Piers Anthony - Unicorn Point

Now for the two missing ones, because otherwise they were sure to go to Blue’s residence and be admitted by his moni tors. Tania was a cunning wench, and Agape could assume any form; forewarned, they could bypass his minions and disable the lethargy box. It would affect them as they came in range, but that was no good; at the fringe the effect was partial, and they would be able to back away, then send in a robot to turn it off. They would have to be taken out sepa rately, which complicated things, but was necessary. “Locate Serf Agape and Serf Tania of Citizen Blue’s employ,” he said to his communicator. “Do not alert them; merely inform me.”

In a moment he had his response. “Subjects located at spaceport,” Tsetse’s voice came. “Aboard ship destined for-”

“Stop that ship!” Purple shouted, causing a passing serf to jump; the serf of course had not heard the communication. But it was too late. The two females, evidently warned, had taken the most immediate ship out, and it was taking off even as he gave the command. The two had escaped the planet.

Purple suppressed his rage. What did it matter, actually? They could do nothing offplanet, and if they returned, he would nab them. All he needed was to be rid of them. “Monitor all interplanetary calls,” he said. “Intercept any relating to personnel allied with Citizen Blue.” That would prevent the two from calling in a warning to a Blue ally. But who had tipped the two off? That person obviously knew, and could take action to free Blue. That person had to be nullified, and quickly.

Citizen Purple headed for home. Here was an eariy use for the Oracle! Soon he would know the identity of that person, and take him out.

He was half right. Soon he did know, but he could not take him out. It turned out to be a child no older than Nepe, whose residence had a monitor tuned to Blue’s residence. This was evidently with the complicity of Blue, a back-up in case of unexpected trouble. It was the residence of Citizen Troal. Troal happened to be offplanet at the moment, but his son must have picked up the message and immediately alerted Agape.

And the two females had taken that child with them off planet. That meant he was out of reach—but also no longer a threat. Purple relaxed; the only likely snag was no problem after all. Now he could concentrate on the main effort. There were pressing details to attend to, such as settling with Trans lucent, who would not be pleased, but who surely would rec ognize the effectiveness of Purple’s actions. If not—well, there was always the lethargy box.

17 - Fleta

Fleta trotted along comfortably, carrying Tania, as they approached the region of the West Pole. She had known of Tania’s designs on Bane from the outset, but allied with the Adverse Adepts as she had been, she had not been in a po sition to protest. After all. Bane had no woman in Phaze, and Tania had once been intended for him, or vice versa, because they were the only two of their generation definitely slated to be Adepts. Tania had been scrupulous about not vamping Mach, so that Fleta had never had cause for a challenge. That was just as well, because though unicorns were proof against most magic, they could not stand against any Adept. She knew it was neither integrity nor fear of her horn that had kept Tania honest; it was the fear of losing her chance at Bane if she ever glanced sidelong at Mach. Tania was unscrupulous but hardly stupid.

Then, gradually, the unexpected had happened. Bane had been proof against Tania’s charms, which were considerable (for those who might like that type), but she had not been proof against his. She had fallen in love with him, and in the process had assumed his virtues. Fleta had watched this pro cess with private amazement, but there had been no doubt of its validity. Her own attitude had suffered a corresponding shift from enmity to friendship; she knew pretty closely how Tania felt.

Now they had shifted sides together, and Fleta was glad of that; they would never have to oppose each other. They worked well together, because they now knew each other well, and their abilities were complementary. Fleta could travel readily, while Tania could handle threats. But the question remained: what of Tania? She was doomed not to have her love returned, and Fleta feared she would take a drastic mea sure: the same one Fleta had taken, when she had seen no future in her love for Mach. Fleta did not want to see this happen, but what alternative was there? She knew what. She would have to share. There was a precedent for having alternate loves in the frames; Fleta’s love was Mach in Phaze, but Bane was available. Similarly, Mach was free in Proton. Tania had changed sides and done good service; she was entitled in each frame to what it of fered. Fleta just had not yet been able to bring herself to make it official.

Now they were checking on the Translucent Adept, because he had mysteriously declined to attend the ceremony of the transfer of the Book of Magic. Had there been some skul duggery between Adepts? It seemed likely, and the Adept Stile wanted to know, because he much preferred dealing with Translucent. Also, Flach remained on the undersea isle, with Sirelmoba the werebitch, and Fleta hoped to see him. There seemed to be little chance of that, because they were supposed to remain unobserved, but there was always hope. The Red Adept had given them an amulet that would protect them from observation by all except Adepts—but Translucent was an Adept. Certainly there would be no way to rescue Flach.

A bat appeared before Fleta’s nose. She jumped; she had not seen it approach. Then she recognized its smell. “Al!” she fluted in horn talk.

“Where be thee, 0 Aunt Fleta?” he piped in bat talk, the pitch so high she could barely hear it. “I see thee not!” Because of the amulet. She nosed forward and nudged him with her horn. With the contact, he saw her. He changed to boyform, maintaining the touch. “0 Aunt Fleta, I used my father’s spell to locate thee. He has been enchanted!”

Fleta changed to womanform so quickly that Tania barely had time to dismount. “The Red Adept enchanted?”

“Aye, mare. The Purple Adept did it. Tan, I mean. He got the Book o’ Magic, and then—”

“My brother!” Tania exclaimed. “I knew it!”

“Tell us exactly what happened,” Fleta said. “Fear not discovery; an thou maintain contact with me, naught be o’er heard.”

Alien was reassured. He slowed down enough to give a coherent report. “Purple and Tan came to the Red Demesnes as scheduled, and Stile was there with my father the Troll and my mother the Bat, and they gave o’er the Book o’ Magic. Then Stile asked for my friend Flach, thy foal, and Purple said no, he had decided to keep Flach to commune ‘tween the frames instead o’ Bane and Mach, ‘cause a child be more amenable. He quoted the terms o’ the agreement, and nor Stile nor Red could gainsay him, being much disappointed. Then Stile departed, and without warning Tan and Purple turned on Red and together they stunned him so that he fell in deep swoon. My mother cried out ‘gainst this treachery, but Tan stunned her too with his Evil Eye. Me they saw not, for I was peeking from hiding. Then they consulted how they would send a goblin garbed like Flach to tell Stile he escaped, but the goblin would loose a spell to take out Stile and Bane and all else in the Blue Demesnes, for they thought thee there too, that no major Adepts be able to oppose Purple’s designs. But I knew thou wast elsewhere, and came to warn thee o’ this treachery!”

“But why?” Fleta asked, appalled. “The Adverse Adepts have already won! What need for this?”

“I can guess,” Tania said darkly. “Nor Purple nor my brother e’er trusted Translucent; they wanted to take power from him. They must have taken him out first, then struck at the rest, so they can rule; an they had waited. Translucent would have taken control, and been more generous. So they timed their treachery when none suspected—and now thy Adepts Red and Stile and Rovot be ensorceled, and mayhap killed when Purple feel secure. Brown be no match, and we be helpless.”