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corner while the party went into high gear. Pepe seemed
to be fitting in well with the rest of the team, if not fu -
tioning as a combination jester and spark plug, but
somehow I felt a bit distant. Sipping my wine, I stared
off into the distance at nothing in particular, letting my
thoughts wander.
"What's the trouble, handsome?"
"Hmmm? Oh. Hi, Tananda. Nothing in particular.
Just a little tired, that's all."
"Mind if I join you?" she said, dropping to the floor
beside me before I could stop her. "So. Are you going
MYTH-ING PERSONS 127
to tell me about it? Who is she?"
I turned my head slowly to look at her directly.
"I beg your pardon?"
She kept her eyes averted, idly ru
around the rim of her goblet.
"Look," she said, "if you don't want to talk about
it, just say so ... it's really none of my business. Just
don't try to kid me or yourself that there's nothing
bothering you. I've known you a long time now, and I
can usually tell when there's something eating you. My
best guess right now, if I'm any judge of the phenom-
enon, is that it's a girl."
Ever since I'd met Tananda, I'd had a crush on her.
With her words, though, I suddenly realized how badly
I wanted someone to talk to. I mean, to Guido and
Massha I was an authority figure, and I wasn't about to
open up to Aahz until I was sure he'd take the problem
seriously and not just laugh, and as for Chumley...
how do you talk about woman problems with a troll?
"Okay. You got me," I said, looking back into my
wine. "It's a girl."
"I thought so," Tananda smiled. "Where have you
been keeping her? Tell me, is she beautiful and sen-
sitive?"
"All that and more." I nodded, taking another drink
from my goblet. "She's also on the wrong side."
"Woops," Tananda said, straightening up. "You'd
better run that one past me again."
I filled her in on my encounters with Lua
to keep it unbiased and informative, but even I could
tell that my tones were less controlled than I would have
liked.
Tananda sat in silence for a few moments after I'd
finished, hugging her legs and with her chin propped up
on her knees.
"Well," she said at last, "from what you say, she's
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Robert Asprin
an accomplice at best. Maybe we can let her go after we
get them all rounded up."
"Sure."
My voice was flat. Both Tananda and I knew that
once Aahz got on his high horse there was no telling
how merciful or vicious he would be at any given point.
"Well, there's always a chance," she insisted. "Aahz
has always had a soft spot where you're concerned. If
you intercede for her, and if she's willing to abandon
her partners. ..."
"... and, if a table had wings, we could fly it back to
the Bazaar." I frowned. "No, Tananda. First of all, she
won't give up her partners just because they're in a
crunch. That much I know. Besides, if I put that kind of
pressure on her, to choose between me and them, I'd
never know for sure if she really wanted me or if she was
just trying to save her own skin."
Tananda got to her feet.
"Don't become so wise that you're stupid, Skeeve,"
she said softly before she left. "Remember, Lua
already chosen you twice over her partners. Both times
she's risked her life and their getaway to pass you a
warning. Maybe all she needs is what you haven't yet
' given her—an invitation for a chance at a new life with a
new partner. Don't be so proud or insecure that you'd
throw a genuine admirer to the wolves rather than run
the risk of making a mistake. If you did, I don't think
I'd like you much... and I don't think you would
either."
I pondered Tananda's advice after she'd gone. There
was one additional complication I hadn't had the nerve
to mention to her. Whatever Lua
were, how would they change when she found out I'd
used her scarf... her token of affection, to guide a
pack of hunters to their target?