"You can't be sure they're the same," Samwise protested.
See-Ker regarded him with his calm black eyes. The Imp squirmed. "But I am. I saw the plans myself, and I have seen the three levels of stone you have already laid."
"Four!" Samwise protested. "Almost four!"
"Almost four, then," See-Ker conceded. "They are exactly like the tombs that we create in Necropolis. An uncanny resemblance. Have you ever been to my city?"
"Uh, no. Look, I never denied that I got the plans from Diksen. But it was okay! He wasn't going to use those anymore! They weren't what he wanted! I figured he wouldn't mind."
"You stole the plans," Aahz gritted.
"He threw them away," the Imp protested. "They were crumpled up on the floor. He was never going to unfold them and use them again!"
"But you did take them without his express permission," See-Ker said, his large eyes bright in the hollow, shrunken sockets. "He would see it as an insult to his Mumsy."
Samwise quivered.
"Uh ... well, yeah, when you say it like that, I guess that's kind of what happened."
Aahz groaned. I stepped in.
"What about Diksen's character?" I asked See-Ker. "Is he likely to be responsible for the trouble that we've been having? Attacks, accidents, uh, catastrophic misunderstandings?" I glanced at Aahz.
See-Ker shook his head. "Not directly. It is against our culture to work toward the destruction of another unless he offers direct harm to us. We believe that a dishonest man will bring harm upon himself. It is a shame that he passed it along to so many other innocent people, if it is indeed his curse that is responsible for all these misfortunes. These clients of yours did no harm to Diksen."
"You can say that again," Aahz said.
"Perhaps we can appeal in that fashion," Chumley said. "A decent man would not want harm visited upon others who did not wrong him."
Aahz lifted his lip derisively. "If it was me, I'd let others suffer and make sure they knew who was responsible for it." He looked pointedly at Samwise. "Let them impose justice on him."
"All I want to do is make people happy!" the Imp protested.
"And make a bundle of money," Aahz said. "You were so greedy that you didn't check."
"Well, you jumped on the bandwagon pretty quickly yourself, Aahz," Samwise complained. "We wouldn't have started Phase Two for ages if you hadn't insisted."
"He is still not responsible for your action," See-Ker said gently. "So if you apologize to Diksen, perhaps he will forgive you and remove the curse. There is no other way. It is difficult for a curse to be dispelled by anyone but the caster."
Chumley slapped his hands on his thighs. "So, a diplomatic mission of sorts is called for. I volunteer my services."
"As do I," Tweety said, raising a massive paw.
Others around the room offered their assistance. Aahz counted up dozens of volunteers.
"Okay," Aahz said. "What harm can it do? In that case,
Badaxe, we'll have to stand down the invasion. At least for the time being."
Badaxe waved a hand. "Don't worry. I didn't prepare for one. My guys are mostly out there to make sure you didn't try and charge off to do something stupid. I'll bring a few of 'em with me, just for backup."
"I hope they will not be needed," See-Ker said. "The Dorsals have no magik of their own. They are merely fierce, brave and intelligent."
"So are my boys," said Badaxe proudly. "If they're so smart, they won't fight if we come in a under truce. Evening the odds'll just make sure everything stays peaceful."
"Uh, Aahz?" Samwise asked with a meaningful look at me, "Do you want the other preparations to be suspended?"
"Yes!" Aahz said, as if suddenly reminded of an unpleasant topic.
"What preparations?" I asked, curiously. "Never mind!" Aahz shouted. "Let's get this show on the road."
"Everything?" Samwise pressed.
"No! Not everything. We'll talk about it later," Aahz said, clearly not wanting to discuss it in front of me. "But get rid of the mourners, anyhow."
Samwise nodded and leaned out the door. "Cancel the mourners!" he shouted.
A cry of "Aawwwww!" echoed back to us.
It didn't take a genius to guess what kind of preparations Aahz had set in motion. I was touched. A glare from Aahz told me I shouldn't say so.
"I did it all for Mother."
—Oe. Rex
The diplomatic contingent intending to pay a visit to Diksen's pavilion was a lot larger than I had anticipated, but there was plenty of room on the Lunar Boat for all of us. Lord Wat-Is-Et joined See-Ker's royal party in the stern of the boat. Aahz huddled with Markie and Massha off on one side. Guido and Nunzio insisted on staying close to me wherever I went.
"There is no way we would let you visit this guy unprotected," Guido said. "Miss Bunny was displeased when you didn't come back to Deva the other night. She has been most upset. If we let you go unaccompanied, she would be most upset with us, and that we do not need to experience."
"Granted," I said. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of Bunny's temper, either. "Sure. I'll be glad to have you with me.
Guido cleared his throat a trifle uncomfortably. "Uh, Miss Bunny wants to see you when you get back this evenin'. Also Miss Tananda. They were both kinda insistent. And Gleep and Buttercup were pretty broke down when Aahz brought the news back."
"I'll come back with you fellows," I promised. I felt a pang of guilt. Poor Gleep! All this time I had been worrying about Aahz, and I had forgotten about my dragon. That was irresponsible pet ownership. I was ashamed of myself.
A few of Badaxe's men on Camel-back trailed the Lunar Boat as we plied our way over the moonlit sands toward the bubble, gleaming under that cool yellow light. Tweety sailed above us, afraid he would upset the boat, but when we arrived underneath the bubble, he came to hover at our side.
"All right, kid," Aahz said. "You know where Diksen's office is. Let's fly up there before he can split."
See-Ker held up a long hand. "I believe that we will get a more positive response if we approach him as supplicants," he said.
I elevated everybody into the anteroom. We were a huge crowd balancing on the ring-shaped floor
around the pool that represented the bottom of the sphere, but no one fell in. I mean, out. Even the servants with the fans found a place to perch.
"Smoothly done," said the king.
Aahz was impatient. "Never mind the compliments. Hey! Anyone home?"
The dark-feathered secretary came hurrying out of a small door in between two works of art on the walls. She had a purse over her shoulder.
"Office hours are at an end, dear visitors," she said. "I was about to go home!"
Aahz glared at her. "We want to see the boss. Now."
"Tact, Aahz, tact," Chumley advised. He inclined his head, not daring to bow for fear of precipitating either Badaxe or Massha into the drink. "My dear young lady, I realize it is late, but may we see Diksen? As you see, we have rather a distinguished visitor who would like to speak with him." He held out a hand toward See-Ker.
The girl went wide eyed and bowed deeply to the king.
"Greetings, Matt, O feather of efficiency," he said.
"Greetings, O See-Ker, great king of Necropolis," she said. "What are you doing with all these outlanders?"
"In search of an answer which only your employer can provide. Will you summon him?"
"For you, great master, anything!" Her eyes shone adoringly. She placed her palms together and intoned at the ceiling, "O great Diksen, he of the endless wisdom, writer of spellbinding texts, worker of wonders, son beloved of Maul-De and Omphalos, brother to Zimov and Clar-Ek! Be with us here and now, I do most urgently entreat!"
"She has to do this every time she wants to see her boss?" Massha asked. "Pretty cumbersome, if you ask me."
Читать дальше