Five Portraits by Piers Anthony Read Free Book Online Page A

there is pausing time. So those could be the Answer.”
    â€œAnd what is the Question?” Truman asked.
    â€œI don’t know. But doesn’t having the Answer evoke the Question, in human events? It must be hovering close by.”
    The several assembled folk circled a somewhat haphazard glance. If the Question was near, they did not perceive it.
    â€œWe shall keep an eye out for a lost Question,” Tiara said. “With luck we’ll know it when we see it.”
    It seemed that would have to do.
    â€œGot it,” Pewter said, gratified.
    â€œThe Question?” Astrid asked.
    â€œThe lock. I have nulled it.” And with that he swung the barred gate open.
    â€œOh, we could kiss you!” Ginger said as the goblin girls stepped out.
    â€œKindly desist with your threats,” Pewter said. But he was too late; the three pretty girls kissed him on both ears and his nose.
    â€œOn with the exchange,” Truman said. “Then at last we can end the truce, which is becoming burdensome.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Ginger said. “You trolls can’t do a thing to us as long as the truce holds.” Then the three kissed the three trolls, who were helpless to resist, all over their faces, severely denting their ugliness. Ginger even had the temerity to kiss Truman directly on the mouth. A truce was a fearsomely powerful force.
    The weird thing was, neither Pewter nor the trolls seemed really to mind.

Chapter 3:
Fornax
    The rest of the incident was routine. The trolls carried Astrid and the goblins to the goblin mound, where the troll captives were waiting, bound and chained to stakes. The female troll in particular was disheveled but otherwise seemingly undamaged, except for her wrathful pride. All were glad to be rescued.
    â€œThank you especially, Astrid,” Ginger said as the three goblin girls walked to the mound. “We owe our miraculous rescue to you. I never even dreamed that my freedom or my life would rest on the goodwill of a basilisk.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” Astrid said, moderately embarrassed.
    â€œI doubt we’ll ever meet again, but if we do, I will remember.”
    â€œSo will I,” Truman said, not in a threatening manner. “I’m glad we were able to come to terms instead of combat. It gave us both gains instead of losses.” He looked at his watch, which surprised Astrid because she hadn’t known that trolls had watches. “I would offer you a lift back to your companions, but our purpose has been accomplished and the truce is perilously close to expiration. It would not be safe.”
    â€œI understand,” Astrid said. “I will make my own way back.”
    â€œWe will go pick up Truculent’s body. There’s no point in wasting perfectly good meat.”
    â€œNo point,” Astrid agreed. After all, Truculent had planned to eat her . Not that he would have found her edible; he would have died of poisoning. Still, his fate was deserved.
    Then the six trolls forged away through the brush and forest. Astrid efficiently stripped, evoking crude wolf whistles from the goblin males, reverted to her natural form, which evoked only dead silence, and scooted sinuously through the other brush and forest toward the cave.
    â€œGood riddance, both!” the goblin chief called after them, honoring the spirit of the occasion.
    In due course, Astrid rejoined the others and resumed human form, putting on her clothing so that Ease could stop trying to freak. Then the group of them made their way back to their original campsite. It had been a busy morning.
    She settled down in the tent she shared with Art, who was interested in two things, the other being his painting. She was happy to accommodate him, and soon put him to sleep in the normal manner. She had feared that she could never have a normal human relationship with a man, but with him it was possible, and she loved it. Her new life seemed