Free Castle Spellbound by John Dechancie

to sweep a circle around him.
    “Yo! Hey, there. Have a minute?” Gene shifted position to block the diminutive creature's path.
    It turned and began to sweep in the opposite direction.
    Gene reached and grabbed the creature by the shoulder straps where they crossed at the back. The little fellow immediately went limp.
    Gene picked the thing up.
    “Doesn't weigh much at all."
    “Gene, be careful!” Linda said. “You might hurt it."
    “Not to worry."
    Gene gently lowered the creature to the floor and let go of the straps. After a moment, its head came up. Then it moved away from Gene, beginning its task once again, applying the broom quickly, methodically, sedulously.
    “Completely passive,” Dalton said. “Can't see how they'd be any danger at all. Just a nuisance."
    “But what if they don't stop comin’ through?” Deena demanded.
    “The castle's a big place,” Dalton said. “We have some time yet before we're hip-deep in them."
    “Surely Incarnadine can deal with them,” Thaxton said.
    Dalton asked Linda, “Have you seen him lately?"
    “I asked Tyrene if he'd told the king. He said he has men out trying to locate him."
    “He probably knows already,” Thaxton said. “And is already dealing with the matter."
    “Maybe the king suddenly took off on one of his extended sojourns,” Gene suggested.
    “He was at the party when I left,” Linda said.
    “I saw him leave with Trent,” Barnaby Walsh said.
    “That's right, he did,” Dalton agreed.
    “I shouldn't think they went far,” Thaxton said.
    “Hope not,” Linda said.
    “But what if Incarnadine can't deal with these little guys?” Deena asked nervously.
    Heads turned as two more little guys with brooms entered the room.
    “Then I suppose we'll have to learn to live with them,” Dalton commented.
    “Not me!” Deena said. “That happens, I'm pickin’ an aspect an’ puttin’ my bod right through it. I ain't never comin’ back."
    “We're hardly at that point yet,” Thaxton said. “Don't fret."
    “Too late, I'm frettin’ already."
    Gene said, “I say we take Cleve's suggestion. Split up and reconnoiter, report back here in, say, two hours."
    “We'll never find out where they're coming from,” Deena said.
    “If we find areas of the castle where they aren't, that will whittle down the possibilities a bit. I can't believe they're all over the castle yet. They're coming from somewhere, and we should find out where that somewhere is."
    “What if the source isn't an aspect?” Dalton asked.
    Gene shrugged. “What are the other possibilities?"
    “Yes, where else could they be coming from?” Thaxton asked.
    Dalton thought about it for a moment. Then he said, “The castle itself."
    Gene nodded. “I guess it's possible."
    “Another version of castle instability,” Dalton went on. “We've run into all kinds. Walls shaking, parts of the place disappearing. Remember the apparitions? Well, this may be another variety of them."
    “These critters seem a little too real,” Linda said.
    “True,” Dalton conceded.
    “Which is why we have to eliminate the possibility of another invasion,” Gene said. “These guys could be the setup for a takeover."
    Thaxton laughed. “By tidying up? The invaders are sticklers for cleanliness, are they?"
    “Stranger things have happened in this castle,” Dalton said.
    “Well, I'll admit anything's possible. But surely an invasion's out. I mean, I've heard of mopping up, but—"
    “We'd better get started,” Gene urged. “The wider the dispersion gets, the harder it'll be to pinpoint the center of it."
    “Gene's right,” Dalton said.
    “Thing is,” Linda put in, “everywhere I went in the keep, there they were."
    “How far did you get?” Gene asked.
    “Pretty far into the west wing. Down about ten floors. Gene, they're probably all over the keep."
    Gene shook his head glumly. “Then we'll never find the hole they're pouring through."
    Dalton said, “But we really should give it a try,