrong bottle, the Gorgon said, standing. "Here, let me get it." She reached into the bag and drew forth a white bottle. She popped the cork and spilled out a drop. Immedi ately it expanded into a white bubble that floated toward Imbri and the Magician, overlapped them, and shrank sud denly about them, cementing Humfrey and his bag firmly to the mare's back. "I know where every spell is packed." Stay, Humfrey said, as if addressing a puppy. "Move out, mare." Imbri moved out, phasing through the wall and leaping down to the ground beyond the moat. "Move out, mare." Imbri moved out, phasing through the wall and leaping down to the ground beyond the moat.

In her insubstantial state, such leaps were safe. They were on their way to Castle Roogna, but Imbri was dissatisfied. Why didn't you let her be with you? she sent reprovingly to the Magician. "The Gorgon really seems to care for you." Of course she cares for me, the idiot! Humfrey snapped. She's a better wife than I deserve. Always was.