{"id":437,"date":"2026-01-03T20:39:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T20:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/piers-anthony-xanth-39-five-portraits-anthony-piers\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T20:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T20:39:22","slug":"piers-anthony-xanth-39-five-portraits-anthony-piers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/piers-anthony-xanth-39-five-portraits-anthony-piers\/","title":{"rendered":"Piers, Anthony – Xanth 39 – Five Portraits – Anthony, Piers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Book Preview<\/h3>\n
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Chapter 1:
Basilisk<\/p>\n

Astrid woke early, as she often did. She left her husband sleeping in the tent and went out to look for pun virus remnants, which sometimes showed up better in the predawn light. She carried a closed vial of elixir, as all the members of her party did, at all times; it was vital to their mission. It was a tedious chore, but somebody had to do it, and they were elected.<\/p>\n

She spied an interesting nest and went to investigate. Bees buzzed up warningly as she approached. Astrid merely pursed her lips and blew a breath of air at them, and they quickly spun out of control. After that they recognized her nature and let her be, knowing that she was not a threat to them unless they molested her.<\/p>\n

Then she recognized the type: they were quilting bees, whose nest consisted of tiny quilts. It was surely very warm. There was obviously no virus here, for the bees were a pun that had not been eliminated.<\/p>\n

She heard a faint panting. Sure enough, there was a pants bush, with several ripe pairs of smart-looking pants. Too smart: those were smarty pants, that when harvested would make the wearer run around madly, or could even run around on their own.<\/p>\n

Then there was a spectacles bush with several very nice-looking spectacles ready. Astrid had an interest, as she always wore dark glasses. She folded her own glasses and pocketed them, then took a set from the bush and tried them on. Immediately she became dubious, mistrustful, and extremely cynical. Oh\u2014these were skepticals. She put them back and tried a nice red-tinted pair. Her mood went from sulky to positive; everything looked wonderful. So these were rose-colored glasses. They would do, for now; she was happy for the temper uplift. <\/p>\n

There were plenty of puns here, confirmation that the virus had not ravaged this section. But there could still be lurking pockets of it. She had to make sure.<\/p>\n

She crossed a barren section where nothing much grew. This was vaguely familiar; she had once lived in country like this. In fact this could be that region, rendered less recognizable by her human perspective. There was a figure kneeling on the ground, facing away from her. Astrid approached. \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n

The figure looked up. It was a woman, a large elf with pointed ears and odd four-fingered hands. \u201cHello.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then Astrid saw that before the elf woman was a marked gravesite with a plaque: JONE. \u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry! I did not realize you were grieving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, that\u2019s all right. I can\u2019t bring Jone back.\u201d The elf stood. \u201cI am Jenny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Astrid. I was just looking for pockets of pun virus to eliminate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenny stepped toward her. \u201cI am pleased to meet you, Astrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid stepped back. \u201cPlease, I do not mean to seem unfriendly, but it is not safe to touch me. I am poisonous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenny stopped. \u201cI apologize for presuming. You look lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2014it\u2019s a kind of curse. My appearance gives men a particular idea, but I can\u2019t be touched.\u201d Then, to change the awkward subject: \u201cIf I may ask, who was Jone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy last baby daughter. There was a prophecy that she would one day help someone save Xanth from destruction. But then there was a horrible accident and she died. It has been some time, but I still come out to visit her grave. That is surely foolish of me, and I do not generally speak of it to others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I regret intruding. I grew up in this region, but did not know of this grave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is visible only when I come here,\u201d Jenny said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will let you be.\u201d Astrid turned to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all right. There\u2019s something familiar about you. Have we by chance met before?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so. I think I would have remembered your\u2014\u201dAstrid broke off, embarrassed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pointed ears? My four-fingered hands?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I apologize for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need. I am unique to Xanth, as perhaps you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps so,\u201d Astrid agreed.<\/p>\n

There was a sound in the distance. A figure loomed, running swiftly toward them. It was a giant wolf!<\/p>\n

\u201cStand behind me,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cI will deter it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenny laughed. \u201cNo need. That is my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

The wolf slid to a halt, changing to a large handsome man. \u201cReady to go, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReady, dear,\u201d Jenny agreed. \u201cFarewell, Astrid. I\u2019m sure I know you from somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man became the wolf again. Jenny leaped and landed on his back, riding him like a horse. Then they were off.<\/p>\n

Astrid stood bemused. She turned to look at the grave, but it was gone, or at least hidden again. She shook her head, marveling at the odd encounter.<\/p>\n

She moved on, discovering a trail in the shape of the letter N. It had an odor of guts. She smiled; that would be an N-Trail. Most folk would avoid it because of the unsavory smell, but such things didn\u2019t bother her. Interesting things could sometimes be found along such trails, for those who had the stomach to follow them to their ends. Anyway, this was a very pretty trail, thanks to the rosy glasses.<\/p>\n

It led to a lovely little glade that seemed to be a campsite. To whom did it belong?<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, lovely maiden,\u201d a somewhat gravelly voice said. \u201cNo, don\u2019t try to retreat; the trail has been closed off behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid glanced back and saw that it was true; the trail appeared to have become constricted, and there was no clear passage back. \u201cSo it seems,\u201d she agreed, unconcerned. She removed the glasses and put her regular ones back on, because she suspected that mischief was afoot and she wanted to see things accurately. Now the clogged trail did not look nearly so nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall we exchange introductions? I am Truculent.\u201d He stepped out of the shadow and stood revealed as a supremely ugly troll.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Astrid,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what brings a succulent creature like you to this ill neck of the woods, fair Astrid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am on a mission to extirpate the last remnants of the anti-pun virus that recently ravaged Xanth,\u201d she explained. \u201cI carry a vial of elixir that will eliminate any vestige of the foul virus.\u201d She held it up. \u201cWe all do; we never want to discover the virus and be unable to destroy it before it spreads.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou all do? How many are there in your party?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive lovely maidens and four males. One of us has not yet found her ideal companion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s too bad,\u201d Truculent said. \u201cShe is doomed to find only the worst companion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I understand,\u201d Astrid said. Actually she was beginning to get a notion. Trolls had a mixed reputation and a certain crude taste for human maidens. She had encountered one once, and was familiar with the type. \u201cAre you by any ill chance speaking of yourself? I think it is fair to say she would not be interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am, and she would not. Trolls come in assorted types. Some are noble, some build highways, and some are simply bad news. I happen to be of the latter persuasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why do you believe she would associate with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause she would have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was a brute, all right. But she needed to be quite certain before she acted. \u201cMaybe I am being a bit dull this morning. Surely she would have a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would not. Any more than you do, pretty creature.\u201d<\/p>\n

There it was: her appearance had turned him on, and he had mainly one thing on his brutish mind. But she argued her case, in the off-chance that she was misunderstanding his implication. \u201cCertainly I have a choice! I can associate with whomever I please, and as it happens I have a good man who loves me. I will not be taking up with the likes of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see I need to spell it out,\u201d Truculent said. \u201cI have a five-stage process with respect to a tender morsel like you. First I will chase you down and catch you. That will be a slight but pleasant challenge, since you will be confined to my glade. Second I will rape you. That will be another pleasant challenge, as you will surely struggle and scream, enhancing the conquest. Third, I will kill you. That too should be fun, with blood spattering as I bite off pieces of you until you expire. Fourth I shall roast you on a spit until you are thoroughly cooked, as roasted meat is far tastier than raw flesh. Fifth, I shall eat you, swallowing your juicy tidbits and gnawing on your bones. Then I will start the process over with the four remaining girls of your party. This should make an excellent and nutritious week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid considered briefly. \u201cI don\u2019t believe I favor your five-stage process. Neither will my companions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI beg your pardon,\u201d Truculent said apologetically. \u201cDid I give you the misimpression that you had any choice in the matter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do labor under that impression. For example, what of the men of my party? They will not readily cooperate with your process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was forgetting the men,\u201d the troll agreed. \u201cFor them I will skip the rape and still have four-fifths the fun. That will extend my pleasure beyond a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem remarkably confident, considering that you don\u2019t know what talents the members of my party may possess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat merely adds the pleasure of the unknown. On rare occasion a victim does manage to escape my trap. But I believe I have closed the weaknesses, and this little arena is secure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen shall we put it to the proof now? See if you can escape me.\u201d The troll advanced menacingly on her.<\/p>\n

Astrid did not retreat. \u201cAre you sure you won\u2019t reconsider? I do not want to harm you if you are reasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough of the humor, delicious delicacy! Try to make at least a token chase of it.\u201d He stepped closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry. I decline to play any part of your fell game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truculent stood before her, looming over her. \u201cI am losing my patience with you, sweet taste. Must I knock some sense into your innocent skull?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen take this, cute fool!\u201d He swing his open hand and slapped her face. Her glasses flew off. He grabbed her shoulders and stared into her face. \u201cNow<\/i> will you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

At which point he dropped dead.<\/p>\n

Astrid shook her head. \u201cI gave you every chance to relent,\u201d she said sadly. \u201cI really don\u2019t like killing folk if there is any alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n

She went to pick up her fallen glasses; fortunately they were unbroken. Their heavy tint was, of course, not to protect her eyes from the sunlight, but to protect other folk from her direct stare. She didn\u2019t want to kill anyone by accident. Not even a troll.<\/p>\n

Well, it was time to leave this dread glade. But she discovered that the N trail remained clogged; it had not reverted at the death of the troll. The path was impenetrable.<\/p>\n

She walked around the edge of the glade. Now she saw why the troll had thought she was trapped: the trees grew tightly around it, forming a virtual wall, and thorny vines bound them together. There was no room to walk between them. This barrier extended high up so that only a flying creature could readily escape it. Truculent Troll had wrought his arena carefully. But in his arrogance he had picked on the wrong victim.<\/p>\n

So how was she to depart? She didn\u2019t want to mess up anything she didn\u2019t have to. She was just checking for signs of the pun virus, and there were none here.<\/p>\n

Well, there was a way. In the last month she and her friends had discovered that they had been granted certain additional talents to facilitate their mission. Mainly, they could change between their most familiar forms. Astrid had not had much use for this, as her man Art preferred her in her human form. But now it seemed appropriate.<\/p>\n

She carefully removed her sequined dress, slippers, and underwear. She formed it all into a compact bundle together with her glasses. Quite compact; she was able to tuck it under her tongue, thanks to its magic. Then she changed to her original form: a large female basilisk. She was actually an extremely pretty basilisk, but few folk cared to appreciate that, because her very ambiance was slowly lethal.<\/p>\n

Now she circled the glade again, this time sniffing the ground. Sure enough, there was the smell of troll footprints leading to a particular spot. It looked just as tangled as the rest, but her nose said there was access. She touched it with a paw, and her digits passed through without touching. One of the trees was an illusion!<\/p>\n

She nosed on into what turned out to be a tunnel through the twisted foliage. It wasn\u2019t visible, but it was there. The troll must have known it well enough to use it even without seeing it. Where did it go?<\/p>\n

Straight to a nickelpede nest. The vicious insects swarmed over it, ready to gouge out nickel-size chunks of flesh from whatever blundered into their domain. There was no way around it; the vine walls were tight on either side.<\/p>\n

Well, she could handle nickelpedes. The taste of her flesh would kill any who bit into it, and of course her stare would wipe out any she saw. So she braced herself and marched into the nest. And through it, untouched. It was illusion too!<\/p>\n

The path led to the mouth of a cave. It was closely barred, and locked, like a prison cell. It probably was<\/i> a cell, where the troll kept his future meals. Such as maidens he had caught and raped, but not yet gotten around to killing, cooking, and eating. He would keep them alive so their meat wouldn\u2019t spoil. They ought to be rescued.<\/p>\n

Astrid changed back into human form. \u201cHello!\u201d she called. \u201cIs anybody in there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo away!\u201d a faint voice replied from deep within the cave.<\/p>\n

This was curious. \u201cWhy?\u201d Astrid called back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the lair of a troll. Go away before he catches you and adds you to our number. It is not safe here, especially for maidens, which you sound like. We are doomed, but you can still save yourself if you flee quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will not flee,\u201d Astrid called. \u201cI have come to rescue you. But these bars balk me. How may I open the gate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll try to tell you,\u201d the voice called. Now there was a scurrying as the captives emerged from the depth of the cave. They were goblin maidens, small and lovely. They paused as they saw her. \u201cYou\u2019re a nymph!\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid realized that she had not thought to put her human clothing back on. Nymphs were lovely and largely empty-headed; all most of them did was run nude, scream cutely, and kick their feet high, showing off their pretty legs. Few remembered their yesterdays or were aware of their tomorrows; they lived strictly in the present. No ordinary nymph would attempt to rescue captives, because a nymph\u2019s attention span was too short to focus on such a task for more than a few seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cI merely forgot my clothes.\u201d She spat out her compact ball, opened it up, and donned her clothing and dark glasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d a gobliness with lovely reddish brown hair exclaimed. \u201cYou\u2019re human!\u201d<\/p>\n

Wrong again, but Astrid decided not to clarify that aspect at the moment; it was usually more trouble than it was worth. \u201cClose enough. I am Astrid, traveler.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Ginger Goblin, captive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Ginger. I am glad to meet you. Now how can I open this gate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lock is magic. Only the dread troll can open it.\u201d Ginger hesitated. \u201cWho may come upon us at any moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo danger of that,\u201d Astrid said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you be sure? He\u2019s one mean brute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a brief silence. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d Ginger asked uncertainly. \u201cHe might be playing possum, to better trap you, because you\u2019re very much his type.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis type?\u201d Astrid asked sharply.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuscious. He would want to ravish and eat you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he is definitely dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you be sure? Because if he catches you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid became impatient. \u201cBecause I killed him. I\u2019m a basilisk.\u201d<\/p>\n

The goblins eeked faintly and fell back, terrified.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh come on,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cI\u2019m not here to hurt you. That\u2019s why I put on the glasses. Truculent Troll mistook me for a morsel, and attacked me, knocked off my glasses, and I looked him in the face and killed him. It was self defense. Now I just want to undo some of the damage he did, such as by freeing you to return to your homes. I\u2019m a basilisk, but also a woman. I care about the welfare of maidens.\u201d<\/p>\n

The goblins inched cautiously back to the gate. \u201cWe\u2019re sorry,\u201d Ginger said. \u201cIt\u2019s a bad time for us. Each day he takes one of us to\u2014to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo rape and eat. I know. But that\u2019s over. We just need to get this gate unlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t help you there,\u201d Ginger said. \u201cIf we knew how to unlock it, we would have done so ourselves and escaped.\u201d<\/p>\n

That made sense. Astrid signed. \u201cThen I\u2019ll have to summon help. This may get complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComplicated?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll see.\u201d The Astrid braced herself. \u201cMetria,\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n

A small back cloud appeared. \u201cDid I hear my nomenclature?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour what?\u201d Astrid asked. The demoness insisted on going through the ritual, and since Astrid needed her help, she had to comply.<\/p>\n

\u201cTerminology, language, word, figure, identifier, handle\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cName?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever,\u201d the cloud agreed crossly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you heard your name,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cI killed a troll, and now want to rescue his captives, but they are magically locked in. Can you arrange to get Pewter here? He should be able to handle this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not just pick the lock?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how. Do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The cloud expanded and formed into a sultry female figure with barely enough clothing to avoid freaking out any males in the vicinity. Fortunately there were none at the moment. \u201cOh, sure. I pick my nose; a lock should be cleaner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen do it, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

Metria\u2019s finger went to her nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lock!\u201d Astrid snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Why didn\u2019t you say so?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ginger nodded slowly. She was catching on why this was likely to be complicated.<\/p>\n

The demoness examined the lock. She put her finger to it. There was a crackle as a spark jumped, and she jerked back. \u201cThis is a troll lock!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Can you pick it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot without being electrocuted. Only trolls can handle troll locks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould Pewter handle it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Metria nodded. \u201cHe might. Too bad he\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a phenomenal idea,\u201d Astrid said patiently. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you pop back to the camp and tell him about this, and ask him to come here to deal with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of idea?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFantastic, extraordinary, remarkable, superlative, spectacular\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGrate?\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid was taken aback. \u201cGrate?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I misspelled it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat!\u201d Astrid said. \u201cYes, that\u2019s it. You\u2019re a genius.\u201d<\/p>\n

Metria looked slightly suspicious that she was being mocked. \u201cTechnically I\u2019m closer to a genie than a genius, but it will do. I\u2019ll go fetch Pewter.\u201d She popped off.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, screwball,\u201d Astrid said to the dissipating smoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard that!\u201d the last wisp said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, bleep!\u201d Astrid swore.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have heard of Metria,\u201d Ginger said. \u201cShe\u2019s always mischief.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a member of our party,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cShe does mean well, in her fashion. It just can be a trial at times working with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon the cloud reappeared. \u201cTiara is on her way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTiara? But it\u2019s Pewter we need here at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he can\u2019t fly. Tiara can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid counted mentally to ten. It hardly helped. \u201cI wonder whether she will be willing to go back to fetch Pewter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cNo need?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuperfluous, pointless, redundant\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is there no need to go back to fetch Pewter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause she\u2019s already bringing him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid counted from eleven to twenty. That didn\u2019t help much either. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways glad to help,\u201d the demoness said sunnily.<\/p>\n

In due course Tiara appeared. Her wild fair hair was gathered and wound around her midsection, its flotation supporting her like an inner tube. She had fins on her hands and feet, and was efficiently swimming through the air, as she had learned how to do in the past month. But she seemed to be alone. Astrid kept her mouth shut, afraid to inquire.<\/p>\n

Tiara circled over the forest, spied them, and spiraled gently down, her skirt flapping in the breeze. She landed fairly neatly. She had bright blue eyes, a red cherry mouth, nice features, and a firm slender body. \u201cHello, Astrid,\u201d she said brightly as her hair shortened and formed back into her namesake tiara. \u201cWe wondered what you were up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a run-in with a hungry troll. Now we need to unlock the troll\u2019s gate to let out his captives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh. That must be why you need Com Pewter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. He has a way with locks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tiara removed her hand-fins, reached into her small backpack and fished out what looked like a potato chip with the letter C printed on one side, and the letter P on the other side. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it. \u201cWake, CP.\u201d<\/p>\n

The chip expanded, forming into an android with a face painted on the front of the head. It was of course a computer chip. \u201cThank you, maiden.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the ride?\u201d Tiara asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid smiled. Theoretically the machine was immune to the charms of pretty girls, but that was evidently changing. Com Pewter was no prince, but the kiss had revived him regardless.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere is the lock,\u201d Astrid told Pewter, indicating the barred gate. \u201cCan you open it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pewter considered the gate without touching it. \u201cThis is a sophisticated setup. The lock is protected by an invisible magnetic shell that will short-circuit me if I touch it. The troll surely had it keyed to his identity alone. We need to eliminate the shell first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do we do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne good bash by a nonmetallic object should do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I think we need Ease and Kandy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do,\u201d Pewter agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will fetch them,\u201d Tiara agreed. Her hair grew long again. She wrapped it around her middle, donned the hand-fins, and took off. There was almost but not quite a flash of panties before she leveled out and swam forward. She was still learning to manage such details. Trousers would have solved that problem, but Tiara considered them unfeminine. Soon she was gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow come a common garden-variety troll has such a fancy security system?\u201d Metria asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can answer that,\u201d Ginger responded from inside the cave. \u201cMy friends and I were out foraging for flowers, and there were some pretty ones in the glade. We didn\u2019t realize that it was the troll\u2019s trap. He pounced on us and we were helpless to resist. He told us that he had made a deal with his trollway-building cousins to provide one or more pretty girls to serve their needs. When they come to collect, any of us who survive will be given to them to serve as slaves. We hoped they would come soon, because they can\u2019t be worse than Truculent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Astrid did not like the smell of this. \u201cWhat kind of slaves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know, but we can guess. The difference is that they probably won\u2019t cook and eat us, after. They\u2019re more civilized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideas of civilization evidently differed. Still, the trollway trolls were a higher class, and surely better to deal with. \u201cWell, that deal is terminated,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cWe\u2019ll free you so you can go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n

But now there was a heavy tramping along the hidden trail. Trolls!<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s hope for their sake that they are reasonable,\u201d Pewter said to Astrid. \u201cIf not, you know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d she agreed grimly, touching her dark glasses.<\/p>\n

The trolls came to stand before the cave. There were three of them, each uglier than the others. \u201cWhat have we here?\u201d their evident leader demanded.<\/p>\n

Astrid stepped forward. \u201cLet\u2019s exchange introductions. I am Astrid. Truculent Troll attacked me and I had to defend myself, as you may have seen in the glade.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did,\u201d the troll said. \u201cI am Truman Troll and these are my henchmen. How did you manage to overcome Truculent?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a basilisk in human form.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe knows better than to mess with a basilisk!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did not give me much of a chance to clarify my nature. He was too busy clarifying his own five-stage process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truman nodded. \u201cThat does sound like him. Why have you not long-since departed this vicinity?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe mean to free Truculent\u2019s captives so they can go home. They have suffered more than enough already.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose captives devolve to us, now that Truculent is dead. We have uses for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou shall not have them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is troll business. There are precedents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt became my business when Truculent attacked me. Any deals he may have made ended with his death.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not agree. The terms of the deal extend to the heirs and assigns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not agree with your interpretation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo we agree that an altercation between our kind and your kind could become mutually difficult?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur kinds have normally left each other alone,\u201d Astrid agreed.<\/p>\n

Truman exchanged a glance or three with his companions, then stared down at her. \u201cThen it seems we have a problem.\u201d He closed his massive fists as the two henchmen donned hoods that would prevent her from staring directly at their faces. That would provide them only partial protection, and inhibit their vision. Still, it increased their chances of dispatching her before she dispatched them. It seemed they had clashed with basilisks before.<\/p>\n

Astrid touched her glasses. She could handle trolls, even experienced ones. But it was chancy; she could not be sure of taking out all three before one got to her with a club. They were of course aware that they would take losses. \u201cI hope it can be amicably resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truman smiled without humor. \u201cSo do I. Do you have a proposal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Pewter said. <\/p>\n

Truman glanced at him. \u201cAnd you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCom Pewter, a smart machine allied with Astrid. You do not know my capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, we do, Pewter,\u201d Truman said. \u201cYour iconoclasm is well known. But your power is limited to your immediate vicinity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are standing on the verge of that vicinity. You will enter it if you clash with Astrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truman nodded. \u201cExcellent point. What is your proposal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely the goblins have some troll captives, saved for similar purposes as you save goblins. How about a captive exchange?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe prefer a good old-fashioned raid and heads-bashing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich would cost you the lives of the captives, making the raid in that respect pointless.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it would, unfortunately. But goblin males, in contrast with their females, are surly brutes not much known for negotiation. We would be at war before we came to terms.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless a basilisk served as intermediary.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time the troll\u2019s smile had humor. \u201cWell now! That notion appeals to me. Let\u2019s see what offers. This will require a dialogue with the captives. Shall we make a truce for this hour?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGranted,\u201d Pewter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGranted,\u201d Astrid agreed. Trolls were dark and dangerous, but they did honor truces.<\/p>\n

Truman\u2019s fists unclenched, and the henchmen\u2019s hoods came off. They knew that machines and basilisks also honored truces.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I say, Astrid, that you are one extremely fetching creature in this form,\u201d Truman said. \u201cIt is a pleasure to be near\u2014but not too near\u2014you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d At least he was polite about the idea the sight of her gave him.<\/p>\n

Truman squatted down to peer into the barred cave. \u201cGoblins, we are in negotiation phase. Are there any troll captives in your home mound?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree,\u201d Ginger said. \u201cBut we can\u2019t say how long they will survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were alive when you left?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. But the female was stripped and tied down for the benefit of\u2014you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. We treat captives similarly. It is to mutual advantage for us to arrange an exchange.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ginger agreed faintly.<\/p>\n

The troll inspected the lock. \u201cThat\u2019s one of ours, yes, keyed to Truculent. No one else can touch it without getting electrocuted. You have a way to deal with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe so,\u201d Pewter said. \u201cAssistance is on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Truman turned to Astrid. \u201cNow let\u2019s go see the goblins. May I offer you a lift?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is surely faster,\u201d Astrid agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cClimb into my knapsack.\u201d<\/p>\n

She got behind him and did so. Then he stood. \u201cRemain here,\u201d he told the henchmen. And to Astrid: \u201cTrust, but verify.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgreed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then the troll forged into the brush, bashing out his own trail. In a remarkably brief time they reached the goblin mound.<\/p>\n

The goblins surged out, brandishing weapons. \u201cHo! Fresh meat!\u201d their leader cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so,\u201d Truman said. \u201cI come to negotiate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNegotiate, negatiate,\u201d the goblin said. \u201cYou were a fool to come into our power, poop for brains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bring with me a basilisk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNice bluff, moron! We don\u2019t see any\u2014\u201d He paused.<\/p>\n

Astrid had changed to her natural form, gazing out and around from the knapsack, not looking at anyone directly. The goblins shrank away, well knowing that form.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying,\u201d Truman said. \u201cWe have three goblin girls from your mound as captives. We will exchange them for your three troll captives. Do we have a deal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bleep!\u201d the goblin chief swore.<\/p>\n

Astrid lowered her gaze. She looked at a tied sheep they were probably saving for the evening meal. It looked her way, and fell dead.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo we have a deal?\u201d Truman repeated.<\/p>\n

The goblins looked at the sheep. They quailed, realizing that this was no bluff. \u201cDeal,\u201d the chief said, disgruntled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shall return in due course with the captives,\u201d Truman said. \u201cIn the interim, you will bring out your captives and have them ready here. Then we will exchange.\u201d He paused meaningfully. \u201cShould anything go wrong, my companion might be annoyed. You wouldn\u2019t like her when she\u2019s annoyed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The goblins quailed again. The last thing they wanted was an angry basilisk marauding through their mound.<\/p>\n

Truman turned and forged back through the brush. Astrid returned to her human form. \u201cYou have an effective way with words, Astrid,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d She hadn\u2019t said anything, but her threat of a glare had been enough. That was his point.<\/p>\n

When they reached the cave, Tiara was just arriving, swimming through the air with the man called Ease on her back as if riding a dolphin. Her hair had to be struggling to float them both but was managing. He waved. Then he did a double take. \u201cTrolls!\u201d He drew his trusty wooden board and brandished it threateningly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are in truce, unfortunately,\u201d Truman said. \u201cBut after our business here is done, if you wish to try your board against my club, I will be glad to accommodate you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s right,\u201d Astrid called. \u201cWe made a truce. We are friends for this hour. No fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, bleep,\u201d Ease said, lowering the board as Tiara landed. He jumped off her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere is the situation,\u201d Pewter told Ease. \u201cI need to unlock this lock to free the goblin captives, but it is protected by an invisible shell. Kindly bash apart that shell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d Ease said. It was his talent to make things easy. He swung the board at the lock. There was a sharp crack, and a small explosion of sparks, and the formerly invisible fragments of the shell dropped to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Pewter said. \u201cNow let me concentrate. This may take a little time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have made a deal to exchange captives, goblins for trolls,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cIt\u2019s a situation I blundered into, but it is working out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ease turned away. He touched the board to the ground, and it became a lovely young woman with dark eyes and luxuriant dark hair. \u201cAnd hello Kandy,\u201d Astrid said.<\/p>\n

Both the goblins and the trolls were startled. \u201cWhat just happened here?\u201d Truman asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the ability to change forms between human and board,\u201d Kandy explained. \u201cJust as Astrid changes between human and basilisk. When I\u2019m the board, I make sure Ease\u2019s aim is good and his strike effective.\u201d She rubbed her neck. \u201cThough I must admit that charge on the shell gave me a jolt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt occurs to me that you folk are no ordinary group,\u201d Truman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a special mission to eliminate the last of the anti-pun virus,\u201d Kandy explained. \u201cTo that end we have been granted certain additional abilities. We are a bit unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it seems,\u201d the troll agreed, glancing at Astrid, Kandy, and Tiara. \u201cAre all the females of your party as pretty as the three of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Demoness Metria appeared. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a demoness!\u201d Truman said. \u201cThe surprises keep coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSurprises can be fun,\u201d Metria said, inhaling so that her decolletage threatened to tear loose and float away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am curious how a basilisk came to associate with a human party, and a demoness, a machine, a girl who floats on her hair, and a board woman,\u201d Truman said. \u201cNot that it\u2019s any of my business, which makes it even more intriguing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re curious too,\u201d Ginger said. \u201cIt\u2019s not our business either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that would be a chapter-length personal narrative,\u201d Astrid said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to bore you to distraction with a dull literary flashback.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs it happens, this lock threatens to require a chapter-length effort,\u201d Pewter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019re stuck for the time anyway,\u201d Ginger said.<\/p>\n

Truman and his henchmen settled down on the ground. \u201cBore us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The others settled similarly. What could she do? Astrid began to speak.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Read the full book by downloading it below.<\/p>\n

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Book Preview Chapter 1:Basilisk Astrid woke early, as she often did. She left her husband sleeping in the tent and went out to look for pun virus remnants, which sometimes showed up better in the predawn light. She carried a closed vial of elixir, as all the members of her party did, at all times; … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":436,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[21],"class_list":["post-437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-piers-anthony"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}