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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] best to reassure her. Carlotta, looking weary but apparently unhurt, reported that she had just concluded some kind of skirmish with the bad gods, down in the depths. Then, as her breathing slowed down to nor-mal, she told them: "It was too easy for me to find you just now. If I could do it so quickly, so can Hades." "Where is he now?" She gestured back in the direction from which she'd come. "Way down there. Still resting, as you should be, gaining strength. He's also trying to recruit more help. I'd say you have a few more hours before he's ready to try again. He believes that time is on his side now, and he wants to be sure to be strong enough to finish you the next time he finds you I see that you are wounded." "It's not much." "It's too much!" the Trickster corrected him sharply. "Any weakness on your part would be too much and who is this?" Katy had started to get over her fright when she saw Jeremy calmly talking to the apparition. Now, with Jeremy's hand on her arm, she summoned up the courage to open her eyes and watch. Carlotta looked thoughtfully at them both, the way they were clinging to each other. Then the Trickster sat down on the Cave floor and began to untie her Sandals. "What are you doing?" "I'm giving you these." She slid them off and held them out. "Why?" But Jeremy automatically put out a hand to take the gift when it was thrust at him. "Because I want Apollo to survive. You don't look well enough to get through a round of heavy breathing, let alone one of fighting Hades. I'd hate like hell to see him and his take over the worlds." Carlotta sighed. "I only regret that the evil twins, I mean the Lugard brothers, aren't on the other side. I think they'd fit right in." "Where is Arnobius? Where are Lord Victor's troops?" "A little while ago the Dunce was up a tree. I don't speak metaphorically." Carlotta smiled faintly. "His brother got him down, but now his brother is engaged in some heavy exercise, I think. I tell you, I can't really decide what ought to be done with either one of them." "Up a tree?" Neither Jeremy nor Apollo understood. "Yes. And their father's army was milling around, looking for both of them, and making a great effort to get itself organized but none of that is your immediate concern, my dear colleague. "Apollo needs to get away, to rest and heal. And you are going to have to acquire some superior Page 194 armament before you face Hades again. It would be suicidal otherwise." "I know that. But you're going to need the Sandals yourself." "Pah, have you forgotten I am a god? It's not easy to kill a god. I'm not going out of my way to pick a fight with Hades, and he has enough on his mind without going out of his way to make another enemy. I'll be safe enough." Carlotta looked at Katy, then back to Jeremy: "Do either of you have any place in mind where you might be able to rest and heal for a few days in safety?" "I do," said Jeremy. "Apollo does." Another ocean-flavored memory was trying to bob up, now that a need for it had arisen, and now it came popping into place. Another island this one very different from the first, surrounded by warm seas, with warm mists and sandy beaches. "Then put on what I have given you and go there immediately. Don't tell me where it is; one never knows. . . . Take whatever time you need to recover and rearm yourself. Then hurry back here, to the Mountain, as soon as you are ready." "What will you do in the meantime?" "I have some plans . . . but never mind. On your way now, both of you." "Thank you," said Katy. "Thank you very much." "You're welcome, child. How old are you? Fifteen? A couple of years ago I was fifteen, and now I am about a thousand. .. . Never mind. Listen, dear. Katy, is it? A fine strong god you have there for your lover. Let me reassure you that no human body in-habited by Apollo is likely to die of poison, even a dose admin-istered by Hades but you must see that he gets some rest." Kate nodded, overwhelmed, and Jeremy added his own thanks. Then, despite his weakness, he insisted on trying the San-dals before he would let Katy have them. "After all, I am Apollo." Kate didn't know what to say. Carlotta grumbled but let him have his way. It was as if she did not dare to try to be forceful. Now at last he took a close look at Carlotta's gift. It was easy to see that this footgear was of no ordinary material or con-struction. The thongs and trim were of silver, around the red. They didn't feel at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |