Piers Anthony - Dragon on a Pedestal (Xanth Novels)

Aap and Chem were back by morning. Irene heard them amve and decided not to inquire; it really wasn't her business. That was why she was so infernally curious!

Maybe it was her imagination, Irene thought, but in the light of dawn, Zora looked improved. The scourge gouges had filled in so that bone no longer showed, her flesh no longer hung in tatters, and her eyes seemed restored to the point where they were capable of normal vision. Even her dress was whole now, apparently renovating itself as part of the zombie process. Her hair was longer and fuller and less straggly, with some of its original fair color showing. It seemed that rest and shelter did

mend a zombie somewhat.

This was the first case Irene knew of in which a zombie had become less, rather than more, rotten with the passage of time. But of course she had never before interacted this closely with a zombie for several days. What had she ever really known about them? Little more than jokes: How many zombies does it take to plant a light bulb? She could no longer remember the punch line and didn't care to; she was sure she would not find

it very funny now.

There was one other factor, she recalled: human consider ation and caring. That was one thing that was supposed to help a zombieand the one thing few if any zombies received. But all of them had welcomed Zora into their group after the episode of the Furies. Perhaps they had, after all, returned part of the

debt they owed her.

Irene's original clothes were quite dry now, so she no longer had to wear the towels or other substitutes. That improved her outlook. She grew milkweed and eggplant for breakfast, for those who wanted it. Xap and Chem were not hungry; presum ably they had eaten on the run during the night.

Chem projected her map. The scenery ahead spread out in miniature. Here is the mountain of Parnassus, she explained, indicating a large, irregular area. It was as if they were looking down on it from above; she must have questioned Xap closely about the details he perceived from the air, in order to fill out what she saw from the knoll. "It has two peaks. The one we want is here, to the south. The nine Muses live on it; the cave of the Oracle is over there, but we'll skirt around that to reach the peak where the Tree of Seeds grows. It's quite a climb,

but we can handle it, if"

Irene didn't like the smell of that hesitation. If what? If nothing interferes, Chem said reluctantly.

What might interfere?

Well, Xap says there are things on the other peak of Par nassus thatof course, we won't be traveling on that side of the mountain

But we'd better be prepared, Irene finished. Especially with that curse. She had told Chem about the visitation of the evening, of course, and the part Zora had played. What affects Grundy and Zora is likely to affect the rest of us, since we're traveling as a group. So let's have the worst. What's on that other peak?

I'll have to give a little background, Chem said apolo getically. Unlike some centaurs, she hesitated to show off her extensive classical education.

Spit it out, horsefoot, Grundy said. Anything bad will probably hit me first.

The shrine of the Oracle was originally guarded by the Python, who had a keen insight into the fallibilities of man. But the huge reptile was attacked and severely injured and driven out; it survived only because it fled to the other peak of Parnassus, where the Tree of Immortality was, and ale one of its leaves. Now the Python is barred from the Oracle's cave, but it is a most sagacious reptile and would do anything to return. So it slithers about, seeking some avenue. If we were to stray into its present territory

We won't, Irene said firmly. Not with your map to guide us. What else?

The maenads. They are the wild women of wine. They dance ritually on the north slope, tearing apart and consuming any creature they catch. Once they served the god of fertile crops, but the old gods are gone now and the maenads serve no one except the Tree of Immortality, which keeps them alive and youthful.

They sound like nymphs, Xavier remarked.

They may be related, but their personalities are more like those of harpies or ogresses. They are predators, not prey, though they are naked and beautiful.

I see, Irene said, frowning. She tended to be foolishly jealous of eternally young, beautiful, naked wild women. Once she herself had beenbut she stifled that thought. So wild women roam the slopes of Parnassus. We'll stay clear of them, too. For sure!

So here is the appropriate path, Chem concluded, pointing out a dotted line on the map. We'll have to stay right on it to be safe.' It is too bad you can't use Xap to fly directly to the Tree of Seeds. But the Simurgh allows no one to enter Parnassus by air, because every so often dragons and griffins try to raid. A hippogryph vaguely resembles a griffin in flight, so Xap knows it isn't safe for him to fly there. Nothing largei than a small bird can risk it. Xap can handle just about any airborne creature he might meet, but the Simurgh is something else.

I'm sure it is, Irene agreed, getting more curious about this notorious bird.

We have to approach slowly, by foot, so the Simurgh has time to study us and see that we are not raiders but serious visitors.

Parnassus seems very choosy, Irene commented.

Yes. A select and strange group of creatures abides there. We have to follow their rules, or we will get nowhere. That's why the witch Xanthippe could not go herself; the Simurgh would know her for what she is and would never let her get near the Tree of Seeds.

It is not a mission I would have chosen myself, Irene admitted grimly. But we must do what we must do.

They set off on the final stretch to Parnassus, as delineated on Chem's map. Zora rode behind Xavier on Xap again, while Irene and Grundy remained on Chem. They trotted southeast, but with more certain impetus, for Chem had traveled this route before. Xap now stayed on the ground, and not because he was tired. Whether he wished to avoid the attention of the Simurgh even this far away, or simply to keep Chem company, Irene wasn't sure. But she suspected the latter.

Those two semiequines must have had quite a night of it, Irene reflected. Xap spoke only in squawks, but Chem seemed to understand him perfectly now, and he understood her. Irene remained surprised that Chem should show such interest in a noncentaur, yet human beings were noncentaurs, too, and she associated with them all the time. Was a human person any more worthy than a hippogryph person? A smart centaur cer tainly ought to be able to judge. But Irene suspected that Chem's dam Cherie would not entirely approve. What would the Furies have said to Chem?

In due course they came to the base of Mount Parnassus. The jungle halted as if in deference to the great mountain, so the view was clear. There were indeed two peaks; on each one, half hidden in mists, was a large and spreading tree. They would avoid the Tree of Immortality on the north peak; too much mischief had already been wreaked by the water of the Fountain of Youth, which was surely related magic.

Doesn't look like much, Grundy said.

Let's hope you're right, Chem said. I want to talk to the Simurghnothing else. And Irene wants to get those seeds.

They crossed the channel at the foot of the mountain. This was a dry creekbed filled with rounded stones. It wasn't com fortable footing for hooves, so Xap spread his wings and leaped across, risking this tiny bit of flight, while Chem picked her way carefully. Even so, the stones tended to turn under her feet, slowing her down further.

Here, tenderfoot, I'll find you a solid path! Grundy said impatiently. He jumped down and began shoving at stones, testing for solidity.