Myth 13 - Myth Alliances by Asprin, Robert (ebook reader online free .txt) 📕

“Oh, Skeeve, that's not true,” Bunny cooed, winding herself into my arm. “You can't quit now.”

“I'd better,” I told them, “because I've made nothing but bad decisions all the way through this.”

'Things might not have gone the way you thought they would, Tiger,“ Tananda purred, burrowing close on my other side, ”but you made the right moves. It's not your fault if the plans didn't work out the way you expected

them to. You're not finished yet. I've never known you to be a quitter.“ Her soft lips were next to my ear, and her voice dropped so only I could hear it. ”I know why you wanted to take this mission. You wanted to learn on your own, to be able to fail on your own. Okay, but that doesn't mean that you stop after you fail. Right? You try again. Humiliation's not fatal, even if it feels as though it ought to be."

I turned crimson with shame. She was right. I would never have even contemplated backing out of a contract when I was the president of M.Y.T.H. Inc., or leaving a friend in the lurch even before that. Not that I had had too many friends until the day Aahz exploded into my life.

Gleep, not to be left out, plumped down at my feet, making the ground shake, and wound his long neck around all of us. He gave me a big slurp on the face which, with both arms full and my legs immobilized, I was powerless to avoid.

“Those choppers and the spectacles were made by un?witting slave labor,” Zol reminded me. “A situation which is still ongoing. And the Wuhses are not yet freed of the Pervects' rule.”

“But one of my friends was killed,” I reminded them sadly. “I'm afraid to put anyone else in harm's way.”

“Isn't that our choice?” Tananda replied, shaking her head with a little smile on her face. “I've been around the dimensions for a while, and I'm not taking a risk without both eyes wide open.”

“I may not have been as far around ...” Bunny began, then shot an apologetic glance at Tananda, “no offense Ñ we Klahds don't live as long as you Trollops.”

“None taken,” Tananda waved, without ire.

“... But I know that you're right, and they're wrong. It's as simple as that.”

“Elegantly put, Miss Bunny,” Zol applauded.

“You're right,” I acknowledged, giving her a warm hug, then letting her go. “You're all right. I felt sorry for myself Ñ really sorry for myselfÑbut I won't let that stop me again.”

“Oh, look, there he is!”

I turned at the sound of a female voice. Kassery stood on the edge of the park jumping up and down and waving her hand vigorously at us.

“Master Sk Ñaagh!” the petite, darkhaired Wuhs cried.

Suddenly she choked, grabbing at her throat. She dropped to her knees, her face turning purple. I glanced around in horror. Tananda was throttling a handful of air. I threw a ward in front of Tananda's hands, cutting off the flow of magik to her target, then I ran to help Kassery to her feet. She was gasping for breath. I carried her to the steps of the statue and laid her down.

“Why did you do that?” I asked Tananda.

“Sorry,” Tananda snapped out, sounding not at all apologetic. “Thinking on my feet. It was the only way I could think to shut her up before she finished shouting out your name. We're trying to be incognito here. You know damned well that the Pervect Ten will be out for your scalp pretty soon.”

My fault again. I should have brought us in with dis?guises in place. Hastily I remedied the omission, trans?forming us all into Wuhses. “I apologize, Kassery. Are you hurt?”

“No, I am all right.” Wensley's mate stood up and clutched my hands. She seemed more than all right. Her eyes were glowing, almost full of hope.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I have just heard a rumor at Montgomery's,” the little female whispered. “Wensley is alive! Gubbeen saw him in the castle.”

At first I felt nothing at all, then as her words sunk in joy welled up inside me until I could no longer contain it.

“Whhheeeeeee-​HAH!” I cheered, grabbing Kassery around the waist. I kicked off against the ground and flew high into the air, higher than the treetops. He hadn't been killed after all!

The world around me turned white. I realized that in my

enthusiasm I had zoomed all the way up into the clouds. I stopped, and looked down. Four tiny specks on the ground in the center of the green sward were looking up at me. Talk about stupid overreaction, when I had just chided Tananda for the same thing. Kassery was clinging to me with all her strength.

“I'm so sorry,” I stammered, throwing the illusion of birds on us so that our descent would be more unobtrusive than our ascent. “I bet you're afraid of heights. I didn't mean to scare you.”

But the little female's eyes were shining. “I'm not, but thank you for being concerned. It is true what they say, that you care for those you serve, with all the affection a father shows his children. You are as kind and as powerful as your reputation paints you.” She gave me a shy kiss on the cheek.

I was glad the illusion covered my face. It felt like it was on fire with embarrassment.

“Believe me, I'm not,” I insisted. “I'm just an ordinary Klahd. Ask anyone.”

“It's