Free Pan's Realm by Christopher Pike Page A

the breast. She had finally begun to calm down.
    â€œWhy didn’t you just tell her you were with me?” she asked.
    â€œI don’t think chickens respect committed relationships.”
    Sally was impressed. “Is that what we have? Now that Cindy will no longer be interested in you?”
    Adam brushed her off. An elf was walking toward the metal cage, and he had a couple of bags in his hand. Adam pointed him out.
    â€œThis is our chance to escape,” he said.
    Sally shook with fear. “Don’t be ridiculous. That elf is coming for dinner.”
    â€œCan we stay here forever?” Adam asked. “We have to get out of this cage. Once back in the castle we might have room to maneuver.”
    â€œOnce we’re in the castle they’ll eat us,” Sally cried. “Please, Adam, we can’t let him catch us. I’m claustrophobic. I can’t be stuffed in a bag. I’m attached to my head. I can’t stand the thought of having it separated from my shoulders.”
    But Adam had made up his mind. “I would rather diethan be hit on by fat chickens for the rest of my life.” He took a step toward the elf as the servant of the wizard began to open the cage. “Come with me, Sally. It will be all right.”
    â€œI hope they don’t fry me.” Sally moaned. “I can’t stand fried chicken.”

13
    P an had somehow bluffed his way back into the castle. But this time when he was brought before Klandor in the huge hall—with Watch and Cindy beside him—the wizard appeared more frightening than before. The mood inside the castle was grim. Once upon a time these dwarf and elf guards had served Pan. Few of them disliked Pan. They had gone over to Klandor’s side for business reasons. It was nothing personal. The wizard had the power now, that was all that mattered.
    No doubt that was the reason Klandor had allowed Pan to go free. The wizard hadn’t wanted to push Pan’s once-loyal subjects too far, and possibly set off an uprising.In fact, the elves and dwarfs that had been sent to escort Pan to the interdimensional portal had let him go free a mile from the castle. They hadn’t wanted to rub salt in their ex-master’s obvious wounds. But Klandor had laid down the law with Pan only a few hours before, in front of everyone, and now Pan had chosen to violate it. Klandor could not let him go again without losing face. For that reason the first words out of the wizard’s mouth were scary indeed.
    â€œDo you have any last words, Pan?” he asked.
    Pan had regained a measure of strength. “Yes. My friends want to play a game with you.”
    The reply momentarily stunned Klandor, but he recovered quickly. “What kind of game?” he asked.
    â€œThey want to gamble with you,” Pan explained. “Toss the coin, as we tossed the coin.”
    Klandor laughed softly, deadly. “What do they have to wager that I could possibly want?”
    â€œThese,” Watch said, pulling his pocket calculator and Sally’s Bic lighter from his pocket. “This calculator is actually a miniature computer. It can perform every type of mathematical calculation imaginable. It can also store data related to one’s personal calendar. You can write yourself reminder notes. Although the keyboard is tiny, you can even write a love letter or a whole term paper using this instrument.”
    Klandor tried to act disinterested, although it was obvious he was intrigued. “What’s the warranty on it?”
    â€œTwo years, parts and labor,” Watch said.
    â€œWhat’s its power source?” Klandor asked.
    â€œTwo triple-A batteries.”
    The wizard snorted. “Where am I going to get batteries in this dimension? The calculator will just run down and then be useless to me.”
    â€œThat’s true,” Watch admitted. “But it has fresh ­lithium batteries in it right now. If you use the