The Warlock's Gambit (5 page)

“A Paladin and his companions must frequently wear clothing appropriate to the cultures and societies they are visiting,” Lexi said, with that strange look she got on her face when she knew something but didn’t know how she knew it. “If your armoire doesn’t contain what you need already, it will generate it for you.” She shook her head, eyed a pillow, and attacked it.

Morgan pointed toward a door on the wall across from them. “What’s through there?”

Arthur shrugged, and they walked into … the bathroom. The shower was enormous, with wall jets and ceiling jets and probably floor jets. The hot tub — it had a hot tub! — was almost the size of a small swimming pool. Other than that, it was all what he’d have expected from the Manse: marble tile and fancy sinks and sparkling mirrors and a toilet that had a row of buttons for … he had no idea what the buttons on the toilet were for.

Arthur stepped back onto the lift. “Want to check out the third floor?”

“Boy, you sure do demand a lot, don’t you?” Morgan said as she and the numina joined him. “What else could you need?”

“Hey, I have almost nothing at home. Maybe I deserve a bit of luxury if I’m going to be risking my life all the time to save the universe.”

Morgan shrugged. “So what do you think is up here?”

“No idea.”

The platform took them up to the third level, and into what was the most amazingly wonderful place he’d ever been before in his life.

A
rthur stood there, dumbstruck, scanning his surroundings with tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He didn’t even try to hold them back. If Morgan saw him cry now, he wouldn’t be embarrassed — not for this. But she was completely silent and obviously not paying any attention to him; she was, of course, just as overwhelmed as he was. The large picture window looking out on the Song Between the Verses from the Paladin’s Office was impressive, but this … this was a thousand times better than that.

The lift had brought them up into the center of an actual observatory; it had a long telescope projecting out from a dome and everything. It was almost exactly like the one at the state university, with the fully rotational, forty-inch reflecting telescope. He’d seen it on the same field trip that took them to the Governor’s Mansion. That
used
to be one of the highlights of his life.

But this observatory was different, because the dome was made of clear glass and was exposed to space, or in this case, the Song Between the Verses. Streaming around the dome were the rainbow of nebula-like gases and star trails, and from in here, they were even more vibrant. Suddenly, for half a moment, the dome lit up with a golden-white light so bright Arthur couldn’t see anything. Then it was all back to normal. Lexi hissed; Vassalus growled.

“Did we … did we just pass through a star?” Morgan stammered.

Arthur nodded. “I … think … so, maybe.”

Lexi nudged him, and he stepped forward off the elevator platform. Morgan didn’t even point out how the Observatory’s position didn’t make sense.

“It’s hard to believe all this is real,” Morgan said.

“I know,” Arthur replied. “But even if it was fake, I don’t think I’d care, because it would be the best amusement park ride ever.” He walked around, examining the telescope. “I’m guessing the scope’s pretty useless right now. I’ll have to wait until we’ve stopped.”

“Oh, give it a shot, Arthur!” Lexi said as she padded around the end of the dome.

Why not? He climbed into the chair at the bottom of the telescope and peered through the lens, but there wasn’t much point with all the swirling colors. In fact, it was a bit disorienting. He leaned back in the chair and sighed. A joystick was attached to the right arm of the chair. He grabbed it, and pulled back on it. The telescope inclined. He pushed forward, and the telescope lowered. He moved it to the right, and the entire dome began to rotate clockwise.

“Wicked,” Arthur said.

“I do not see anything the least bit evil about it, Master Paladin,” stated Vassalus. “It really is quite — oh, I get it.” He added, distastefully, “Slang. You think it is … ‘cool’ … and … ‘awesome.’”

“Yes, I do,” Arthur said.

Vassalus rolled his eyes, and Morgan stifled a giggle.

Lexi suddenly leapt six feet up into the air and pounced the glass hard as a bright red supernova passed in the distance. A THUMP reverberated through the dome, and Arthur worried that she’d cracked the glass and would kill them all. Clearly, the catnip-high was still in effect.

“Alexis! You big, dumb cat!”

Lexi hit the floor, spun to face Vassalus, and bared her fangs.

“Lexi! Vassalus! That’s enough.” Arthur hopped down from the chair. “You two are
not
going to ruin my Observatory experience.” His voice must’ve been pretty fierce, because they both nearly cowered and fell silent before stalking off to opposite ends of the dome.

“Um … so,” Morgan said, “astronomy is your thing …”

“I have a telescope at home,” Arthur said. “It’s not much, but it’s my favorite possession. Saved up for four Christmases to get it. I like to go out at night and see the stars, sketch the rings of Saturn, and that sort of thing. I always dreamed I’d be the first to spot something new … somehow.”

“Now you’ll be seeing a lot of things no Earth astronomer has ever seen,” Morgan replied.

There were two lounge chairs to one side of the dome; they each took one. They watched the bright, streaming swirls of Multiversal stuff go by. Each time they blazed past a star or within sight of a particularly bright galaxy or nebula, they would ooh and aah.

“I don’t think we’re going full speed,” Morgan said. “Because for us to really go fast enough for this to work, stars and galaxies would go by so quickly we’d never even notice them.” Morgan slapped her forehead. “We are such idiots!”

“That is not true,” said Vassalus.

“It might be,” Lexi countered. “We might all be. How would we know? There’s no one to compare ourselves to.”

They all looked at her, and then she giggled.

With a sigh, Arthur said, “What is it, Morgan?”

“We’re traveling …”

“Yes, obviously.”

“Okay then, where are we going?”

“Oh. Um … we’re … I have no idea.”

“Precisely. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me sooner.”

“It is a lot to take in, my dear,” said Vassalus. “You are being overwhelmed with new things.”

“True,” Morgan replied. “Usually I’d be having an anxiety attack right now.”

Arthur snorted. “I wonder what Dr. Tetris … er Dr. Edelman … would say if we told him a magic house flying through space cured what years of therapy couldn't?”

“Cured? I doubt that.” Morgan sighed. “My point was that wherever we’re heading, the Manse isn’t in a hurry to get there.”

“Maybe we aren’t heading anywhere,” Lexi said.

Morgan nodded. “Exactly. Maybe we just need to keep moving so more Entropians can’t find us.”

“You know,” interrupted Arthur, “right now I don't care. This,” he threw his arms wide as if to encompass the dome and the telescope and the Song Between Verses, “is too … wow … to worry about anything else.”

Arthur stuck his hands behind his head and watched the universe stream by, a big smile plastered on his face. After a while, he felt Morgan staring at him intently.

“What?” he asked.

“I’ve never seen you this happy before. Makes you look different.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Being happy?”

“No, looking different.”

She shrugged. “You really were born for this, I guess: traveling amongst the stars.”

“Maybe you were, too …”

Morgan shook her head. “No, I’m just lucky. Maybe the luckiest girl ever.”

Arthur looked over at her, staring up at the sky, the wild colors flickering across her face and flashing in her eyes. A big smile was plastered across her face, too, and that was something he'd never seen before. He was glad he’d run into her, and not just because he would’ve been screwed without her help.

“Morgan, I never actually asked you if you wanted to be a Paladin’s companion …”

She stared daggers at him. “Are you saying you don’t want me to be?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Good, because I’m not giving it up.”

“I just figured I should’ve asked you … officially.”

“The Manse gave me a room, equipment, a Companion number, and everything.”

“I know, I know. But
I
didn’t
ask
you, and that doesn’t seem right to me.”

She groaned. “Well, get on with it then.”

“Would you like to be my …” Suddenly, his palms and forehead turned clammy, and his heart began to race. His cheeks flushed. Those words made it kind of sound like he was asking her to be his girlfriend or something, and that wasn’t what he meant — not at all. He stumbled through his thoughts, trying to find the right way to say it so that it didn’t suggest anything or make him uncomfortable or her angry …

“Arthur,
yes
. Yes, I will be your official Paladin’s companion. I’d hardly turn it down. Happy now?”

Arthur leaned his seat back and watched a large sun flare past them. “Yes, yes I am.”

“You’re such a weird doof.”

A
rthur sat up and rubbed his eyes. Despite the wondrous view, he had dozed off in the chair, with Lexi curled around his feet.

“What time is it?”

Morgan woke with a start — stepped on Vassalus’ tail by accident, and then clapped her hands over her ears when he howled.

“Sorry, Vassalus.”

He spun around and licked his tail twice, then breathed a sigh of relief. “I am okay, dear girl. You merely surprised me. No harm done.”

Morgan glared at Arthur. “Was that really necessary?”

“All I did was ask you what time it was … softly, too.”

Lexi nodded. “Really, that’s all he did.”

Morgan fumbled into her pocket for her busted iPhone. “Oh … it’s almost 4:30.”

“So what now?”

“Why don’t we go back to the Paladin’s Office, and check out the computer some more?”

“What more can you learn? There’s no information on it. Besides, I can’t help you with it.”

“Fine then. What do you want to do? The Library?”

“I’m not ready for another battle,” Arthur replied. It wasn’t so much that he was physically tired, though he was exhausted. It was that he was emotionally drained from the lows and highs of seeing family portraits in the Office to seeing his very own, awesome suite and experiencing the Observatory. “Let’s do the Library after dinner … or tomorrow, maybe. We really need a little more rest, I think.”

“You do have access to a proper bathroom now,” suggested Vassalus. “Perhaps it is time to wash more than your hands and faces?”

“Smashing idea!” Lexi wrinkled her nose. “You both stink.”

“Okay, then,” Morgan said. “Arthur, you take the first bath. Then we’ll switch out. Take your time, you're really filthy.”

“Thanks. But you don't have to wait on me, you know. I’m sure you have a bathroom of your own, too.”

“Eh, yours is fine. And I can work on the computer while you bathe.”

Arthur didn’t even bother protesting; Morgan was so weird.

When Arthur got off the elevator on the second floor, Morgan continued on down. He walked into the bathroom, stripped off his dirty, torn, and bloodstained clothes, and stepped into the shower. Before he could turn the water on, Valet marched in, snatched the pile of clothes off the floor, and hurried away with them held at arm’s length.

“Hey!” He scurried after Valet, but stopped at the door to the bedroom, just in case Morgan had come back up. Peering around the doorframe, he saw he was too late anyway. The servitor had already disappeared down the elevator. Arthur shrugged. Maybe he was going to clean them; that was something a valet did, wasn't it? Though he had no idea where the servitors would take clothes to have them cleaned. If nothing else, there was an armoire full of clothes he could wear.

On his way back to the shower, Arthur paused and looked at himself in the mirror. For the first time in his life, the shock white hair, the gold eyes, and the bronze skin didn’t seem so strange or different. He’d found his place in the world; he’d discovered his destiny. He also, it seemed to him, looked a lot older now. He certainly felt more mature, more grown up than he had just a few days ago. He had always felt really young before, even though he was a year older than everyone in his class — maybe because everyone always told him that he was immature … undisciplined and unfocused. Well, he certainly wasn't anymore. He had faced things most adults would never have to face — and he had survived. So far.

Arthur stepped back into the shower, pressed a button, and the jets showered water down onto him. He pressed another, and water sprayed out of the sides. A third button paused the shower and made hot, soapy, berry-scented foam shoot out at him from every direction. He accidentally pushed another button while trying to get the unexpected soap out of his eyes — at least it didn't sting — and a panel slid open to display a wide variety of things Arthur assumed were for scrubbing yourself clean. He pick one and got to work.

When he finally stepped out, Valet stood waiting for him, holding a towel over one arm and gesturing toward the whirlpool tub which he had filled up.

Arthur passed on the towel and eased into the tub. “Valet, tell me when it's been half an hour. Morgan needs a turn, too.”

The steaming water was amazing; it had a flowery scent, kind of like orange blossoms. It smelled a bit salty, too. Valet must’ve put something in it to help loosen his muscles, because as soon as he settled in, he felt himself start to relax.

He never would have imagined — had it really been less than a week? – that he would go from the verge of being sent to a military school run by sadistic Coach Connors to finding his home, his first real friends, and his destiny. All because of a fight with Derek that broke the weird device over his heart. Derek … he didn’t know what had happened to Derek … they
might
have just burned him on their way past. Arthur was the one they wanted after all.

Arthur might not ever know what had happened to Derek. He might not ever see Rockville again. It took a while for that to sink in, and he felt weird once it did. He might never see Grandma Nelson … Derek … Aunt Carolyn … Principal Dickinson … or Dr. Tetris again. In theory, he supposed, if they managed to survive this fight and free the Manse from the warlock, then the Manse ought to be able to take him back, if he asked it to. But only for a visit. He would never live with Grandma Nelson or go to Rockville Middle again. His parents had visited there several times at least, and once they were gone someone — Kjor, maybe — had taken Arthur back to his grandparents. But the thing was, Arthur wasn’t certain he ever wanted to go back, even for a visit. And what would he say if he did go back? That he’d run away? That he was back for some of Grandma Nelson’s peach cobbler and to let her know he was okay but he’d be leaving again in the morning? And poor Derek … if he wasn't fine … if they had found him out there … dead … Arthur would get blamed. And there was no way he could explain what had actually happened; they would never believe him.

Arthur could admit now that he'd always been jealous of Derek. Clearly the Manse felt it; otherwise, why put a giant TV and all the video games that Derek always had but Arthur didn't in his room? Grandma Nelson and Aunt Carolyn had always thought Derek was smart and perfect; they all loved him more. Arthur was just the boy who nobody wanted. And Derek had rubbed it in; he'd been a bully. But he didn't deserve to die, especially not like … Arthur flinched away from the thought.

Arthur probably shouldn't go back, even if he wanted to. But what about Morgan? She didn’t want to go back to her old life, of course, but this wasn’t fair to her family; her dad, at least, who would be worried sick about her. Arthur knew what it felt like to always wonder if someone you loved was ever coming back. They needed to know she was okay. But then, what caring parent would let their kid leave again, with no explanation? Maybe Morgan had a plan, but Arthur wasn’t brave enough to ask something sensitive like that.

Morgan … she reminded him of something Grandma Nelson said about some people: crazier than a bag of cats. Just when he thought he had a handle on her, she said or did something that completely threw him for a loop. But he was glad it was her with him. Arthur chuckled to himself as he imagined Morgan meeting Grandma Nelson, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.

Valet woke him later. Arthur dried off with two of the biggest, fluffiest white towels ever, and again wondered where the servitors went to do the laundry. He combed his hair and brushed his teeth — of course, the Manse had provided everything that he needed. There was even a tray in the bathroom that had Morgan’s stuff on it. Valet must’ve brought it in, knowing she wasn’t going to go to her room.

Valet led him into an area between the entrance and the sinks. There he found new clothes waiting for him, on a heated rack, no less. No more threadbare gray hoodies, worn-out jeans, and scuffed up shoes for him. He had a uniform now — and it looked awesome.

The tan pants were made of canvas with red leather kneepads and a crimson stripe down the side of each leg. The button-up shirt that went on next was also perfectly fitted just for him and was a cream color. Over the shirt went a light canvas jacket with leather reinforcing the elbows. He thought it would be too warm and heavy, but it was surprisingly comfortable, even inside the Manse. On the jacket, where a pocket might normally go, was a sunburst symbol like the one on the shield in the Great Room. He sort of understood the triskelion, since it was a protective symbol, but he had no idea what the sunburst meant.

Next, he sat on the bench beside the rack, and pulled on a pair of black leather boots that came halfway up to his knees. He’d never worn boots before, much less ones this tall, but the leather was soft and, as he walked around, he thought they might even be more comfortable than his old tennis shoes. Valet offered him a black belt and gloves. He put on the belt and declined the gloves. Valet shook his head and showed Arthur how to tuck the gloves into his belt so that he would have them for later, though why he would need them, he had no idea.

The whole get-up was surprisingly comfortable for something so official.

“Guess if I’m going to be the Multiversal Paladin, I’ve got to look the part, huh?”

Valet nodded.

The outfit had loads of pockets. Several on each pants leg, and the leather belt had pouches, empty raygun holsters, and a place where he could hang a sword. All the armor and equipment he’d gotten in the Armory fit over the uniform like they had been made to go together. Once he’d gotten everything on, he did feel a little weighted down, but it wasn’t anything he couldn't get used to.

Arthur admired himself in the mirror. He’d never looked so sharp — and if he dared think it himself, handsome — in all his life. It fit him perfectly. This was the new him. Now he just had to learn to live up to this uniform.

He met Morgan in the Office. Her jaw dropped as she spun around in the desk chair. “Holy crap, what did they do to you?”

Arthur spun around. “Isn’t this awesome?”

“You look so handsome, young master,” Lexi cooed.

“Right proper now,” Vassalus added.

“You don’t like it?” he asked Morgan.

“It’s … very smart.” She nodded. “Yeah, I do like it. You’ve been needing a uniform. You were always so … messy before. Now you look official.”

He rolled his eyes. Naturally, she would approve of him wearing a uniform. “I bet you have one waiting for you, too.”

The smile left her face, and her eyes narrowed. “The only uniform I'm ever going to wear is the one I’ve got on. Nothing else.”

“Whatever. It’s your turn for the shower. Getting anywhere with the computer?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve got all the basics figured out.”

Arthur stepped up beside her. “Scoot over.”

“No.”

“The office chair’s enormous. We can both fit.”

“Can we fit? Yes. Will I let you sit in this chair with me? No. Don’t let that uniform go to your head. No touching.”

Arthur sighed. Whatever. He dragged over a chair from the other side of the desk and sat it down next to her. “Figured out anything about what we should be doing?”

“I have confirmed that there’s no information stored on it, unless it’s locked away somewhere secret, somehow.”

“I guess Lady Ylliara was right about the Manse’s memory having been wiped,” Arthur lamented.

“Here’s what I can do: I can write, save, and open documents.” She pulled up an onscreen keyboard and typed a bit to show him. “I can move through the application list, though none of them have text labels. You have to figure them all out from the pictures, and the symbols are a lot weirder than the ones we use on Earth. They’re more like hieroglyphs. I can record audio and video in here, or in any room of the house.”

“Even the bathrooms?”

She nodded. “Disgusting, huh?”

“Why would it let you do that?”

“I don't think it's intentional. It's just …” She frowned. “Don't get any bright ideas about watching me in the shower!”

“Good grief! That didn't even occur to me.”

She shrugged in response.

“I don't even see the panels that let you see into the bathrooms.”

“I closed them.”

“Well, I promise I won't open them.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“You really think
I
can figure that out on my own?”

“Well … okay.”

“I will see that he remains honest,” declared Vassalus.

“Arthur wouldn’t do any such thing anyway,” Lexi mumbled before going back to sleep.

“Most of what I've discovered isn't that different from using a computer on Earth,” said Morgan, “except it doesn't have internet access or any sort of equivalent that I can find. Which means it’s kind of useless. No data, no games, no internet. Not much of a computer. It’s like the 80’s up in here. Although, there are programs for controlling different functions of the Manse —”

“That sounds promising,” Arthur said.

“Yeah, it does,” Morgan said with exasperation. “But I can’t tell what they’re supposed to control or how they work. All I can tell you is that the executables are all inside a folder labeled MANSE CONTROLS. Maybe they got scrambled when the Manse’s memory was wiped … or maybe I’m just missing something still …”

She started to open up another window, but Arthur tapped the desk. “Bath — now.”

She stood. “Fine. Don’t touch the computer. I don’t want you messing anything up.”

“I don’t plan on it. I’m going to relax in my room.”

Arthur grabbed a Doc Savage book off the shelf and fell onto the couch. By the time he heard the water running in the bathroom upstairs, he was already falling asleep again. He woke to the sound of Morgan screaming.