Free Zombie Lover by Piers Anthony Page A

spell?"
     
    "You are offering love or money?" Terian inquired.
     
    Oops. "Not literally. It's zombie love I'm trying to escape, and money isn't much use in Xanth. I mean, is there any other deal I can make with you, since this one isn't working out?"
     
    There was the barest pause. "We are intrigued by these games. Find another person to play them in your stead, one who can play one through to victory. At that point we will give you the spell."
     
    "But how can I find anyone else, when I can't even go out of this cave for fear of the zombies?"
     
    "We will lend you the spell for that purpose."
     
    58       PIERS ANTHONY
     
    That was so logical that Breanna knew she would never have thought of it. "Okay. But how can you be sure I won't just bug out?"
     
    "Do what to what?'1
     
    Oops again. It did sound as if she meant to pull an insect from its hole. "How do you know I won't run off to the Good Magician's castle the moment I have that spell, instead of finding you another player?1'
     
    "You will do what you agreed to do."
     
    She realized thai a machine had little concept of dishonesty. "Okay. I'll go find somebody. Seems fair to me."
     
    Terian lifted her hand, and in it appeared a marble-sized globe. She gave it to Breanna. But as Breanna took it, it faded out. Had she somehow broken it?
     
    "The spell is now part of you, and will carry through the night," Terian explained. "If you are unable to find a suitable player by dawn, return here and we will provide another spell for the next night."
     
    Breanna hoped she could do it much faster than that. "Okay. I'll see you soon, one way or another."
     
    She walked out of the cave. Almost immediately she saw the zombies milling about. Maybe they knew she was in the cave, and were waiting to nab her when she emerged.
     
    She nerved herself and walked down the path toward the zombies. If they gave even the slightest, teeniest, weeniest sign of seeing her, she would bolt back into the cave as fast as her fine black legs would
     
    carry her.
     
    But the zombies gave no sign of being aware of her. They seemed to be patrolling, shuffling back and forth, dropping putrid bits of themselves behind. Yuck!
     
    She timed her route to pass between the two of them while they were both walking away from the intersection of paths. She got through, and was on her way beyond without their noticing.
     
    Then she reconsidered. How did she know the spell was working? She might have slipped through on her own merit. She had better make sure.
     
    She nerved herself again, and turned back. Now the two zombies were approaching each other on their route. She could see the route, because it was marked by blobs of decayed flesh. They were definitely
     
    on guard duty.
     
    She walked toward them. "Hey, you rotters!" she called.
     
    ZOMBIE LovtR        y9
     
    There was no response. The zombies shuffled past each other and walked on out toward the ends of their routes. So she went to the center and stood there, waiting for their return. She was terrified, but she made herself stand there. She had to know.
     
    They turned and shuffled back. Their faces were blank masks of disgusting decomposition. It was a marvel they could see anything, with those putrefied orbs.
     
    "Hey, foulface!1' she called to one. "Can you see me?"
     
    The zombie ignored her. He continued to shuffle toward her. She realized that they would collide if she didn't get out of the way. So she moved clear, just in time, and the zombies passed behind her.
     
    "Have you sheen anyshing, Seymour Bones?" one inquired of the other.
     
    "Noshing, Rick R. Mortis," the other replied.
     
    Satisfied, Breanna proceeded on her way. Now whom could she find who liked to play cards? There might be a small problem, because no one in Xanth knew about cards. But surely many folk were bored, and this was a good treatment for boredom.
     
    Another problem was the fact that it was night, which was her prime time but was sleep