Neal Barrett Jr - Treachery of Kings

Finn pretended she wasn't there. He walked to the door, opened it, peered each way down the dimly lit hall, closed the door again.

“It isn't locked. We could leave any time if we wanted to. The accommodations here are most peculiar, I admit. It's not the way we do things, but in their eyes I suppose it's rather like an inn.”

“A dead inn, if you ask me.”

“Nobody did, Julia. If you have anything to say, keep it to yourself.”

“She's on edge, just like we are,” Letitia said, showing the lizard a weary smile. “And all that copper and brass, she's bound to have a chill.”

“She is not cold, love,” Finn said, silently counting to three, for this was not the first time this conversation had occurred. “Julia is a mechanical device. You know that as well as I. Why would she have a chill?”

“I am very tired, dearest, too weary to talk about science and other such matters tonight. I'm going to try to sleep if I can.”

“I didn't think you'd-”

“I'm not. I shall sleep on the floor. I will not get into that. And if you wish to offer me your cloak, fine. I would not refuse to accept”

I don't really care if Aghen Aghenfleck doesn't like it, it's the only sane and reasonable thing to do. We leave the damned clock with whoever will take it. If no one will, I'll simply leave it right here with a note. Bucerius will back us up with the Prince, I think. At least, I hope he will.”

Finn shifted his bony hips on the hard floor and frowned thoughtfully at Julia Jessica Slagg.

“Did it ever occur to you that good Bucerius never mentioned the odd religious leanings of the King? I'm certain he never did.”

“I wasn't present on your trip. I suppose it never cameup.”

“We spoke of religious matters, but only in a general way. And after that, there wasn't a lot of time. I cannot imagine anyone fool enough to hang around in this- oversize casket, waiting for the King to turn over and yawn. Rocks and Crocks, seven months is out of the question. I wouldn't spend seven days here.”

Julia swept her tail about. In the flickering light of the torch, her ruby eyes seemed to dance to a fiery beat. In the corner, in a very small bundle, Letitia moaned in her sleep.

“Who are you trying to convince, Finn? You, or me?”

“No one at all,” Finn said, more than a little annoyed at her remark, which hit too close to home. “I don't have to convince anyone. It's just that this whole situation is so bloody irritating. The ways of this land make no sense at all.”

“And ours do?”

“That's not the issue here.”

“I suppose it isn't. I'll give you that.”

“Gracious of you, I'm sure.”

Finn glanced at Letitia. Even with his heavy cloak about her, he was certain she was cold. Weariness, exhaustion from the day, could scarcely overcome the chill of that stone, a chill so old, so primal, buried so deeply within its granite heart, it would never go away.

“If you had, to, Julia, could you find your way back through this maze, to the door where we came in? I know you were beneath my cloak and all… “

“Of course I could,” Julia said, her bright snout swiveling about, as if to test the frigid air.

“As you well know, since it's your fancy gadget that whirls about in my gut. I know every path I've trod, though I don't see why I should. It would be more efficient if you could show me where I'm going instead of where I've been.”

“If I could do that, I would swallow such a gadget myself. That whirly gadget, by the way, as I'm sure you recall, is a compass, Julia. It is used in navigation at sea and in the air, though it does little good in either place, as near as I can see. And you're right on one point, at least. If I'd known where I was going, I damn sure wouldn't be here.”

Though he surely couldn't tell from a hole in the ground, it was likely nearly dawn. It seemed much longer than one dawn past since he and the Bullie had risen from the Royal Balloon Grounds, floated past the Swamp of Bleak Demise, the awesome battleground, and into a chimney in Heldessia Town.

Scarcely arrived, then, and eager to depart-a wish that was nearly as strong as his second desire, a decent hot meal.

Letitia, bless her, surely was starving as well. Only great fatigue would set her need aside. For despite her ever-slender form, Letitia Louise seldom strayed far from the chance for a tasty meal.

No use even trying to sleep now, Finn said to himself. Morning will be upon us, and we'll be out of here.

Where would he find Bucerius? The Bullie said he'd be around, but Finn knew he should have asked. There was a shop he'd mentioned, someone he knew. Perhaps the name would come to mind.

As for the clock, the birthday present, the most tasteless object Finn had put together since he'd thought of lizard craft-he would give it to that sober-faced Dostagio when he saw the fellow again. Maybe a note would be apt, he could surely do that:

Dear King Llowenkeef-Grymm:

Here is an ugly gift from your greatest foe,

Hatefully,

Prince Aghen Aghenfleck IV

Probably not the way to put it, but something like that.

Finn rose, and gently pulled the cloak more snugly about Letitia Louise. Julia stood perfectly still in a corner of the room, giving her imitation of a nap. Finn had told her repeatedly she did not have the ability to sleep, and Julia, of course, insisted that she did, pointing out that while she was, indeed, a mechanical device, she had a ferret's brain, and that was the part that slept. A bit of logic, there, Finn had to admit-but never to Julia, of course.

No use sleeping, but it wouldn't hurt to simply sit: either that or stand up all night. What he wouldn't do, couldn't do, on the floor that chilled him to the bone, was nod off. No chance of that. A man must take control of himself, despite the situation. Use his strength, use his will. Maintain vigilance, in spite of one's bodily needs…

— he woke, kicking, screaming, flailing about, grabbing for anything that might hold still-burst up out of a dream where the earth shook beneath him, tossing him helplessly, this way and that.

Woke, and saw the dream was real, heard the walls rumble, saw the veil of dust tremble from the ceiling to the floor.

Stunned, dazed and out of sorts, Finn came shakily to his feet and made his way to Letitia Louise. She reached out for him, her dark Mycer eyes full of fear.

“Quake, tremor, terrible disaster, I don't know,” he shouted, “I wish we were somewhere, anywhere but here!”

He waited, then, holding her close. Catastrophes seldom stopped at one. Usually, you could count on three.

Nothing.

Everything was perfectly still. A tiny stone went ping! off Julia's golden scales, a sound that seemed much louder than it should.

“Is it over, is it done? Are we all right, Finn?” Letitia ran her sleeve across her mouth, wiping away the dust.

“I would think so. Whatever it was, it's apparently over for now. Nevertheless, subterranean quarters are not the place to be when the earth begins to shift about. You bring my cloak, Letitia, I'll get the torch. We'd best make our way out of here.”

“A sound call, you ask me,” Julia said.

“I don't believe anybody did.”

Finn opened the heavy door, thankful the mysterious tremor hadn't jammed the thing shut. The long hallway looked just as it had before. Cavernous and dark, except for the torches, set wide apart on the wall.

“All right, we seem to be clear. Let's hurry on, now.”

“Not that way,” Letitia said. “We need to go right.”

“Are you sure?”

“Quite sure, dear.”

“She is,” Julia said. “And there's someone else out here as well.”

“What? Yes, Dostagio-I'm very glad you're here,” Finn said, catching sight of the fellow now, as he stepped out of the dark. “We're about to make our way out. There was some sort of quake.”