“Elvin.” He swallowed, then coughed and nodded toward the medallion. “Urah. Enchantment. She will want that.” In the next second, he ran out of the arena.
The crowd had been stunned into silence but at Elvin’s exit, they exploded into cheers. The excited audience rushed down to the arena, meaning to grab the players and lift them, but Mekos soared away with Aradella. Tam lifted Bree in an overhead press and ran with her through the gates.
The only person left for the people to hail was Bart, so they lifted him above their heads and carried him round and round the arena. He was again the island’s hero. No one on any planet was happier than Bart Ollen was that day.
20
“You’re celebrities,” Qip said as he drove the wagon toward his house. He didn’t sound pleased.
His passengers were silent, recovering from what they’d been through in the long day.
Bree, on the seat beside him, had the medallion and she looked at it. It was oval and made of very old gold. On the outside were nine crudely cut gray jewels, one bigger than the others. When it was opened, painted on a white stone, was the face of a pretty woman with dark curls and pink lips. Bree handed it to Tam.
Tam looked at the picture, then handed it to Mekos and Aradella.
No one mentioned the name the goat-man had said. “Urah.” It seemed that all bad began and ended with that woman.
“Of what use are the things we got?” Aradella’s voice sounded weak. She hadn’t yet recovered her strength. She knew the middle of her was badly bruised.
“Why was he changed into a monster?” Bree was looking at Qip.
Qip sighed. “I’m sure the rose and the medallion have uses but I don’t know what they are.” His voice was rising, showinghis frustration. “As for the Monster of Sheean, it was probably done by magic, but I don’t know why.”
“It doesn’t take much to enrage her,” Aradella said softly. They all knew who she meant.
Tam was leaning against the side of the wagon. “Was he transformed by the removal of the medallion or by the kisses?”
Mekos looked serious. “Female kisses have the opposite effect. They turn a quiet, peaceful man into a raging monster.”
They looked at him, their faces showing the absurdity of that, then Tam gave a little laugh. “The crowd sure did love the ugly maid.”
“And my beautiful princess,” Mekos said proudly. “Some man offered me a house and six horses if I’d work for him.”
Bree said, “I’m sure it’s the same man who wants us to do more plays.”
“Ha!” Aradella said. “He wants my cousin for a night of ecstasy.”
“I can’t blame him for that!” Tam’s tone was so truthful, but at the same time so very sad, that they couldn’t retain their laughter.
They were exhausted, bruised, and bleeding, but they werealive.
For the rest of the way, they were in a better mood. Mekos and Tam argued about who had been injured more.
The two women were silent. When they’d awakened that morning, they’d been lifelong enemies, but now they were... Neither of them knew exactly what they were. But they knew that things had changed.
By the time they got to the house, they were all smiling.
“I hope Darr cooked something good,” Mekos said.
“I hope he fixed Ian’s leg,” Bree said. “It was damaged this morning.”
“We can—” Aradella began, then broke off. Darr was waiting for them, and the green of his eyes was an ugly color, like pond sludge. Something had made him unhappy.
The young people let out a sigh.What now?
Darr lifted Qip down. They couldn’t understand Darr’s eyelight flashes, but Qip could.
“Why don’t you give him a voice?” Aradella sounded annoyed.
