evading the tentacles that still waved free. She beat me there. With a dagger drawn from somewhere within her clothes, she stabbed the squid. I got there just in time to catch Matfany as the tentacle let him go. It felt after us, but I turned up the flame. It winced and curled up against its body. Tananda dropped down lightly to the surface. We each took an arm and carried Matfany over the water to a spit of nearly dry land under an arched willow bough.
Matfany brushed himself down. His somber suit and black curly fur were plastered with green mud. 'Sir, thank you for your courtesy.'
'Save it,' I said, with no friendliness in my voice. 'The princess was nearly captured today, and that was all your fault'
The prime minister managed to look dignified in spite of his condition. 'I only did what I had to do, sir.'
'Seems to me you could have figured something else out, a smart guy like you?'
Aahz waded through the slime toward us. He stumped up on the spit of land and wrung out his sleeves. Gallons of water and a frog poured out of the sodden tubes of cloth.
'What a miserable place,' he said. 'I can't believe you Swamp Foxes think this is the nice part of town.'
'How are you?' I asked.
'How do you think?' Aahz said. 'I'm wet! Look at that. A Barclys of Gannet suit, brand-new, ruined!'
'Haven't you got something you'd like to say to Skeeve?' Tananda asked.
He looked up at me. 'What do you think I should say to him?'
'Well, I don't know. How about Thanks, you saved my life'?' Tananda pressed him. 'Aren't you grateful?' Aahz made a face.
'That wasn't anything special. So he clotheslined a squid. I'd have done the same for him.' He turned to me. 'Thanks, You can go away now. We're fine from here.'
I gawked at him.
'Thanks? That's it?'
He glared at me. 'What do you want, a medal?' 'What about some, I don't know, gratitude?' 'You got it. I'm grateful. Happy?' 'No, in fact,' I said. 'You're acting like you're not happy to see me.'
'And why should I be?' Aahz asked. 'We're on opposite sides of this competition. You stepped in to help. Now we go back to our respective corners and keep slugging. See you at the finish line.'
I felt forlorn, then upset. 'That's it? Are you mad at me? Aren't we still friends?'
'Maybe later,' Aahz said. I felt devastated. He prodded my chest with a talon. 'No, I'm not mad at you, but I ought to be! Look, you are acting like I'm the one who left. You bugged out. You didn't talk to anyone except Bunny—unless you needed them for something. How do you think they liked that? I didn't see you at all after that one time. You want to talk about ungrateful? Because we didn't open up our arms and let you march right in where you left off? Everybody gave you a pass because you're a nice guy, but you don't deserve it. You Klahd.'
I was being pushed on the defense. 'I told you, I had to get away and prove myself.'
Aahz looked annoyed. 'And solving problems in a dozen kingdoms in as many dimensions doesn't give you that kind of confidence? What took you so long? I thought you had some potential, but maybe I overestimated your brains.'
'Aahz!' I must have shown how hurt I was.
'Aw, come on, I don't mean it like that,' Aahz said. 'What's a couple of months out of touch between friends? But this is business, kid. You've known me long enough to understand that, I hope. Nobody stands between a Pervect and something he wants, especially not former apprentices and partners who happen to be Klahds who want the same thing!'
'And dropping everything on my side of the competition to come and pull your fat out of the fire doesn't earn me even a little friendliness? If you can't even appreciate what people do for you, then I guess I don't need to have anything else to do with you.'
'If you could only hear yourself, kid,' Aahz said almost sadly.
I had heard myself, and I had to admit I didn't like what I heard. I was whining. No wonder nobody wanted to let me back in the group.
I turned to stalk away, and found myself face-to-face with a virtual forest fire. Flickering shapes made of hot blue light surrounded me. These had to be the Old Folks. I went on guard and filled my hands with the remaining magik I had in store.
'There you are,' said the leader. He had a deep, booming voice. He was shaped like a Swamp Fox, but one made of blue cellophane. His deep-set eyes fixed on my face. 'Those three boys aren't done with their punishment yet. You just can't take them away from here.'
'Sorry to disagree with you,' I said, sounding more calm than I felt. 'They're my friends, and I am taking them with me. Or you can try and put me down there. But look what I've done to your pet.' I gestured toward the squid, which struggled furiously against its bonds. It was tied to various tree limbs.
The deep voice sounded aghast. 'What have you done to Baby?''
'Baby?' I asked. That gigantic thing was a baby? 'That wasn't nice of you, son.'
A tenor-voiced Old Folk joined him. 'I guess he wasn't big enough to handle all of them. I'd better summon Daddy. He'll wind them up good, and this one into the bargain.'
'Bring him on! I can take him, too,' I vowed.
'And Granddaddy,' suggested another one of the hovering flames, a woman with a long, sharp nose.
Uh-oh, I thought. I had just dropped out of their league. I didn't stand a chance against two of them.
'Stand back,' I warned, igniting the power in my hands to a ball of red fire, 'or I'll burn all of you back to life!'
'Didn't your mother ever show you any manners?' the female asked. She clapped a hand down on my palm. The fire went out. I was out of magik. I backed away. 'I think we'll just have to sink you first and send your friends down after you!'
Plants began to wind themselves around my feet. I tugged at them.
'Now, Great-grandmother Clarissa, what are you doing?' Hermalaya was at my shoulder. She had her hands on her hips. The long-nosed female ghost looked at her.
'Hermalaya, honey, is that you?' The blue flames surrounded her.
'Hello, baby,' said the tenor-voiced ghost.
'Daddy, what are you doing trying to drown my prime minister?'
'Well, baby girl, he overstepped his bounds by telling you to go away.'
Hermalaya glanced back toward Matfany. Her eyes were bright, but she held her head high. 'I left willingly.
He was just doing what he thought was right. I'd just appreciate it if you stopped interfering with those folks from out of town? For now, anyhow.'
A female ghost with a sweet face came to hover beside the tenor. 'Well, if you are all right, sweetheart, that's all that matters. And this is your little friend?'
'Yes, Mama. This is Skeeve the Magnificent.'
'It's an honor, your majesty,' I said, bowing low.
'Well, aren't you sweet?' the late queen said, beaming with pleasure. 'You just go on taking care of my daughter. She's a good girl.'
'Yes, ma'am. I'll do my best.'
Matfany came up to touch my sleeve. 'Sir, I don't want you to think that all of us are ungrateful wretches. You have saved our lives, and I will be forever in your debt. How can I repay you?'
'A life for a life,' I said. 'Repeal the death sentence on Hermalaya. And while you're at it, maybe you should get out of town for good yourself. She won't need you anymore.'
Matfany bowed. 'Very well, sir. I am a man of my word. I will depart at once. I will go back to my quarters for my possessions, if you will allow that.'
'I don't see why not,' I said. I could be magnanimous. Inwardly I was jubilant. Just like that. I had gotten Hermalaya her throne back and gotten rid of her archenemy!
'Now, wait a minute!' Aahz protested, pushing in between us. 'You can't do that!'
I turned to him calmly. 'I just did.'
