Robert Asprin's Myth-Fits by Jody Lynn Nye

Author:Jody Lynn Nye
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-04-29T10:30:40+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Good staff is hard to find.”

—DR. F. N. FURTER

According to a little scroll delivered to us with dessert, contestants in the Scavenger Hunt were invited to a party at Winslow Center at the stroke of midnight. In no kind of hurry, we finished our meal and complimented the restaurant staff on their skill.

As we departed, the servers lined up and created an arch with their swords between us and the door. I proceeded down it, feeling a bit like a successful general after a hard-won campaign. And since I knew a successful general, Big Julie, now retired, of Possiltum, I understood why he regarded the end of a battle with regret, exhaustion, a little annoyance, some embarrassment for the praise he received, and relief that it was all over. I couldn’t wait to get back to Deva. Who knew how many assignments we had missed while we were in Winslow? And I hadn’t checked on Buttercup since we had left. I was sure the war unicorn was fine in his pasture behind our auxiliary office. I had a standing agreement with the little curly-nosed girl who lived next door in the dimension into which that building extended to feed and curry him daily. She was as thrilled to have a unicorn to care for as I was to find someone so devoted to looking after him. But I liked to sit in the field and watch him graze, play with Gleep, or pretend to charge and skewer invisible enemies.

The way to Winslow Center was well marked with torches that burned with blue flame. Hundreds, if not thousands, of holidaymakers crowded the path with us, not all carrying the official collection sacks denoting them as Scavenger Hunt teams. I suppose that the rest just wanted to watch the prize-giving and celebrate a little. I preened as I went along, listening to them speculate among themselves. They didn’t know yet that my friends and I were the grand-prize winners.

I was struck by an uncomfortable sense of familiarity as we passed under a squared-off arch into the crowded torchlit arena. Although it was almost as bright as day, I half expected a big, wooden stage hung with black velvet curtains and Wince stalking back and forth with a sword in his hand. I ran a finger around the inside of my collar. Gleep bumped against my leg and snaked his head up to look me right in the eye.

“Gleep!” he said, warningly.

I shook my head, as if to dislodge the memory.

“You’re right, fellow,” I said. “It’s not the same. We’re here as winners!”

I gagged at the putrid smell of his breath as he licked the side of my face.

“Gleep!”

As each team entered, a young resort employee joined us and took us to an individual small table behind a braided blue rope barrier. Our guide identified herself as Fayva. Her white hair was tied up with blue ribbons in little ponytails that stuck out over her ears. She had a clipboard and a feather pen in one hand.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.