Cube Route

by Piers Anthony

  "Uh, hello," Cube said.

  "Cube! Where are you calling from?"

  "No Name Key. It--"

  "I know where it is. I will come and pick you up in an hour. I want very much to meet you."

  "Uh, thanks. I--I need a favor. Someone I have to find in Mundania."

  "Have no fear. Keep an eye out for our helicopter."

  "Your what?"

  But the woman had already hung up.

  Cube returned the phone to Turn Key. "She says to keep an eye out in an hour for their he--hel--"

  "Helicopter," Turn Key said. "Obviously she is eager to meet you. May I inquire the nature of your prior encounter?"

  Cube decided it was safe to explain about the ghostly exchange. "So I was able to do her a favor," she concluded.

  "A considerable one," he agreed. "No wonder she wants to meet you physically."

  "I hope she can help me find Kim."

  "I will give her the address, which I do have. She is, it seems, a rather wealthy woman. She should have no trouble."

  "Yes, she lives in a mansion, and people work for her."

  "And you have an hour to relax. I am glad it is going well. Let me show you around our station while you wait."

  The hour passed swiftly. Then they were waiting outside the house. A huge noisy whirling machine came chugging through the air and landed on the lawn. A woman emerged.

  Turn Key stared. "You did not exaggerate about her appearance! That is the most beautiful woman I have seen in a decade."

  Then Silhouette spied Cube and came to her. "I am so glad to meet you in person, Cube! I owe you everything."

  "All I did was--"

  "I trust you have the number or address of your party?"

  "Here," Turn Key said, giving her a piece of paper.

  "Thank you so much." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then, leaving him stunned, she took Cube by the arm and led her to the whirling machine. "Phil is piloting it. You met his father."

  "You did decide to--"

  "You were right, Cube! He is the man for me. He is strong and capable and kind, and he loves me. I'm sure I will love him soon. I simply lacked the wit to orient on him. I was horribly foolish."

  Cube was amazed at the change in Silhouette. She had been unable to assert herself; now she was assertiveness itself. "You have changed."

  "Because of you, Cube! You showed me how to do it, and how well it worked. I explored my memory of that day--was it only yesterday?--and simply continued in that mode. All because of you! You completely changed my life. I'm still in euphoria."

  A man stepped out of the machine. He looked like a younger version of Filip the gardener. "Welcome aboard, Cube!" he said.

  They climbed into the machine, which was somewhat like a small house, and then it was airborne. Silhouette gave Philip the paper, and he piloted the the craft north and west while the two women talked. Again, time passed swiftly.

  The helicopter landed on a bare paved space known as a parking lot. They got out and approached the house of the address. A woman came to the door. She was ordinary rather than pretty, which gave Cube secret relief; she liked Silhouette, but hated the extreme contrast between them. "Yes?"

  Now was the time. "I am Cube, from Xanth. I must talk to Kim."

  "I am she. The last time I visited Xanth, it was to serve jury duty. Has something else come up?"

  Cube explained about the need for her talent of erasure. "So if you could possibly come with me--"

  "I'll have to clear it with my husband Dug," Kim said. "And I'll have to take my son along, because I can't be sure how long I'll be. He'll love Xanth!"

  She had a child. Somehow that possibility hadn't occurred to Cube. "These are my friends Silhouette and Philip. They have a helicopter to take us to No Name Key."

  Kim was surprisingly amenable, and soon she had made arrangements for Dug to hold the fort, and joined them in the helicopter, holding her three-year-old son. "This is Knut," she said, introducing him. "In Xanth, men generally have sons and women have daughters, as signaled by the first letters of their names, but we're in Mundania, so he's mine, a K."

  "He's darling," Silhouette said, smiling at the boy. Her beauty smote him like an ocean wave, and he fell back against his mother, suddenly shy.

  "We're thrilled with him," Kim said brightly. "We thought we couldn't have a child, but Nimby fixed that."

  "Nimby?" Silhouette asked. Cube wondered too.

  "He's a donkey-headed dragon who can assume manform. He and Chlorine go around doing favors for folk. They live in the Nameless Castle, built on a cloud, floating over Xanth. That's about all I can say."

  That was interesting. Cube got the impression that there was a good deal more that Kim could have said, but wasn't free to, like Cube with her Quest. She would have to learn more about this odd dragon.

  "Here in Mundania," Silhouette said, "NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard."

  "Yes," Kim agreed. "That's the idea. Who would want to be near a donkey-headed dragon?" She seemed amused. That made Cube wonder further. What was it about Nimby?

  The dialogue went on to other things. Silhouette was eager to learn more about Xanth, as most of what she had experienced in Cube's body remained in Cube's memory, just as most of Cube's experience in Silhouette's body remained in Silhouette's memory. This physical visit to Mundania was strengthening memories that would otherwise have been fleeting. But mainly she was relieved and pleased to see how well Silhouette was doing. Her life really had been transformed.

  They arrived at No Name Key as dusk was approaching from the east. They landed on the back lawn. "I haven't used this route before," Kim said. "But I know of it."

  "Turn Key gave us your address," Cube said. "He knows of you too. There he is now."

  They went to the picture inside the house. "This must be where we part company," Silhouette said with regret. "I'm so glad we got to meet, Cube. You truly have changed my life."

  "Knut and I will be returning," Kim said.

  "We will make arrangements to get you back to your home," Turn Key said.

  "No need," Silhouette said. "Phil and I will wait."

  "There's no need to inconvenience you," Kim said. "We can manage."

  "I want to learn more of Xanth."

  "Oh. Then thank you. It will certainly help."

  Cube stepped through the painting, and found herself back on the empty key-shaped island. Kim and Knut appeared behind her. "Now I'll bring out Karia," Cube said.

  Kim opened her mouth to speak--and stared in astonishment. So did Cube. For Silhouette had just appeared.

  "Oh, I'm sorry," Silhouette said. "I just touched the picture, curious about its nature. I didn't mean to interfere. I'll go back."

  "You're in Xanth!" Cube said.

  "We didn't think you could cross," Kim said. "Usually only those who have been here before, or who have special dispensation, are able to cross."

  "Well, I was in Xanth before," Silhouette said. "But not in my own body."

  Kim exchanged a look with Cube. "It must count," she said. "Well, then, come on, Silhouette. We're glad to have you with us."

  "I can explore Xanth personally?" Silhouette asked.

  "So it seems," Cube said.

  "Then let me tell Phil." She poked her head through the picture, but not the rest of her body. After a moment she withdrew it. "He understands. He'll wait."

  "Then I think you'll have to ride in the pouch," Cube said. "I don't think Karia can handle three of us."

  "Karia?" Silhouette asked.

  "She's a winged centaur." Cube put her hand in the pouch, and in a half a moment Karia had joined them. There was a quick round of introductions, and the usual warning about speaking the centaur's name.

  Then Silhouette, Kim, and Knut made ready to enter the pouch. But Karia stopped them. "Weight is not a factor. If you can hold on, I can carry you. I think the little boy might like to see the sights."

  "Oh, yes," Kim breathed.

  So Silh
ouette mounted first, then Kim with Knut, then Cube at the rear. Karia flicked them all with her tail, making them so light they almost floated away. Then she took off.

  "Ooooo!" Knut and Silhouette cried together, putting five O's into it. It was hard to tell who was more thrilled. They continued to be thrilled as they looked down at the pattern of Xanth.

  "This is better than the helicopter," Silhouette said.

  "Yeah," Knut agreed. The two were getting along well.

  But evening arrived before they got to the site. "I will have to put down at an intermediate station," Karia said. "We'll resume travel in the morning."

  "That's fine," Kim said. "All the more time in Xanth."

  They landed at a campsite on an enchanted path. "This is safe," Cube told Silhouette. "But don't leave the marked area. There really are dragons out there, and other things."

  "Dragon!" Knut cried joyfully.

  Cube wrestled with her judgment and lost. She brought out Drek Dragon for a brief visit. Soon Knut was climbing all over him, and the dragon loved it. The perfume was almost too strong.

  In the morning they resumed travel, the four of them on the centaur. This time a mischievous little cloud loomed near, darkening. "Oops, that's Fray," Karia said.

  "Who?" Kim asked.

  "Several years ago Fracto Cloud helped confine the invading storm, Gladys. He put her in the region of Air, and evidently tamed her, because now they have a baby cloud, Fray. She's only five years old and mischievous when she gets loose. Usually she'll back off when told."

  "A cloud!" Silhouette exclaimed. "A cloud has sentience?"

  "Oh, yes, in Xanth," Kim said. "Just about everything has some awareness and feeling, so you have to be careful what you say."

  "Fascinating. And they have a child? Gladys must be a sexy lady cloud."

  "Yes, in Xanth she became Hurricane Happy Bottom."

  "Ugh!" the centaur said.

  "She doesn't like puns," Cube explained.

  "Oops. I suppose it is. I apologize."

  Karia flew toward the cloud. "Fray!" she called. "Move aside!"

  But the cloud moved ahead of them, blocking their way. "And sometimes she doesn't back off," Karia said grimly. "I'll have to fly around her." She veered to the side.

  But the cloud moved to intercept her again, playing a game. Little jags of lightning zipped across her face.

  "I can erase part of her if I have to," Kim said. "But I'll need my hands free."

  "I'll take Knut," Silhouette said. Kim passed the boy forward, and Silhouette held him before her, standing on the centaur's mane. Then she caught on to another aspect. "How can you erase a cloud?"

  "That's my talent," Kim explained. "If I can see it, I can erase it magically with a sweep of my hand. Normally I use it to eliminate obstacles in my path. I'll try to be careful not to hurt Fray, just brush her back a bit so we can pass." She moved her hand, and a swath of outlying vapor disappeared.

  "Nice cloud," Knut said admiringly.

  Fray reacted. A vague smile formed across her substance.

  "Well well," Silhouette murmured. Then she smiled at the cloud. "Nice cloud," she echoed.

  Fray turned pink and floated back. She was blushing! Because a truly beautiful woman had smiled at her. Cube wished she could do that. Maybe once she got beautiful herself...

  Karia flew past the cloud without molestation. Knut and Silhouette waved as they passed. They were still hitting it off.

  "That was a better way," Kim said. "The last thing I want to do is hurt a child."

  Cube was nevertheless impressed with the bit of erasure she had seen. That was a dangerously powerful talent.

  Karia glided down for a landing on the path, out of sight of its end. "I'll wait here," she said as they dismounted.

  "Perhaps I should wait also," Silhouette said uncertainly.

  "No, I think it's all right," Cube said. "I'll introduce you as a Mundane I know. That's all that needs to be said."

  "Very well." Silhouette was still holding Knut's hand. He obviously liked her. It was yet another demonstration of the power of beauty. They walked together, following Cube and Kim.

  They came to the end of the path, which was farther along than it had been the day before. There was Patxi, laboring diligently to clear brush by hand. It was obvious that his job was tedious, with his magic applying only when he had the path set. Cube had used the enchanted paths without ever thinking about their construction; that would never be the case again.

  Patxi paused when he saw them. "Hello a third time," he said to Cube. "I don't believe I know your friends."

  "This is Kim, who I hope will abate your curse," Cube said. "And this is Silhouette Mundane, with Kim's boy Knut."

  The man nodded to Kim, then started to nod to Silhouette, and froze. He too was smitten by her beauty.

  "Hello," Silhouette said, smiling. That made it worse.

  "That's something," Kim murmured. "Usually a man has to see bra or panties to freak out. She does it fully clothed."

  "Beauty does as beauty is," Cube agreed. "I'm so envious."

  "Me too. But there are other things than beauty. After all, I managed to marry Dug." Then she got more serious. "Now what's the curse name?"

  "Unthank," Cube said. "My idea is for you to erase the first two letters. Can you do that?"

  "I'm not sure, but it's worth a try. With a computer, if you erase the name of a file, you lose that file. There are ways magic is similar to computing. Let's see what we can do." She smoothed a place on the path, then took a stick and wrote UNTHANK. "Is that it?"

  "That's what the Princesses said," Cube agreed.

  Kim brushed her hand across the first two letters, erasing them.

  Nothing happened.

  "I was afraid of that," Kim said. "You have to know how to address a spell."

  "Maybe if we made it clearer that it relates to him," Cube said.

  They went to the man, who was still gazing raptly at Silhouette. Cube put some dirt on her finger and wrote UNTHANK across his back. "This is your secret name," she said to him, though he seemed to be beyond hearing. "This is the word that enchants you." She felt a small shudder of power. "I think that connected."

  Kim brushed away the first two letters, using her magic. It was a bit strong, and his shirt disappeared in that region too. But nothing else happened.

  They looked at each other. "We need a better instruction manual," Cube said. Unfortunately magic seldom came with instructions. They were stumped.

  Then Knut walked up to Patxi. "You made this nice path? Thank you."

  And something dissipated around them, like a fire going out. Magic was fading.

  "It worked!" Kim said. "We did it! We just didn't think to complete it. To thank him."

  Patxi stirred and looked around. "It's gone!" he said. "The curse is gone."

  "It's gone," Cube said. "Now you can retire."

  "But this path isn't finished."

  "You don't have to finish it. Your curse is no more."

  "But it wouldn't be right to leave it incomplete. Folk might get lost."

  Cube exchanged a look with Kim. Had they really abated the curse?

  Then Silhouette stepped in. "This path was, in a manner, my salvation. I was here before, though you did not see me. I kissed you."

  "Oh, I think I would remember if--"

  "Like this." She kissed him.

  Patxi reeled, almost falling. "That was you!" he exclaimed.

  "In Cube's body," she agreed. "She saved my life. I think it would be nice if you completed this one path, so that it does go somewhere, as my life is doing now. It is symbolic. I would consider it a personal favor. Then you may retire if you wish to."

  "I'll do that!" he agreed gladly.

  She smiled at him, then turned away so that he could recover. She caught Knut's hand and walked back down the path. Her effort not to leave him stunned was not entirely successful, because her backside was as esthetic as her frontside, even fully clothed,
but then she rounded a turn and was out of sight. Then he blinked, getting his eyeballs realigned, and returned to work, not even noticing Kim and Cube.

  Cube was almost sick with longing for a figure like that. Would she really have one, after the Quest?

  "Beauty has power," Kim said as if reading her thoughts. "But there are other things."

  "For men?"

  Kim shrugged. "Sometimes."

  The thread led back the way Silhouette had gone. "I think we're done here," Cube said.

  "Yes. It has been nice visiting, but Dug's waiting for me."

  They rejoined Karia, finding Silhouette and Knut already mounted. The thread stopped there. They mounted too, and soon were flying south.

  They landed at No Name Key and went to the picture. They saw Turn Key and Phil there, looking out.

  "We will take you home," Silhouette said to Kim. "I hope we can be friends hereafter."

  "Surely so," Kim said. "We've been to Xanth together."

  Silhouette turned to Cube. "I owe you everything," she said. "I fear we'll never see each other again. I hope you finish your Quest and gain your desire." Then she embraced Cube and kissed her on the mouth.

  Such was the power of her beauty that Cube, too, was stunned. By the time she recovered, Kim, Knut, and Silhouette were in the picture. They waved to her, then walked out of sight.

  "Charming folk," Karia said.

  "Yes." Cube felt as if she had just lost lifelong friends.

  Chapter 10

  Nimby

  "I believe I see the thread," Karia said.

  Cube looked. There it was, proceeding to the edge of the key, and on across the surface of the water. "I can't walk on water!"

  "But I can fly over it, and follow the line," Karia said. "That's no problem. I'm glad the landbound centaurs separated No Name from Centaur Isle; it would have been awkward for me otherwise."

  "They separated it?"

  "Originally they had bound it in with their main isle. But there was too much traffic through the portal. Once, I understand, an entire Mundane vehicle came through, with a Mundane family. The centaurs were courteous to them, but thereafter decided that this was not the sort of intrusion they preferred. So they cut it loose. That means that magic centaurs like myself are not barred."