'You think I don't belong here, do you?' Gurn asked.
'I think your head's higher than the pharaoh,' I commented mildly. 'When I was last a court magician, the queen just hated that.'
To my surprise, Gurn hunkered down a few inches.
I decided he wasn't all bad. After all, he didn't work for me.
'You were a court magician, O Klahd?' Suzal asked. 'Tell me which of my sister monarchs you served.'
'Hemlock of Possiltum2,' I replied.
Suzal nodded. 'I have met her at the Royals and Despots Convention in Zoorik.'
'Uh, how did she look?'
'Imperious.'
'Uh, that's good.'
I fell silent, not wanting to say the wrong thing about my former employer. We had since gotten on better terms than when I left the job, and Suzal might be a friend of hers.
The queen's chair headed up and I followed.
It took no time to rise above the finished layer of stones.
'Uh, as you can see, your majesty, we're up to level three.'
1 did a quick calculation. 'Only eighty-six stones to go, then we can move on to level four.'
'That's nice,' she said absently. She was staring over her shoulder at Diksen's pyramid and let out a heartfelt sigh of longing. Everyone reacted like that. Poor Samwise had a tough act to follow.
'I doubt that your master could ever produce anything as well-proportioned or sleek as that,' Gurn said to me. 'I mistrust his skills. Stolen dreams never prosper.'
'His dreams aren't stolen,' I said. 'And it'll be great, you'll see.'
'I command that we should go down,' Suzal said suddenly. 'I do not feel well.'
Her lovely skin had taken on a green tinge, and small drops of sweat dotted her brow. Gurn shouted an order to the Sphinxes, who wheeled around and headed for the carriage.
'Make way for the royal ejecta!' Gurn bellowed as we landed. Aahz looked up from his talk with one of the Sphinxes at the cry.
The mini-chair landed as softly as a leaf falling, impressive under the circumstances. Scantily clad ladies in waiting hustled toward their mistress. One held a bejeweled golden vessel shaped like a pail. Eight others bore fans made of enormous white plumes. Suzal staggered somewhat ungracefully from the small chair toward the girl with the bucket. The others surrounded her, shielding her from view, but the sounds that issued from within the makeshift place of concealment were unmistakable. I felt sorry for her.
'Is she usually airsick?' I asked Gurn.
'Never,' he said, frowning. 'She has always had a magnificent head for heights.'
'Rest of her's not bad, either,' Aahz commented.
'It is only recently that these spells overtake her. Our court magician is baffled. I see your master's hand in this.'
'He's not my master, he's a business associate,' Aahz said. 'Making queens sick is not in my job description.' 'Then you must be freelancing.'
'Look, pup, if seeing you every day doesn't make her sick, then a face like mine's not going to affect her. You heard what she called me. Noble.' I could tell Aahz liked that.
Gurn wasn't convinced. 'Because she's delirious.'
Samwise bustled up, frantic. As soon as the queen emerged from her place of concealment, he tried to usher her into his office.
'I think not, kind Samwise,' Suzal said, applying the back of her hand delicately to her forehead. 'I wish to return to my palace. I thank you for the tour, Master Wizard,' she added, with a wan smile at me. 'You will be welcome if you should choose to visit.'
'I'd be honored,' I said.
The ladies helped Suzal up the golden steps to her seat and fussed over her with cold drinks and more fanning. I wanted to talk to Chumley, but he gave me a warning look. Instead, I went to join Aahz. The Sphinx lay on its belly with its tail wrapped around its haunches. Lying down, its head was still higher than my own.
'This is the partner I told you about,' Aahz said to the Sphinx. 'Skeeve, meet Tweety.'
'Tweety?' I asked, astonished, looking at the huge creature. He outweighed me and Aahz put together. 'Uh, is it an old family name?'
Tweety eyed me. 'What is it that is dark in the morning, pale at noon, and gone by sunset?'
Aahz looked concerned. 'You'd better answer him, kid. It's an important test. Sphinxes don't like people who can't solve their riddles.'
'What happens if I can't answer him?' I asked.
'I eat you,' Tweety said simply, compelling golden eyes fixed on mine. 'Please answer the question.'
I looked down at the curved yellow claws of his front paws curled on the flagstones just inches from my feet. I felt panic rising in my stomach. My brain couldn't fix on a single coherent word. What object fit all the qualifications in his riddle? I didn't want to be eaten. But Aahz wouldn't have introduced me to Tweety if he wasn't confident I could pass the test, of that I was certain. It sounded like a riddle that I had heard when I was a child. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to think.
That was it!
'H-hair,' I stammered out, hoping I was right. I braced myself, ready to pop out of Ghordon if he came after me.
The Sphinx opened his mouth to show two rows of sharp teeth and leaned close. I cringed. Then he grinned.
'Well done!' Tweety roared. 'Now you're part of the family. You can ask me anything any time. Happy to be of service. We pick up a lot of information other people might not have. By the way, Tweety was my dad's name, too.' The Sphinx rose and clapped Aahz on the back with one huge lion's paw. 'Good to see you, Aahz. Too bad about the Magicians' Club, huh? Tough luck.'
'Yeah,' Aahz said sourly. 'Maybe I won't bother getting it straightened out. Who needs them?'
'No one, really,' the Sphinx said. 'I just like to have a place to hang out with my fellow 'users, swap
spells and lies when I'm in Vaygus, that's all. Hey, come on down to my lair and have a drink, now that you're in town. You come, too,
Skeeve. I live on one of the Pharaoh Islands. Ask anyone, they'll tell you how to find me.'
Aahz nodded. 'Don't mind if I do. See ya, Tweety.'
'See you, Aahzmandius. Got to go.'
The Sphinx returned to his place and attached his harness. At a signal from the flyer at the front left corner of the carriage, they all spread their wings and pulled forward. The carriage lifted off the ground.
'What about the Magicians' Club?' I asked.
'Nothing, kid,' Aahz said, with the kind of expression that told me not to push it.3 'Nothing. Dammit, what are the odds that the only Sphinx in the entire membership roster has to turn up like that? It means everyone's heard.'
'Did he bring you bad news?'
'Nah. I knew already. Just reminding me of a humility lesson I didn't need.' He watched the carriage depart, sailing over the sands like a shadow. 'What in Crom's name is Chumley doing here?'
'Sometimes a dinner is just a dinner.'
