Free Berlina's Quest by James Hartley Page A

trouble.
    Berlina thought quickly. She pulled out her wand with her left hand and cast the first defensive spell she could think of—a confusion spell. In her mind, she could hear Forsythia saying, “This spell causes many random effects to your enemies. You never know for sure what will happen, but it will do
something
that will give you a fighting chance.”
    Now, as Berlina watched, several of the guards managed to trip over their own feet and fall to the floor. Others suddenly seemed unable to decide if they should have their swords in their right or left hands. They kept shifting them back and forth instead of trying to fight with them.
    Felistia went for those on the floor, jumping on the men, ripping out throats and clawing eyes. She disemboweled one guard with strokes of her hind feet. Berlina went for those most confused about their swords and striking at their arms. This ended their confusion because they no longer had either right or left hands to hold swords with. Lathan swung his mighty sword against those few who still seemed to be able to fight. He decapitated some and held off others until Berlina was free to get around behind them. From behind, she finished them off with quick sword thrusts to the kidneys.
    It wasn’t long before Berlina, Felistia back in her human form, and Lathan were the only ones still alive in the room. “Damn,” said Berlina, “that was nasty, but we got them. Now, for the second time, let’s go.”
    Before Berlina could protest her ability to walk unaided, Lathan picked her up again and stuffed her under his arm, as he had been carrying her earlier. They headed for the gates with Lathan swinging his sword at the occasional opponent they met. Alarms were ringing all over the palace. Finally, when they got out and reached the woods, their opponents gave up the chase. Now, not having to worry about fighting, Lathan ran quickly along the forest path.
    Unfortunately, it was the wrong path. After a while, when they had not found Lathan’s campsite, Berlina called a halt. “Something is wrong here. Lathan, where is your camp?”
    Lathan looked around. “I dunno, yer Highness. All da woods look kinda da same.”
    â€œFee, how did you two get to the castle?”
    â€œWe set up a camp. Then, we walked straight along the path to the palace gate…” She paused and thought for a minute. “Does that castle have more than one gate?”
    â€œYes, yes. I’m fairly sure it does. It’s been quite a while since I visited it, but I remember two, maybe even three gates. Why?”
    â€œWhen we came to get you, it was more or less a straight corridor from the gate to the stairs down to the dungeon. After we got you out of the cell, we wandered around, all over, to find the throne room where your sword and such were. I suspect we exited via a different gate.”
    â€œDamn. We’ll have to go back until we’re in sight of the castle, then circle around it until we find the proper gate.”
    It was several hours before they located Lathan’s campsite, a clearing next to a small brook. Berlina, sore all over from the warrior carrying her under his arm for so long a time, sank to the ground with a loud groan.
Why,
she thought,
do I have to put up with this bozo? Isn’t there any better alternative?
    Lathan fumbled around, chopping wood and lighting a fire to cook dinner. Berlina leaned back and closed her eyes to narrow slits, feigning sleep. Dinner would be a heck of a lot better if she cooked it, but she was too tired. Felistia shifted back to her human form, but she made no effort to assist Lathan, either.
    When dinner was ready, her estimate proved correct. A single piece of meat ranged from charcoal at one end to not even warmed up at the other. There was some green stuff that looked like boiled ragweed. As for the mushrooms…the two girls decided not to touch those, sure they were at least mildly