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seemed to swoop winglike above them in the mist.
As for the rest of her, he had the damndest feeling he was seeing a
cylindrical candy bar well packed with peanuts. Her voice was full of hints of
clove and pepper, as active as her eyes and her body.
"Thought I'd never get you out of there." She was talking to Mudge. "I tried
to get you separated but," she glanced curiously up at Jon-Tom, "this great
gangling boy was always between us."
"I'd appreciate it," said Jon-Tom politely, "if you wouldn't refer to me as a
'boy'." He stared unblinkingly at her. "You don't look any older than me."
"I'll change my tune," she shot back, "when you've demonstrated the difference
to my satisfaction, though I hope more time isn't required. Still, I have to
admit that you handled yourself well enough inside the Possum. Clumsy, but
efficient. Size can make up for a helluva lot."
Clove and pepper, he thought. Each word was snapped off sharply in the air
like a string of firecrackers.
She turned distastefully away from his indelicate stare and asked Mudge wth
disarming candor, "How soon can we be rid of it?" She jerked a thumb in
Jon-Tom's bemused direction.
"I'm afraid we can't, m'love. Clothahump 'imself 'as entrusted 'im t' me
tender care."
"Clothahump, the wizard of the Tree?" Again she looked curiously at Jon-Tom.
"Aye. It seems 'e was castin' about for an otherworldly wizard type and 'e
came up with this chap Jon-Tom instead. As I said, because I 'appened t' be
unlucky enough to stumble into this manifestation, I've been ordered t' take
care of
'im. At least until 'e can take better care of 'imself." Mudge raised a paw.
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"On penalty o' curses too 'orrible t' explain, luv. But it 'ain't been too
bad.
'E's a good enough lad, if a trifle naive."
Jon-Tom was beginning to feel a resurgence of the volatility that had set off
the riot in the Pearl Possum. "Hey now, people, I'm getting a little tired of
everyone continually running off my list of disabilities."
"Shut up and do as you're told," said the woman.
"Fuck you, sister," he spat back angrily. "How'd you like your backside the
same color as your hair?"
Her right hand suddenly sported a sixth finger. The knife gleamed in the dim
light. It was no longer than her middle finger but twice as broad and
displayed an unusual double blade.
"And how'd you like to sing about three octaves higher?"
"Please now, Talea." Mudge hurriedly interposed himself between them. "Think
of me, if naught else. 'E's me responsibility. If any 'arm comes to 'im while
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'e's in my care, Clothahump'll 'ave me 'ide. As to 'is singin' I've 'ad more
than enough for one night. That's wot started the trouble in the Possum in the
first place."
"More's the pity for you then, Mudge." But the blade disappeared with a twist
of the wrist, vanishing back inside her right sleeve. "I'll truce on it for
you...
for now."
"I'm not taking any orders from her," Jon-Tom said belligerently.
"Now, now, mate." Mudge made placating gestures. "No one's said that you must.
But you're willin' to accept advice, ain't you? That's what I'm 'ere for,
after all."
"That's true," Jon-Tom admitted. But he couldn't keep his eyes off the lethal
little lady Mudge had called Talea. Her temper had considerably mitigated his
first feelings toward her. She was no less beautiful for their argument, but
it had become the beauty of a rose sealed in glass. Delicacy and
attractiveness were still there, but there was no fragrance, and both were
untouchable.
"That's the second time tonight you've shown concern for me, luv." Mudge
looked at her uncertainly. "First by 'elpin' us flee that unfortunate
altercation back in the Pearl Possum and now again by respectin' me wishes and
makin' peace with the lad. I've never known you t' be so solicitous o' my
'ealth or anyone else's exceptin' your precious own. So wot's behind the
sudden nursemaidin'?"
"You're right about the first, Mudge. Most of the time you can find your own
way to hell for all I care." Her voice finally mellowed, and for the first
time she sounded vulnerable and human.
"Truth is that I needed some help, fast. The Pearl Possum was the nearest and
most likely place in which to find it. You were the first one I saw that I
knew, and considering what was going on in there I didn't have a whole hell of
a lot of time to be picky. I do need your help." She looked hesitantly past
him at
Jon-Tom. "And so I guess I have to put up with him, too." She walked over to
Jon-Tom, looked him over sharply.
"In truth, he's an impressive physical speciman." Jon-Tom stood a little
taller.
"What I need now are strong backs, not brains." He lost an inch.
"I knew you were needin' something, dear," said Mudge knowl-edgeably. "I
couldn't see you givin' yourself over t' philanthropy. Jon-Tom, meet Talea.
And widdershins likewise."
"Charmed," said Jon-Tom curtly.
"Yeah, me too." She paused thoughtfully. "So the old magic bugger-in-the-shell
was looking around for an other-world wizard and got you instead. I can
imagine what his reaction must have been."
"I don't need this." Jon-Tom turned away, spoke almost cheerfully. "I don't
need this at all. I'll make my own damn way!"
" 'Old on now, mate," said Mudge desperately. "You think o' me, too. Everyone
think o' poor old Mudge for a change."
"When did you ever think of anything else?" snorted Talea.
"Please, luv. Go easy on the poor lad. 'Tis right that you owe 'im nothing and
likewise meself. But consider, 'e's a whole new world t' try and cope with,
and you're not makin' it any easier."
"What have his problems to do with me?" she replied indifferently, but for a
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"You said that you needed our help," Jon-Tom reminded her. "And I suppose we
owe you a favor for helping us out of that mess back there." He jerked a hand
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back toward the now distant restaurant. "Or at least for warning us about the
police.
You can have the use of my back without my affection. At least I can use that
without running my mouth."
She almost smiled, flipping away hair from her eyes. The oil lamps set her
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