Question Quest by Piers Anthony Read Free Book Online Page A

incredulously.
    “Well, you did help me, and you seem harmless. I have found that traveling alone isn't much fun, and it's sometimes dangerous. If Horntense hadn't managed to spear that dragon with her horn before it got us, we could both be dead now. And you seem to know so much. I mean, you got the boneset plant and the pies and all. You're a real blessing to a girl in distress!”
    I couldn't help it: I was getting to like MareAnn. I couldn't believe she was only my age, but why should she lie? It was true she was bossy, but less so than I was used to, and it really wasn't bothering me much now. “Well, if you want to,” I agreed, trying to make it sound somewhat more reluctant than it was. In those inexperienced days I cared what others thought of me.
    “I will summon you a unicorn,” she said brightly. She put her fingers into her mouth and made a piercing whistle.
    “But—”
    In a long moment, there was the sound of galloping hoofs. Then a unicorn stallion appeared.
    “Help me stand,” MareAnn said.
    I put my hands on her shoulders awkwardly and tried to lift her, but it didn't work. Then she reached up with her arms and I took her hands and pulled, and she came up smoothly. She winced as her bad ankle took weight, and leaned on me. She was taller than I, and fuller in the chest and hips, but not actually heavier because her waist was smaller.
    The unicorn slowed to a walk as he burst into the glade. He approached our party cautiously. I watched him with similar caution; if a unicorn horn could spear a dragon, it could do the same to me. “Uland, this is Humfrey,” MareAnn said. “Humfrey, this is Uland Unicorn. He will be your steed for now.”
    “But I don't know how to ride a unicorn—or anything else!” I protested.
    “Oh, you don't need to know how. Unicorns are magic. Uland will teach you.”
    I remained dubious. “The—the river isn't far. Why don't we just walk?” But as I spoke I realized that that wouldn't do for her. “Or maybe you should ride Uland, and Horntense and I will walk."
    “Yes, I suppose that is better,” MareAnn agreed. “Help me up, then; he's too tall for me to mount readily.”
    Again I was somewhat at a loss. How was I supposed to put her up on the steed? Heave up on her hips?
    “Like this, silly,” she said. She bent her left leg at the knee. “Lift on this.”
    Feeling hopeless, I took hold of her leg, avoiding the injured ankle. I lifted—and she heaved and suddenly swung up on the unicorn's back. She had somehow braced against me and done it, and I hadn't quite seen it happen.
    She looked down at me and laughed. “You don't have much experience, for sure!”
    “Well, I never claimed to,” I said, nettled.
    She was immediately contrite. “I'm sorry, Humfrey. You just looked so startled it was comical. Please, I don't want to offend you. You are helping me a lot. I like you.”
    This time I felt myself blushing. She had apologized to me, complimented me, and said she liked me. That was a bigger dose of positive expression than I had ever had from a girl before.
    She must have noticed, but she didn't comment. That was a relief. My sister would have baited me unmercifully, trying to make me blush worse, and probably succeeding.
    I set off down the path toward the river I had passed. Horntense limped along behind me.
    “I wish I knew where there was a healing spring,” I said. “You and Horntense could certainly use it.”
    “A what?” MareAnn asked.
    “A healing spring. Our village elder has a vial of healing elixir which he traded for last year, and when someone is injured, we use a drop of that. But those who know where such springs are keep it secret.”
    “Why?”
    “So they can make gouging trade deals with others.”
    “That's disgusting!”
    I turned to face her. “That's the way it is. But if I knew where one is, I could get some elixir and make you and Horntense better.”
    “Say, I'll bet the unicorns know!” MareAnn exclaimed. “They