The Stranger's Magic: The Labyrinths of Echo: Book Three (26 page)

“Who would have thought you’d love your job so much?” said Sir Juffin. “If I remember correctly, your shift doesn’t start for another seven or eight
hours.”

“You do remember correctly, Juffin, but I thought you’d eat everything up if I didn’t show up sooner.”

“Sinning Magicians, what’s this!” said Melamori, who was already snuggling up to my dog. “I had no idea there were dogs this big!”

“I’m told he’s still a puppy,” I said. “So he’s going to grow even bigger.”

“Oh, he’s so cute!” Melamori was completely enamored. She squeezed and hugged the dog so vigorously it looked like she was playing an accordion. The rest of the gang was
slightly less enthusiastic. Juffin and Melifaro had already seen the dog. Lonli-Lokli maintained his trademark imperturbability, and Sir Lookfi didn’t even notice him. He was fumbling with a
cookie, probably counting the number of crumbs that comprised it.

“Now you’re not the only one who walks the halls of the Department with a furry creature,” I said and winked at Melamori. “Speaking of furry creatures, where’s
yours?”

“He’s sleeping in Melifaro’s office. These gentlemen think that a hoob has no place at their table, you see,” said Melamori.

“You guys don’t seem to be very good at loving nature,” I said, reproaching my colleagues.

“It’s nature that doesn’t seem to love us,” said Melifaro. “That Arvaroxian spider tried to bite me the other day.”

“Liar!” said Melamori. “First, it’s not a spider; it’s a hoob. Second, Leleo doesn’t have any teeth; he has whiskers.”

“He doesn’t? What was he trying to bite me with, then?” said Melifaro.

“I seem to have become a zookeeper at some point without noticing it,” said Juffin with a sigh. “I consider this to be a demotion. What do you think?”

“Well, it depends,” I said, sitting down at the table. “Until now, you were the head of a Refuge for the Mad. The smallest in the entire Unified Kingdom—though maybe the
most fun.”

“How nice of you to call things by their names,” said the boss. “All these strange people insist on addressing our organization as the Minor Secret Investigative Force. What
nonsense!”

“I have a business proposal for you,” I said, turning to Melamori. “You stroke my dog and I finish your cold cup of kamra. Deal?”

“Hmm. The price seems to be about right,” she said. “I think I’ll accept without haggling.”

About an hour later, Juffin decided it was time for him to get some work done, and my presence was not facilitating favorable working conditions. “I have a special mission for you,
Melamori,” he said in a dramatic tone. “The most difficult of all the missions you’ve had so far. I’m not even sure you’ll manage.”

Melamori’s pretty face showed absolute concern and concentration. “Has something happened?” she said in a whisper.

“You bet it has! The Secret Force cannot operate: the building is crawling with foreign monarchs and pets. I want you to kick them out one by one and make sure they don’t land on my
poor head for the next two or three hours.”

“Are you telling me that Max and I can go take a walk?” said Melamori. “Just like that, apropos of nothing? Oh, Sir Juffin, you’re wonderful!”

“I know I am,” said the boss.

“She’s going to fail the mission,” said Melifaro. “You should give it to me. I’ll make sure he stays out for half a year, not just two or three hours.”

“No can do,” said Juffin. “You’re too indispensable. Nothing will induce me to part with you before tonight. You still have that boring case at the Customs hanging over
you. Sir Shurf, that means you, too.”

“I was just about to ask you how long you were going to ignore that unfortunate incident,” said Lonli-Lokli. He got up from the table and carefully straightened out the folds of his snow-white looxi. “May I count on finding you in the Armstrong & Ella when I am finished, Max, or should I look for you
elsewhere?”

“Elsewhere be damned, if you are going to pay me an official visit,” I said. “In any case, I was going to drop by and see Tekki an hour before dusk, or even earlier.”

“Then I will stop by there on my way home,” said Shurf.

“I’ll wait for you here,” said Melifaro. “Recently, our Venerable Head has taken a fancy to the aroma of my toil and sweat, so there’s no chance I can sneak out of
here for many long hours.”

“How sagacious of you,” said Juffin. “Sir Max, you’re still here? Scram, or I’ll find a job for you, too!”

“Ooh, now I’m scared,” I said, but made a move to leave, nevertheless.

Droopy was lying in the middle of the room. I grabbed him by his huge ear with one hand, and with the other I grabbed Melamori’s sharp elbow. I was so happy I was ready to dole out hugs
and kisses to strangers.

“Whose dog is this?” said Lookfi. “Yours, Sir Max?”

Now he was so interested in the dog that he managed to knock someone’s empty cup off the table. I had already lost all hope that he’d ever notice my pet.

“Mine and no one else’s,” I said.

“It’s been so long since you and I took a walk together,” I said as Melamori and I were getting into the amobiler. “Last time was when we heroically saved poor Moxi from
the deadly grip of the greatest poet-cannibal in history—if one can consider that a walk at all.”

“Why not? It was a walk, and the moon was full, if I remember right.”

“You remember right. So, where to? The sky is the limit, right?”

“Let’s go to the former Residence of the Order of the Secret Grass, Max. Remember, they have that beautiful garden, and they also serve excellent drinks. It’s not too cold
today. We can sit outside. You liked it there, didn’t you?”

“Yes sirree,” I said.

Then I realized that a thin veil of vague regret had suddenly fallen upon my good mood. It had all happened a long, long time ago, and I had had very specific plans concerning this wonderful
lady. Plans that, as it later turned out, had fallen through. Vain efforts. A pie in the sky. We were “just friends.” Oh, well.

“Sorry, Max, this won’t do,” said Melamori, worried. “If you’re going to be all sad about it, who’s going to lift the heavy boulder from my silly
heart?”

“Droopy. He’s born to do that sort of work. Also, what makes you think I’m sad?”

“You know, if you want to control your facial expressions half as well as Sir Lonli-Lokli, you have a long way to go,” said Melamori and laughed. “All right, let’s
pretend that I was wrong about it. Now let’s go.”

We drove to the New City, found the right street, left the amobiler by the gate, and entered the huge neglected garden. Two years ago, when Melamori had first dragged me into this place, it had
been late evening. The garden had been bathed in a bluish light from tiny glass balls filled with glowing gas. Now it was daytime and the transparent glass of the lamps glimmered in the winter sun.
The rest was exactly the same. The air of this magnificent place was again cool and crystal clear. The greenery was as fragrant as I remembered. Ideal conditions for an acute resurgence of a case of unfulfilled longing.

We sat down on a bench nestled between the evergreen Kaxxa bushes. Droopy ran off and returned with a stick in his teeth, which he dropped at my feet. Dogs in all Worlds share the very same
notions about how to make their masters happy. But I paid no attention to his efforts.

“Well, lady, you’re doing a number on me,” I said with a sad smile. “Just moments ago I was feeling great, and now I’m again the same guy who sat with you here two
years ago. What am I supposed to do with him?”

“Nothing,” said Melamori. “When we leave here, that guy from two years ago will vanish of his own accord. Can you suffer for thirty minutes or so?”

“Sure,” I said. “There’s even something nice about it.”

“There sure is. Could you order me something strong? Getting smashed in this garden in your company once every two years—I’m beginning to come up with my very own tradition
that anyone can be proud of, huh?”

“What’s not to be proud of? A person can be proud of anything if he’s determined enough,” I said, my mind wandering elsewhere.

Droopy decided he needed more attention and didn’t hesitate to show it. He put his huge shaggy legs on my shoulders and licked my nose. The next thing I knew, I was lying on my back on the
ground, floundering, my feet in the air, like a giant bug trapped by a gang of young nature lovers. Frightened, the author of my shame sat down on his hind legs. Apparently they didn’t give
dogs a pat on the back for such behavior in the Barren Lands.

Melamori laughed a tinkling laugh. “You sure can cheer me up when you want to, Max! I should be buying you a drink to reward you for amusing me like that. It was brilliant!”

“I’m taking you up on that,” I said, struggling to get up. “And give me a hand, or I’ll amuse all the waiters here completely free of charge.”

Melamori grabbed my hand and returned me to an upright position without losing a beat. She was a strong lady. She kept her word and ordered us some exotic booze. I’d never met anyone whose
tastes were so different from mine. During the tasting, I had to exert a great deal of effort to make it look like I was enjoying the drink. It would have been rude to make expressions of disgust upon imbibing a drink chosen by a beautiful lady.

Things were getting better: my “bug” stunt, combined with a hefty dose of the strange bitter beverage, did a quick job of chasing away the clouds that had started gathering over my
mood. I was again the Max of the present, the happy slapdash owner of the Mantle of Death, the experienced sorcerer from the Secret Investigative Force, the novice traveler through Xumgat. The
love-struck nutcase I had been two years ago was gone. Good riddance, I thought, to him and other ghosts from the past.

I was so happy about my quick return to my beloved self that Droopy got a much greater share of caresses than he deserved after what he had done. The dog was wagging his long ears: he had no
idea he could wag his tail like his fellow dogs in my home World.

“See? I’m totally fine now,” I said, smiling at Melamori. “A brazen, complacent son of a gun. Exactly the way I like to be. Does this vacant gaze, the mindless glint of
my eyes, suit me? What color are they now, by the way? I’ll bet they’re blue!”

Melamori grew very serious. She stared into my eyes for a good minute and then said, “No way, Max. They’re yellow, like Kurush’s.
Well, almost—a little darker.”

“That’s something new,” I said. “By the way, it was you who first noticed that my eyes change color. And you reported this phenomenon to me at this very spot,
remember?”

“How can I forget it? It had been one of the most stubborn of mysteries to me. I came up with the craziest explanations. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I even wondered whether Loiso
Pondoxo’s infamous promise to return to life and come back from hell had come true. Stop laughing! I grew up hearing and reading about the mysterious disappearances and returns of great
ancient Magicians. They were my bedtime stories. Our house was chock-full of these books. And dinner conversations? I wish you could have heard them, Max! By the way, it’s all your fault. You should’ve just said right away that you had come from another World.”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “‘From another World,’ you say? Nah. You’re all brave now, sure, but back then? I’d like to see how you would’ve
taken it. Plus, Juffin had told me not to tell anyone, though I still don’t understand why he pretended that my origin was such a big mystery and why you guys were left in the dark about it
all that time.”

“It was something of a test,” said Melamori with a sigh. “Not for you, for us. We were supposed to solve that little mystery by ourselves. Unfortunately, I turned out to be the
dumbest pupil in the entire Secret Investigative Force. But I know why: a personal interest always dulls the mind. Sir Kofa and Shurf had guessed way earlier. Lookfi doesn’t count. He
can’t be bothered with such trivia.”

“That’s all right,” I said, comforting her. “You beat Melifaro, which wasn’t too shabby, either.”

“Are you kidding, Max?” said Melamori. “Melifaro knew everything the moment you guys met. He just looked at you and knew it. It happens to him sometimes. True, he doesn’t
like to boast about his abilities, but you might have guessed.”