Free Berlina's Quest by James Hartley

mother, we’ll worry about that after he’s here. As to
how
I’m going to get out…” Felistia went over and leaned against the door grating. She melted down to the nearly liquid state she used for doing a complete change of shape and flowed through one of the bottom openings in the grate. Once completely on the other side, she reformed into her human shape. “What do you think?”
    For once, Berlina was speechless. She just stared at her companion. Finally, she got her voice back and said, “Oh. My. Gosh. That was terrific. Okay, you’re out. Go get Lathan.”
    Felistia nodded, changed into her wildcat shape, and headed for the stairs out of the dungeon. Berlina bunched up the covers and the pillow on Felistia’s cot and glamoured them to look like a sleeping girl. Then, since there was nothing else she could do, she sat down on her cot to wait.
    * * * *
    Days went by. Berlina knew that even if Felistia could get to the Palace quickly, it might take time for her to find and recruit Lathan. They might have to return at walking speed if Lathan couldn’t get a horse. A distinct possibility, since the grooms were afraid to trust their mounts to Lathan’s dubious care.
    Berlina awoke from a nap by a loud noise down the corridor. She saw the figure of a white wildcat race down the corridor and past the cell door. Clamped in its mouth was a detached arm, still holding a sword. She quickly put on her pack and picked up Felistia’s so she would be ready to leave. A few more hacked off arms and legs in gaoler’s uniforms flew past the door. Then, she could see her presumed hero outside the cell door, swinging a huge mace to shatter the lock. Berlina jumped back as fragments of door rained down in the cell. Then, she ducked in earnest as the massive head of the mace broke off and sped across the room, crashing into the opposite wall.
    Lathan entered the cell, still holding the broken haft of the mace. “Hey, yer Highness,” he said in his profound basso voice. “Watchoo doon here? You wanna get reskyooed?”
    She rolled her eyes and said, “Yes, Lathan—my hero. I was just waiting here for you. Otherwise, I would have picked that lock with a pin and left hours ago, you big ape!”
    Lathan looked confused, as he usually did. His face cleared slowly and he smiled. “Dat’s nicea yoo ta wait fer me.” Before she could move, he grabbed her around the waist, picked her up under his left arm, and marched out of the cell with her. She ducked and barely managed to miss getting her head bashed against the doo frame.
    â€œWait!” she cried. “I have to find the sword.”
    Lathan set her down on her feet. Berlina immediately took a pose with her hands on top of her head. Then, she spun around three times deasil. Moving her arms so her forearms were vertical and her hands pointed up, she spun three times widdershins. Then, arms pointed out level from her shoulders, she spun three more times deasil. “Ah, I have it located,” she said. “Let’s go get it. It is not too far.”
    Following Berlina’s instructions, Lathan battled his way out of the dungeons while swinging his mighty sword. They went up many flights of stairs and into what turned out to be the marble-walled throne room. The white wildcat accompanied him, and Berlina followed the pair. There was a small pile of stuff near the foot of the empty, gold-inlaid throne. When Berlina went through it, she found her sword and the book she had just bought, but no gold.
    â€œDamn, I almost forgot about the book. A mighty curse on the biblionappers.” She put the book in her bag, buckled on the sword, and said, “Let’s go!”
    Before the three could get moving, a door burst open, and a dozen guards in maroon and orange uniforms entered the room. Berlina and Lathan quickly drew their swords. However, it was obvious they were outnumbered and in