A fresh blouse in one hand and then froze. Her father was standing in the doorway watching her. C H A P T E R N I N E T E E N Jessie awoke in the mild milky light.

" "That's a value judgment " Pris said in a faraway voice. "Did you mean that?" Maury asked her ashen-faced. "About going over to Barrows? Flying to Seattle to join him?" "Yes. " "I'll get the cops. imitrex 50mg Mundama. " "How old are you?" Breanna asked. "Fourteen " "That's what I thought. You're younger than I am and so you are still mired in the Adult Conspiracy. You can't marry a Xanth girl. " "1 could marry one who is eighteen or over. " Gabriel said. "If she wanted to. If she didn't break the Conspiracy. " Both children perked up. evidently intrigued by the prospect of breaking the Adult Conspiracy. "But you already know all that stuff don't you''" Breanna asked. "Sure. But in Xanth-" "I know And you'd rather put up with that lhan go back to Mun-dania. " "Yeah. Do \ou think I have a chance9" "To find a girl no. To find a family maybe. " Then Breanna brightened. "Does it ha\e to be any special kind ol! girl''" "I don't think so " "How about a n>mph?" Gabriel smiled. "I'd love a nymph But she'd break the Conspiracy in the first live seconds. " The children squealed with laughter. Ted grabbed Monica and she Hung her hair around and kicked her feet up in a parody of a nymph "For sure. " Breanna agreed ruefully. "Bad idea. But maybe there'll be a famil}. " "Maybe. " he agreed hopefully. There was a fairly sharp turn in the path. Para traveling rapidly was otf-balanced by the extra weight and his side seraped against a sad looking tree. It emitted a sighing sound. "What was that?" Edsel asked as they moved on. "A sigh-press tree " Juslin called back. "They sigh when pressed. " Now they came to another person. It was a somewhat portly woman. "Arc you looking for a ride?1" Pia called. "I'm looking for a lake. " the woman replied. "There's a lake on the river not far ahead " Gabriel said. "How do you know?" Edsel asked. "Because I saw fire ants near a fire and earth ants ! near earth and air ants near air. I saw water ants here so there must be water near. " Edsel nodded. "That works for me. " "Then get in and we'll take you there. " Pia said to the woman. "Para could use a swim. " "A swim!" Ted cried clapping his little hands. Monica's dress became a two piece swimsuit. The woman climbed in. and there were introductions. She turned out to be Alexandra "What's youi talent?" Breanna asked. "I'm a were-dolphin. " "I never heard of that!" "I think I'm the only one. I've been searching out stray lakes. eawwu668xcbws446uyftgu54445