Myth 13 - Myth Alliances Asprin, Robert (top 100 novels .TXT) 📖

auction going on between members of the Devan Market?ing Association. Once I had introduced Paldine and had her display the wares she had to offer, the bidding began at the top of everyone's voice. I had finally gotten a chance to try the Storyteller Goggles (soon to be renamed), and I was sorry my misplaced enthusiasm had deprived the Scammies of them. They were terrific, and the Deveels knew it, too. The Pervomatic also sold itself in a matter of seconds.

I had volunteered to stay, but once I had persuaded Hayner and the others that these Perverts were friends of mine and that any discourtesy to them counted as if it was being done to me, none of them paid much attention to us. I was glad to escape because, as I have said before, one of the few things about the Bazaar that I don't miss is the noise.

Paldine leaned across to shake hands with me before I left.

“I don't know who the Pervect is who befriended you before,” she whispered, “but he's lucky. I hope he knows that.”

I felt a wrench somewhere around my midsection. “I'm the lucky one. He's been a good friend to me.”

Out in the street, where the voices of Deveel merchants and customers weren't bouncing off the walls of a tent, I relaxed.

“Care to join us for a milkshake before we go?” I asked Tananda.

“I have to get to Trollia,” Tananda informed us, shoul-

dering her small bag. “If Chumley's not in the hospital with a hernia he'll need me to referee between him and Mums. I've already left them long enough.”

“I'd better get back to my studies,” I agreed, taking my D-​hopper out of the side of my boot. “I've left them long enough, too.”

“You know, you don't need that thing any more,” Tananda nodded. “You know enough places in the dimen?sions that if you practiced you could use a travel spell in?stead to hop between them.”

“The D-​hopper's not foolproof,” I replied, “but it works almost all the time, which is more than I could promise right now, considering how tired I am. I don't want to take a chance and get lost, and I sure don't want to be responsi?ble for getting Bunny lost.”

“All right. Take care of yourself, handsome.”

She kissed me warmly. I regretted again that she'd come to be a big sister to me. I could no more imagine us having a relationship than I could with Bunny. I respected them, but I felt both of them outclassed me.

Tananda winked at Bunny. I grinned, sensing some sis?terly communication between them that I couldn't trans?late, but I'd learned from long experience not to obsess over.

I handed over a bag containing 500 gold pieces and gave it to Tananda. “Here's your share of our fee. Zol didn't want to be paid. I've made good to Bunny, too.”

“You don't have to do this,” Tananda protested.

“Yes, I do. Please.” To my relief she accepted it. “And please take this, too.”

I handed her the other D-​hopper. She looked a question at me. I took a deep breath and plunged in.

“If you see Aahz I want you to give it to him. Tell him ... tell him if this would make it more convenient to visit once in a while I'd like him to have it.”

“ 'Don't be a stranger,' huh?” Tananda translated.

I dug a toe in the dirt. "Uh, yeah. I mean, if he wants to.

I'm the one who pushed away from everyone else. Maybe I'm getting over the funk I was in. It's up to him. I just want him to know ... he's welcome. I miss him. Studying's a lonely occupation."

“Keep it up. I think you're going to be one hell of a good magician.”

She kissed me thoroughly. An affectionate farewell from a Trollop can make you feel like you've been em?braced by a tornado.

'The same to you: don't be a stranger," Tananda waved as she sauntered off down the aisle between tents.

“I don't want to be,” I murmered quietly. “It'll just take time.” I turned to Bunny. “I hope all this hasn't ruined your feelings about Zol Icty. He's quite a guy.”

Bunny smiled. “Let's just say my understanding has matured a little. I still like him a lot, and I love his books, but I'm going to reshelve them in the fiction section of my collection.”

I grinned. “Shall we go?”

“Yes, indeed. I hope that Gleep and Buttercup haven't trashed the inn since this morning.”

Tananda unlocked the door and let herself into the dim an?teroom. I waited until she turned around before I sat up. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

She came over to me, reached into her belt pouch, and came out with a D-​hopper.

“This is for you, Aahz,” she smiled.

I accepted it with a wary look. “What's he using?”

“The same one he had before. This one was his fee for helping out the Wuhses Ñhis whole fee. He just handed it to me and told me to give it to you.”

“What for?” I growled.

Tanda tipped her head to one side. “I think you're smart enough to figure that one out. He misses you.”

My eyebrows went up. “He's something else,” I de?clared. “How'd he do?”

“He did fine,” Tananda assured me. “He did really well. He's a good man. You know that. You saw him. I got you there in time so you could watch the fireworks.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, thinking back with pleasure to the sight of ten Pervish females running after that darned dragon and getting penned up in their own spell. “He did okay.”

“He did more