Cube Route (20 page)

    “That's nice,” Cube said, taken aback. “You mean a dragon wouldn't attack you if it came by now?”

    “Not normally. Of course if I were intruding on its nest, trying to steal its treasure, that would be a different matter. Still, it is best not to take chances. I have my bow, and the threat of a well-aimed arrow can be persuasive even to a hungry dragon.”

    “Sort of the way my nickelpedes discourage robbers,” Cube said.

    “Yes. When you are beautiful, you may find them even more useful as protection against aggressive men.”

    Cube laughed. “I think I would find it hard to object to a man who found me attractive.” But she remembered Yorick.

    “Perhaps,” the centaur said. “Ah, there's Big Pine Key.”

    Cube looked down. Sure enough, there was a towering pine tree rising from one of the larger keys. It was amazing that the giant tree had enough room for its roots. Perhaps they extended down more than out.

    Karia avoided the tree and glided down to land on a largely featureless isle. “And here is No Name Key.”

    “But there's nothing on it! Where is the gateway?”

    “On the Mundane side. They set larger store by buildings than we do. There should be a picture here. Ah, there it is.”

    They walked to a picture on an easel. It showed the interior of a fair-sized building. That was all. “But there has to be more than a picture.”

    Karia smiled. “Just step through it. But perhaps I should return to the pouch first; that way I'll be with you when you need me again. I would not be comfortable in Mundania.”

    That made Cube think of something worrisome. “Magic things can't exist in Mundania. What about this magic pouch?”

    “I suspect it is crafted to endure. After all, it was fashioned by a Mundane, Sofia Socksorter. But you will not be able to bring any of us out of it there. Take care that you do not mislay it.”

    “Mislay it!” Cube said in horror. But the centaur was already sliding into it. It had been humor. She hoped.

    Now she stood alone before the painting. Step through it? How could she do that? Well, if it was similar to the pouch, or the Phaze picture, it might work.

    She put forth a hand to touch the picture. The hand found no resistance; it entered the scene. She pushed her arm in, and then lifted a foot to climb on in.

    Suddenly she was standing in the building. She turned around. Sure enough, there was a picture of No Name Key behind her, hanging on a wall.

    She heard footsteps. A portly man entered the chamber. “What may I do for you, sir?” he inquired.

    “Uh, I'm a woman. My name is Cube.”

    He looked again. “Why so you are. I apologize. I am Turn Key, the gatekeeper for this portal. What may I do for you, miss?”

    “I am on a--a private mission. I need to reach a Mundane person and bring her back to Xanth.”

    “Naturally. What is her identity?”

    “Kim Mundane. She--”

    “Of course. She won the game contest and a fine magic talent. She is allowed to visit Xanth at any time, but has elected to make her home in Mundania, incredible as that may seem.”

    “Yes,” Cube said, somewhat off-balanced by his ready understanding. “How can I reach her?”

    “The readiest way is via Com Pewter's Xanth Xone connection.”

    “Who? What?”

    Turn Key frowned. “Perhaps another time. I suppose you could telephone her, but she has an unlisted number.”

    “Do what?”

    The man took visible stock of the situation. “You have no idea of the protocols of Mundania?”

    “Well, I visited there recently, but only--” Cube remembered using the phone when she was in Silhouette's body. Numbers were magical, but she had none. “Yes, I have no idea.”

    “You will need the help of a native. Do you know any Mundane?”

    “Only Silhouette.”

    The man fetched a big bendy book. He opened it and turned the pages. “Tampa Bay area?”

    “I don't know. I was near the North Village when--”

    “That's confirmation. Let me see if I can reach her.” He took a phone--now she recognized it, having seen it in her memory of Mundania--and punched some little buttons on it. He listened, then spoke into its mouth-piece. “Miss Silhouette? Do you know a woman named Cube?” He listened, then handed the instrument to Cube. “She remembers you.”

    “Uh, hello,” Cube said.

    “Cube! Where are you calling from?”

    “No Name Key. It--”

    “I know where it is. I will come and pick you up in an hour. I want very much to meet you.”

    “Uh, thanks. I--I need a favor. Someone I have to find in Mundania.”

    “Have no fear. Keep an eye out for our helicopter.”

    “Your what?”

    But the woman had already hung up.

    Cube returned the phone to Turn Key. “She says to keep an eye out in an hour for their he--hel--”

    “Helicopter,” Turn Key said. “Obviously she is eager to meet you. May I inquire the nature of your prior encounter?”

    Cube decided it was safe to explain about the ghostly exchange. “So I was able to do her a favor,” she concluded.

    “A considerable one,” he agreed. “No wonder she wants to meet you physically.”

    “I hope she can help me find Kim.”

    “I will give her the address, which I do have. She is, it seems, a rather wealthy woman. She should have no trouble.”

    “Yes, she lives in a mansion, and people work for her.”

    “And you have an hour to relax. I am glad it is going well. Let me show you around our station while you wait.”

    The hour passed swiftly. Then they were waiting outside the house. A huge noisy whirling machine came chugging through the air and landed on the lawn. A woman emerged.

    Turn Key stared. “You did not exaggerate about her appearance! That is the most beautiful woman I have seen in a decade.”

    Then Silhouette spied Cube and came to her. “I am so glad to meet you in person, Cube! I owe you everything.”

    “All I did was--”

    “I trust you have the number or address of your party?”

    “Here,” Turn Key said, giving her a piece of paper.

    “Thank you so much.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then, leaving him stunned, she took Cube by the arm and led her to the whirling machine. “Phil is piloting it. You met his father.”

    “You did decide to--”

    “You were right, Cube! He is the man for me. He is strong and capable and kind, and he loves me. I'm sure I will love him soon. I simply lacked the wit to orient on him. I was horribly foolish.”

    Cube was amazed at the change in Silhouette. She had been unable to assert herself; now she was assertiveness itself. “You have changed.”

    “Because of you, Cube! You showed me how to do it, and how well it worked. I explored my memory of that day--was it only yesterday?--and simply continued in that mode. All because of you! You completely changed my life. I'm still in euphoria.”

    A man stepped out of the machine. He looked like a younger version of Filip the gardener. “Welcome aboard, Cube!” he said.

    They climbed into the machine, which was somewhat like a small house, and then it was airborne. Silhouette gave Philip the paper, and he piloted the the craft north and west while the two women talked. Again, time passed swiftly.

    The helicopter landed on a bare paved space known as a parking lot. They got out and approached the house of the address. A woman came to the door. She was ordinary rather than pretty, which gave Cube secret relief; she liked Silhouette, but hated the extreme contrast between them. “Yes?”

    Now was the time. “I am Cube, from Xanth. I must talk to Kim.”

    “I am she. The last time I visited Xanth, it was to serve jury duty. Has something else come up?”

    Cube explained about the need for her talent of erasure. “So if you could possibly come with me--”

    “I'll have to clear it with my husband Dug,” Kim said. “And I'll have to take my son along, because I can't be sure how long I'll be. He'll love Xanth!”

    She had a child. Somehow that possibility hadn't occurred to Cube. “These are my friends Silhouette and Philip. They have a helicopter to take us to No Name Key.”

    Kim was surprisingly amenable, and soon she had made arrangements for Dug to hold the fort, and joined them in the helicopter, holding her three-year-old son. “This is Knut,” she said, introducing him. “In Xanth, men generally have sons and women have daughters, as signaled by the first letters of their names, but we're in Mundania, so he's mine, a K.”

    “He's darling,” Silhouette said, smiling at the boy. Her beauty smote him like an ocean wave, and he fell back against his mother, suddenly shy.

    “We're thrilled with him,” Kim said brightly. “We thought we couldn't have a child, but Nimby fixed that.”

    “Nimby?” Silhouette asked. Cube wondered too.

    “He's a donkey-headed dragon who can assume manform. He and Chlorine go around doing favors for folk. They live in the Nameless Castle, built on a cloud, floating over Xanth. That's about all I can say.”

    That was interesting. Cube got the impression that there was a good deal more that Kim could have said, but wasn't free to, like Cube with her Quest. She would have to learn more about this odd dragon.

    “Here in Mundania,” Silhouette said, “NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard.”

    “Yes,” Kim agreed. “That's the idea. Who would want to be near a donkey-headed dragon?” She seemed amused. That made Cube wonder further. What was it about Nimby?

    The dialogue went on to other things. Silhouette was eager to learn more about Xanth, as most of what she had experienced in Cube's body remained in Cube's memory, just as most of Cube's experience in Silhouette's body remained in Silhouette's memory. This physical visit to Mundania was strengthening memories that would otherwise have been fleeting. But mainly she was relieved and pleased to see how well Silhouette was doing. Her life really had been transformed.

    They arrived at No Name Key as dusk was approaching from the east. They landed on the back lawn. “I haven't used this route before,” Kim said. “But I know of it.”

    “Turn Key gave us your address,” Cube said. “He knows of you too. There he is now.”

    They went to the picture inside the house. “This must be where we part company,” Silhouette said with regret. “I'm so glad we got to meet, Cube. You truly have changed my life.”

    “Knut and I will be returning,” Kim said.

    “We will make arrangements to get you back to your home,” Turn Key said.

    “No need,” Silhouette said. “Phil and I will wait.”

    “There's no need to inconvenience you,” Kim said. “We can manage.”

    “I want to learn more of Xanth.”

    “Oh. Then thank you. It will certainly help.”

    Cube stepped through the painting, and found herself back on the empty key-shaped island. Kim and Knut appeared behind her. “Now I'll bring out Karia,” Cube said.

    Kim opened her mouth to speak--and stared in astonishment. So did Cube. For Silhouette had just appeared.

    “Oh, I'm sorry,” Silhouette said. “I just touched the picture, curious about its nature. I didn't mean to interfere. I'll go back.”

    “You're in Xanth!” Cube said.

    “We didn't think you could cross,” Kim said. “Usually only those who have been here before, or who have special dispensation, are able to cross.”

    “Well, I was in Xanth before,” Silhouette said. “But not in my own body.”

    Kim exchanged a look with Cube. “It must count,” she said. “Well, then, come on, Silhouette. We're glad to have you with us.”

    “I can explore Xanth personally?” Silhouette asked.

    “So it seems,” Cube said.

    “Then let me tell Phil.” She poked her head through the picture, but not the rest of her body. After a moment she withdrew it. “He understands. He'll wait.”

    “Then I think you'll have to ride in the pouch,” Cube said. “I don't think Karia can handle three of us.”

    “Karia?” Silhouette asked.

    “She's a winged centaur.” Cube put her hand in the pouch, and in a half a moment Karia had joined them. There was a quick round of introductions, and the usual warning about speaking the centaur's name.

    Then Silhouette, Kim, and Knut made ready to enter the pouch. But Karia stopped them. “Weight is not a factor. If you can hold on, I can carry you. I think the little boy might like to see the sights.”

    “Oh, yes,” Kim breathed.

    So Silhouette mounted first, then Kim with Knut, then Cube at the rear. Karia flicked them all with her tail, making them so light they almost floated away. Then she took off.

    “Ooooo!” Knut and Silhouette cried together, putting five O's into it. It was hard to tell who was more thrilled. They continued to be thrilled as they looked down at the pattern of Xanth.

    “This is better than the helicopter,” Silhouette said.

    “Yeah,” Knut agreed. The two were getting along well.

    But evening arrived before they got to the site. “I will have to put down at an intermediate station,” Karia said. “We'll resume travel in the morning.”

    “That's fine,” Kim said. “All the more time in Xanth.”

    They landed at a campsite on an enchanted path. “This is safe,” Cube told Silhouette. “But don't leave the marked area. There really are dragons out there, and other things.”

    “Dragon!” Knut cried joyfully.

    Cube wrestled with her judgment and lost. She brought out Drek Dragon for a brief visit. Soon Knut was climbing all over him, and the dragon loved it. The perfume was almost too strong.

    In the morning they resumed travel, the four of them on the centaur. This time a mischievous little cloud loomed near, darkening. “Oops, that's Fray,” Karia said.

    “Who?” Kim asked.

    “Several years ago Fracto Cloud helped confine the invading storm, Gladys. He put her in the region of Air, and evidently tamed her, because now they have a baby cloud, Fray. She's only five years old and mischievous when she gets loose. Usually she'll back off when told.”