Free Faun and Games by Piers Anthony

something before you go."
     
    Designated Wife?   Forrest decided not to inquire.   "Thank you, no.
    Chlorine gave me a dough nut, and I haven't been hungry since."
     
    "They do stick to your ribs," Wira agreed.   "Then I will show you out.
     
    She led him to the front gate.   This was now completely clear; there was
    no wall and no set of tracks.   The drawbridge was down, and the moat was
    calm, with no sign of fire.   It was evident that the Good Magician could
    change his castle around at will.   "Thank you," he told her.
     
    "I wish you good success," Wira replied, with a rather pleasant smile
    that lacked any trace of the mischief of the demonesses.   Then she
    looked embarrassed.   "Oh, I almost forgot: here is your lost sandal."
    She held it out.
     
    "But that had become reverse wood!   How did you-?"
     
    "The Good Magician has ways.   It Is a good sandal; he thought you would
    need it."
     
    Not half as much as he needed a good Answer.   But he stifled that
    remark.   "Thank you," he said, taking the sandal and putting it in his
    knapsack.   Now he had a complete reserve pair, again.
     
    "And this," she said, holding out a piece of paper.
     
    He took it and looked at it, but it had indecipherable scribblings. "I
    can't read this."
     
    "The Good Magician scribbled it in his very own handwriting," she said,
    as if that were a special thing.   "I'm sure he had excellent reason.
    Keep it with you; it may become useful when its time comes."
     
    What could he do?   He thanked her, and tucked the paper into his
    knapsack.
     
    Forrest set out for Castle Roogna.   It was not a difficult trek, because
    he was on a magic path that was supposed to lead right to it.   The funny
    thing was that again it was morning, though there had been no night, so
    that he should be able to reach it by evening.
     
    He wondered about that, so he tried asking Mare Imbri.   He closed his
    eyes briefly as he walked, making a place for her to appear.   "Are you
    there, Imbri?" he asked silently.
     
    "Always, as long as this Service lasts," she agreed, appearing as the
    black haired woman.   Now he saw that she rather resembled her mare form,
    in a pleasant way, with white socks on her feet and black gloves on her
    hands.   Her dress was black too.
     
    "I have noticed that it's always morning when I start walking, though I
    am sure a couple of days should have passed since I left my tree.   Is
    there some magic operating?"
     
    Imbri considered.   "Share your recent memories with me.   Maybe I can see
    what is happening."
     
    One hoof tripped, and he had to open his eyes.   He lost the image of
    her.   This was awkward, walking with his eyes closed.   So he stopped.
    "First-is it possible to see you without closing my eyes?"
     
    Her voice came in his head.   "Yes, if you can concentrate.   Reserve a
    space about five paces ahead of you, and to the side, or wherever you
    want, so it doesn't interfere with your view of the path.   Think of me
    being there."
     
    He concentrated, and after some effort managed to see a fuzzy region.
    "That's it," Imbri said.   "Just keep working on it as you walk, and I
    will clarify."
     
    He did, and she did.   After a while he was even able to see her as a
    human sized person walking beside him.   "Can anyone else see you?"
     
    "No.   Only you."
     
    "It's like seeing a ghost."
     
    "Yes.   It Just requires the right concentration."
     
    "Now I will review my memories of the day." He thought of his beginning
    of the trip to the Gap Chasm, guided by the Demoness Sire.   Then of the
    ride through the Gap, on the back of the dragon ass.   Then of the walk
    to the Good Magician's castle.
     
    "You are right," Imbri said.   "It's always morning.   The first morning
    may have been the work of ComPassion, because she likes you. She just
    wanted to give you more time, after you were nice enough to kiss her
    mouse, so she reset your day.   Otherwise it would have been