'Why were we herded here?' Chameleon demanded.
Trent glanced at her, his gaze lingering. 'I believe this locale behooves you, Fanchon.'
'Never mind that,' she said. 'I'll be a lot prettier before I'm through, more's the pity.'
'She is Chameleon,' Bink said. 'She shifts from ugly to pretty and back again-and her intelligence varies inversely. She left Xanth to escape that curse.'
'I would not regard that as a curse,' the Magician commented. 'All things to all men-in due time.'
'You're not a woman,' she mapped. 'I asked about this castle.'
Trent nodded. 'Well, this castle requires a new resident. A Magician. It is very selective, which is one reason it has lain dormant for so many centuries. It wants to restore the years of its glory; therefore it must support a new King of Xanth.'
'And you're a Magician!' Bink exclaimed. 'So when you came near, everything shoved you this way.'
'So it would seem. There was no malign intent, merely an overwhelming need. A need for Castle Roogna, and a need for Xanth-to make this land again what it could be, a truly organized and excellent kingdom.'
'But you're not King,' Chameleon said.
'Not yet.' There was a very positive quality to the statement.
Bink and Chameleon looked at each other in developing comprehension. So the Evil Magician had reverted to form-assuming he had ever changed his form. They had discussed his human qualifies, his seeming nobility, and been deceived. He had planned to invade Xanth, and now-
'Not ever!' she flared. 'The people would never tolerate a criminal like you. They haven't forgotten-'
'So you do have prior knowledge of my reputation,' Trent said mildly. 'I had understood you to say you had not heard of me.' He shrugged. 'However, the good citizens of Xanth may not have much choice, and it would not be the first time a criminal has occupied a throne,' he continued calmly. 'With the powers of this castle-which are formidable-added to mine, I may not need an army.'
'We'll stop you,' Chameleon said grimly.
Trent's gaze touched her again, appraisingly. 'Are you terminating the truce?'
That gave her pause. The end of the truce would put the two of them directly in Trent's power, if what he said about this castle was true. 'No,' she said. 'But when it does end?'
There was no hint of malignancy in Treat's smile. 'Yes, it seems there will have to be a settlement. I had thought if I allowed you to go your way, you would extend the same courtesy to me. But when I said the people of Xanth would not necessarily have a choice, I did not mean it precisely the way you seem to have taken it. This castle may not permit us to do other than its will. For centuries it has endured here, hanging on against inevitable deterioration, waiting for a Magician of sufficient strength to qualify. Perhaps the magic-sniffer we encountered in the forest was one of its representatives. Now it has found not one but two Magicians. It will not lightly yield them up. From here we may be bound to glory-or extinction, depending on our decision.'
'Two Magicians?' She asked.
'Remember, Bink has almost as much magic as I do. That was the verdict of the sniffer, and I am not certain it was mistaken. That would place him comfortably in the Magician class.'
'But I have no talent,' Bink protested.
'Correction,' Trent said. 'To have an unidentified talent is hardly synonymous with having no talent. But even if you are talentless, there is strong magic associated with you. You may be magic, as is Fanchon.'
'Chameleon,' she said. 'That's my real name; the others are merely phases.'
'I beg your pardon,' Trent said, making a little sitting bow to her. 'Chameleon.'
'You mean I'll change somehow?' Bink asked, half hopeful, half-appalled.
'Perhaps. You might metamorphose into some superior form-like a pawn becoming a Queen.' He paused. 'Sorry-that's another Mundane reference; I don't believe chess is known in Xanth. I have been too long in exile.'
'Well, I still won't help you try to steal the crown,' Bink said stoutly.
'Naturally not. Our purposes differ. We may even be rivals.'
'I'm not trying to take over Xanth!'
'Not consciously. But to prevent an Evil Magician from doing so, would you not consider??'
'Ridiculous!' Bink said, disgruntled. The notion was preposterous, yet insidious. If the only way to prevent Trent from-no!
'The time may indeed have come for us to part,' Trent said. 'I have appreciated your company, but the situation seems to be changing. Perhaps you should attempt to leave this castle now. I shall not oppose you. Should we manage to separate, we can consider the truce abated. Fair enough?'
'How nice,' Chameleon said. 'You can relax over your books while the jungle tears us up.'
'I do not think anything here will actually hurt you,' Trent said. 'The theme of Castle Roogna is harmony with man.' He smiled again. 'Harmony, not harm. But I rather doubt you will be permitted to depart.'
Bink had had enough. 'I'll take my chances. Let's go.'
