Free Five Portraits by Piers Anthony

said.
    â€œThey are foolish. They can’t keep status; their early deaths take it from them. So what is the point?”
    â€œGood question,” Astrid said. “If we don’t do anything useful in our fleeting lives, there is no point.”
    They came down to land again in Eris’s garden. “Did you talk with Wenda?” Jumper asked.
    â€œWe did,” Astrid said. “She recommended rescuing children. We’d like to rescue some from the future, and bring them back here to live out their full lives in relative comfort. That is the project we have decided on.”
    â€œThe future,” Eris said thoughtfully. “That would be a challenge.”
    â€œYes. So we may need help. We’d like to talk to Dysnomia.”
    â€œOh, my,” Eris said. “She is something of a black sheep, pretty wild. I have not been in contact with her for some time.”
    â€œCan you reach her?” Astrid asked.
    Eris raised a hand and snapped her fingers. Another woman appeared. She was pretty, with good features, long hair, and a nice figure, but she did indeed look wild, following no established conventions of dress or manner. “What do you want, mother dear?” she demanded dismissively.
    â€œThese two would like to talk with you, perhaps to enlist your help,” Eris said.
    â€œObese chance! I don’t care about any regular people.”
    â€œMake on effort,” Fornax said.
    Dysnomia caught the tone and looked at her. And froze. “Fornax!”
    â€œI am not here to convert you to total energy,” Fornax said evenly. “But to enlist your aid, should you be inclined to give it.”
    It was evident that this wild Demoness had some awe for Fornax, whose destructive power was surely respected even among Demons. “Make your case.”
    â€œMy mortal friend Astrid will make it.”
    â€œMortal friend!” Dysnomia exclaimed. “Since when did you take to slumming, SeeTee?”
    SeeTee?
    â€œThe pronunciation of CT, or ContraTerrene matter, a more technical term for antimatter,” Fornax explained. “She thinks she is being contemptuous of both of us.”
    Oh? Astrid removed her dark glasses and looked Dysnomia in the face. “I am a basilisk. I am not accustomed to contempt.”
    â€œWhy so you are,” Dysnomia agreed, evidently taken slightly aback. She was of course immune to the death stare, but she felt it. “You must have an interesting story.”
    â€œI do,” Astrid agreed, restoring her glasses. “But that is not the point. If you are not going to take us seriously, there is no point in talking with you.”
    Dysnomia laughed. “Now you have evoked my curiosity. Very well, I will listen.”
    â€œWe want to travel fifty years into the future, rescue some orphaned children there, and bring them back here. To do that we may need to break some laws of the universe. Such as paradox. Can you help us do that?”
    â€œParadox,” Dysnomia repeated thoughtfully. “That’s a tricky one. I never thought to violate that one before.”
    â€œSo its a challenge,” Astrid said. “Are you up to it?”
    â€œOf course I’m up to it!” The Demoness paused. “I think.”
    â€œThen join us for a planning session,” Fornax said. “We may set law-breaking history.”
    â€œWe may indeed,” Dysnomia said zestfully.
    â€œDon’t crash the universe, dear,” Eris called as the three of them took off.
    They returned to the crescent moon, biting off pieces of the crescent to chew on as they talked. “Exactly where do you have in mind collecting these children?” Dysnomia asked. “Time is one thing, but geography is another.”
    â€œWhy not in the troll’s glade?” Astrid asked. “He won’t be using it any more. It’s quite private.”
    â€œWe can go there physically,” Fornax agreed. “Then advance