tenth of his.
'Hey! You said 'no haggling,' ' he protested. 'Who do you think you are?'
Well, it was worth a try. According to Massha, I was getting a bit of a reputation at the Bazaar.
'I think I'm the Great Skeeve, since you asked.'
'… And the camel you rode in on,' the vendor sneered. 'Everyone knows the Great Skeeve isn't a Pervert.' The disguise! I had forgotten about it completely.
With a mental wave, I restored my normal appearance.
'No, I'm a Klahd,' I smiled, 'And for your information, that's Pervect!'
'You mean you're really … no, you must be. No one else would voluntarily look like a Klahd … or defend Perverts … excuse me, Pervects.'
'Now that that's established,' I yawned, 'how much for two of your rings?'
'Here,' he said, thrusting the tray forward. 'Take your pick, with my compliments. I won a bundle betting on your team at the Great Game. All I ask is permission to say that you use my wares.'
It was with a great deal of satisfaction that I made my selection and continued on my way. It was nice to have a reputation, but nicer to earn it. Those two little baubles now riding in my pouch were going to get me out of the Possiltum dilemma … if I got back in time… and if Massha had found the King.
Those sobering thoughts brought my hat size back to normal in a hurry. The time to gloat was after the battle, not before. Plans aren't victories, as I should be the first to know.
With panic once again nipping at my heels, I quickened my pace until I was nearly running by the time I reached my final destination: the Yellow Crescent Inn.
Bursting through the door of the Bazaar's leading fast food establishment, I saw that it was empty of customers except for a troll munching on a table in the corner.
Terrific.
I was expecting to deal with Gus, the gargoyle proprietor, but I'd settle for the troll.
'Skeeve!' the troll exclaimed. 'I say, this is a surprise. What brings you to the Bazaar?'
'Later, Chumly. Right now I need a lift back to Klah. Are you busy with anything?'
The troll set his half-eaten table to one side and raised the eyebrow over one mismatched moon eye.
'Not to be picky about formality,' he said, 'but what happened to 'Hello, Chumly. How are you?' '
'I'm sorry. I'm in a bit of a hurry. Can we just…'
'Skeeve! How's it going, handsome?'
A particularly curvaceous bundle of green-haired loveliness had just emerged from the ladies' room.
'Oh. Hi, Tananda. How 'bout it, Chumly?'
Tananda's smile of welcome disappeared, to be replaced by a puzzled frown.
' 'Oh. Hi, Tananda?' ' she repeated, shooting a look at the troll. 'Does anything strike you as strange about that rather low-key greeting, big brother?'
'No stranger than the greeting I just got,' Chumly confided. 'Just off-hand, I'd say that either our young friend here has forgotten his manners completely, or he's gotten himself into a spot of trouble.'
Their eyes locked and they nodded.
'Trouble,' they said together.
'Cute,' I grimaced. 'Okay, so I'm in a mess. I'm not asking you to get involved. In fact, I think I've got it worked out myself. All I want is for you to pop me back to Klah.'
Brother and sister stepped to my side.
'Certainly,' Chumly smiled. 'You don't mind if we tag along, though, do you?'
'But I didn't ask you to …'
'When have you had to ask for our help before, handsome?' Tananda scolded, slipping an arm around my waist. 'We're your friends, remember?'
'But I think I've got it handled …'
'… In which case, having us along won't hurt,' the troll insisted.
'Unless, of course, something goes wrong,' Tananda supplied. 'In which case, we might be able to lend a hand.'
'… And if the three of us can't handle it. we'll be there to pull you out again,' Chumly finished.
I should have known better than to try to argue with the two of them when they were united.
'But… if … well, thanks,' I managed. 'I didn't really expect this. I mean, you don't even know what the trouble is.'
'You can tell us later,' Tananda said firmly, starting her conjuring to move us through the dimensions. 'Incidentally, where's Aahz?'
'That's part of the problem,' I sighed.
And we were back!
Not just back on Klah, back in my own quarters in the palace. As luck would have it, we weren't alone. Someday I'll have time to figure out if it was good luck or bad. The King was trussed up hand and foot on my bed, while Massha and J. R. Grimble were each enjoying a goblet of wine, and apparently each other's company. At least, that was the scene when we arrived. Once Massha and Tananda set eyes on each other, the mood changed dramatically.
'Slut,' my new apprentice hissed. 'No-talent mechanic,' Tananda shot back. 'Is that freak on our payroll?' Grimble interrupted, staring at Chumly.
'Spoken like a true bean-counter,' the troll sneered.
I tried to break it up.
'If we can just…'
That brought Grimble's attention to me.
'You!' he gasped. 'But if you're Skeeve, then who's…'
'King Rodrick of Possiltum,' I supplied, nodding to the bound figure on the bed. 'And now that everybody knows each other, can you all shut up while I tell you what our next move is?'
Chapter Thirteen
'Marriage, being a lifelong venture, must be approached with care and caution.'
THE wedding went off without a hitch.
I don't known why I had been worried. There were no interruptions, no missed lines, nobody protested or even coughed at the wrong time. As was previously noted, Queen Hemlock had handled the planning to the last minute detail… except for a few surprises we were holding back.
That's why I was worried! My cronies and I knew that as gaudy and overdone as the Royal Wedding was, it was only the warm-up act for the main event. There was also the extra heat on me of knowing that I hadn't shared all of my plans with my co-conspirators. It seemed that was another bad habit I had picked up from Aahz.
Grimble and Badaxe were at their usual places as mismatched bookends to the throne, while Chumly, Tananda, Massha, and I, courtesy of my disguise spells and Badaxe's pull as general, were lined up along the foot of the throne as bodyguards. Everything was set to go … if we ever got the time!
As dignitary after dignitary stepped forward to offer his or her congratulations and gifts, I found little to occupy my thoughts except how many things could go wrong with my little scheme. I had stuck my neck out a long way with my plan, and if it didn't work, a lot of people would be affected, starting with the king and subjects of Possiltum.
The more I thought, the more I worried until, instead of wishing the dignitaries would hurry, I actually found myself hoping they would take forever and preserve this brief moment of peace.
