Cube Route by Piers Anthony Read Free Book Online Page B

bodies, not their minds. “Suppose I solve his riddle, and tell you? Would that earn me safe passage by the tree?”
        “Yes,” the dryad whispered.
        This seemed suspiciously easy. “What's the catch?”
        “No catch. The Good Magician wants to know whether you can relate well to people, even if they make you look even uglier than you are, and you have found my weakness.”
        That was surely a good deal more than the nymph was supposed to say, but again, nymphs' assets were on their bottoms, not their heads. “Where is Conun?”
        “Next station downstream.”
        “I'll be back.” Cube let herself drift with the current. She was sure there would be no exit from the river there, but if she fathomed the man's riddle, she could pass the tree.
        Sure enough, the cliffs confining the river returned. A short way down there was a ledge cut into a cliff, and on it sat a handsome man with a big bold drum. “Hello, Conun!” Cube called.
        Conun eyed her appraisingly. “I am looking for a girlfriend, but you are not what I have in mind.”
        Of course not. No man had her in mind. “But if I fathom your riddle, and prove it, you'll be mine regardless.”
        Conun winced. “I hope you don't.” Then he beat on his drum, the loud sound making ripples on the river.
        Conun drumming. Suddenly she had it. Fortunately he wasn't looking her way--few men ever did--so didn't see the bulb flash over her head. She waded and swam back up to the tangle tree stop.
        The dryad was waiting. “What's your news?”
        “I fathomed it. Conun is a drummer. Conun drums. Conundrum. That's a riddle, a play on words, a pun. That's the pun: What is Conun drum? He is a conundrum. Tell him that, and he is yours. He has no choice.”
        “Oh, goody!” The nymph clapped her cute little hands again. “You wait here.” She dived into the water.
        “But--” But the nymph was gone. Cube hadn't realized that she could leave her tree.
        She waited. In two and a half moments there was an exclamation downstream, followed by what sounded like a loud kiss. “Let her pass!” the dryad's voice came.
        That must be an order to the tree. Cube waded out of the water and approached the tree somewhat nervously. If she had misunderstood--
        But the tentacles were parting, revealing a path to the other side. Cube walked along it, passing through an arcade of green tentacles. The tree could grab her now, if it wanted to. But it didn't, and in barely over another moment she was out the other side. She heaved a silent sigh of relief. She had passed the third Challenge.
        She discovered she was in the entrance hall of the castle, soaking wet. A somewhat drab woman was hurrying toward her. “Don't wet the floor!” the woman cried.
        Cube stopped. “The Challenges--the river--”
        “The ladies' room is right here,” the woman said, showing her a door. “Clean up and change there.”
        Bemused, Cube opened the door and entered the room. There was a basin and sponge, and a dry dress hung beside them. There was also a set of sheer stockings, and a silken bra and panty. Much nicer things than she had worn before. So she got out of her sopping clothing, sponged herself clean, put on the nice clothing except for the stockings, and transferred her things to the new outfit. Her things included the rear-view mirror and the water ball, which had somehow survived the river without dissolving. She gazed at the stockings; she had never worn such things before, but they were evidently for her use, and maybe were part of the required apparel for meeting the Good Magician. So she pulled them on, and was pleasantly surprised when they made her legs look nice. Too bad she couldn't wear a stocking over her head! She combed her hair without trying to use the mirror, and stepped back out into the hall.
        A young woman was