Luck of the Draw (Xanth) by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony [Anthony, Piers]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2012-12-24T06:00:00+00:00

9

RING

“I think I need to get on back to the Good Magician’s Castle,” Lucky said. “Thank all of you for your help. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

That was so emphatically true that it merited no comment. “It showed us how we can work together to achieve a common objective,” Bryce said diplomatically.

“We’ll miss your luck,” Arsenal said.

“The princess will surely love the Dress,” Anna said.

Lucky nodded. “Well, I’ll be on my way. I hope all of you win your prizes.” He got on his trike. “My luck’s worn out for the day. I’ll take the enchanted path back.” He rode off.

“Now we need to decide where to go next,” Mindy said. She produced her scroll and unrolled it another notch. “The western tip of the Panhandle.”

“That’s far away!” Bryce protested.

“That, it seems, is part of our joint Challenge,” Anna said. “We have a lot of riding to do.”

“I have an idea,” Piper said. “I have traveled these parts. The Trollway passes close by here.”

“The what?” Bryce asked.

“The trolls aren’t all monsters. One tribe of them maintains a limited-access highway that runs the length of Xanth. For a nominal fee they will let others use it in perfect safety.”

“Oh, like the interstate in Mundania, or a toll road,” Bryce said. Then he caught the pun. “Tollway! Too bad we can’t store that in Caprice Castle! But it’s still a long way.”

“There’s also the Autotroll,” Piper said. “We could ride that and take our trikes along. But that costs more. We could roust up the fee for the Trollway, but not the ride.”

“They must want business,” Arsenal said. “Maybe we could make a deal.”

“We can try,” Piper agreed. “Failing that, we can cycle the distance; it will still be faster than using the enchanted paths, and safer than any shortcut.”

“Not fast enough,” Arsenal said. “Even pedaling day and night.”

“So we’ll try for the Autotroll deal.”

“Lead the way.”

They mounted their trikes and started off, following Piper. The trikes worked their magic, and they moved smartly along without being bothered by bushes, rocks, or crevices.

Until they came to a fork in the path. “I don’t remember this,” Piper said. “It must be new.”

“Take either one,” Arsenal called gruffly.

Piper took the left fork. That led to a man standing in the way. “Halt!” he cried. “This is my path. No intruders.”

Piper halted, and the others behind him. “We are merely passing through,” he said politely.

“Well, pass some other way. No one uses this path but me.”

Bryce could see that Piper was beginning to get annoyed. “No one owns a common path. Please just let us pass.”

“No. Go away.”

“And suppose we go through anyway?” Piper asked.

“Then I’ll use my talent on you.”

“And what talent is that?”

“To give anyone a toothache.”

“Oh for bleep’s sake!” Arsenal snapped, riding forward, passing around Piper. “He’s bluffing.”

The man merely glanced at him. Arsenal abruptly clapped his hand to his jaw and crashed into a tree. “Mmmmph!”

“It seems it’s not a bluff,” Piper said, unsurprised. He turned his trike around. The rest followed suit.

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