Chapter 6: TempleChapter 6: Temple

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to the rear approach. Her full body motions were not great, but her backside did tricks it had never been able to do this well before. Her buttocks rippled and flexed, the motions seeming to slide down her thighs or up her back.

They bunched and bounced. If Air was high and flying, Earth was at the fundament. Her body squatted, and straightened; one leg lifted, and the other.

Her legs spread apart, making a wide stance. Her hands slid back across her hips, stroking them, lifting them, separating them. She bent over, showing Lad everything wide open and wet. Her head looked back under her body, between her legs. Come into me, imbecile male.

Lad's body shook. He was trying to hold back, but a single step would take him up to her and into her. Gale could not resist; the demon held her with a magically strong grip. She could only watch as disaster overtook them.

How had this happened, when she had the amulet to protect her?

"Again the succubus tempts him, but again Lad somehow resists," Leader said. "Her second ploy has failed."

With those words, Lad, also reminded of the script, stepped back.

Shut your mouth! the demon thought viciously at Leader. But she could not speak. She might have controlled Gale's mouth, as she controlled everything else, but such words would give away her identity. She could win only if no one else knew. Otherwise they would interfere. So Leader, following the script, had inadvertently foiled the second ploy. But there were three more to go.

"Now the succubus performs the Dance of Fire. She is angry because her first dances have failed, and her rage is like a furnace."

Indeed, Gale's body was dancing violently, shaking in every part, twisting. Her head was turning, making her hair fling across her face. Her eyes were slit, her teeth bared. Feel my rage, nitwit! the demon's thought came. It will

go hard with you if I must labor much longer for your silly soul. She spun, and her feet

stomped the floor, and her hands made striking motions, smashing almost to Lad's face.

Gale could appreciate Lad's thoughts. He was affrighted. He had never seen her like this, and was in awe of her wrath. Did he dare resist her any longer?

But all is forgiven if you capitulate now, the demon thought, forcing a vicious

smile. Come to your burning beauty.

"Almost, she terrifies him into submission," Leader announced. "But Lad is too strong for her, and manages to resist her third ploy."

You garbage! the demon thought, truly furious. I will slit your cursed throat!

But she couldn't, because again, though she might force Gale's reluctant body 270 Key to Havoc

to do it, the act would give away her identity and bring the village men charging in to dispatch her. She had to capture Lad first, then fade away, leaving the

villagers helpless to remedy the situation.

But Gale was helpless too. She could make no motion not governed by the demon, and could not speak to warn anyone. She was captive, forced to betray both the play and the people. Was there no way out of this disaster?

"Now the succubus tries the Dance of Water," Leader announced. "The fourth ploy."

Her body went into it. The Dance of Water was liquid and flowing and rippling, sometimes like a bubbling stream, sometimes like a cool lake, and sometimes like a great sea. It was also extremely lascivious, as her body twisted

and curved, showing all of its flesh. Lad watched, mesmerized.

But the worst would be the finale, Gale knew. Men who withstood all else commonly fell to the ploy of water. Even when they knew better--and Lad surely did not.

Now it came: the demon coursed to a halt before the boy and opened her arms, inviting him in. Flow into me, jerk. She smiled.

But Lad hesitated, believing it was all part of the script, not to be believed.

Then the demon took control of Gale's eyes. Suddenly they were tearing, copiously, making her seem to be crying. Her mouth writhed into a simulation of grief. She was being rejected, and she was heartbroken.

It worked. Lad stepped forward to take her in his arms, to comfort her, heedless of the odd reversal of their normal association. She put her mouth in the way of his, to be there for his kiss. As with the rest, she could not kiss

him, but could receive his kiss.

"But once again Lad manages to resist," Leader announced. Lad jerked guiltily back, surely ashamed to admit how close he had come to ruining the play.

Utter damnation! the demon swore. She turned and took two steps toward Leader, staring furiously into his face.

And that was the demon's mistake. Leader's eyes widened into round.

He recognized the alien presence.

But even as he did, the demon struck with a glare that must have had magic. Leader stumbled back and fell, unable to speak.

Then the demon turned and bounded for the bed. She leaped onto it, lay on her back, and flung out arms and legs toward Lad. It was the final ploy:

the Void. Come into me, you empty head! she thought.

Lad had been on the verge of capitulating before. Now the temptation Piers Anthony 271

was simply too much. He stepped toward the bed.

No! No! Gale tried to cry, but she was mute. Her body beckoned, drawing the boy in toward its open center. Void indeed: he would never return, once he entered that hole.

He got on the bed below her legs, getting on hands and knees. He crawled up, touching her, setting himself upon her. He oriented as his face approached hers. The demon subtly adjusted herself, so that there would be no fumbling; she would be exactly where he was going. So close, so close!

Their eyes met. Gale made a sudden, desperate effort in the moment of the demon's distraction. She peered out through her own eyes, trying to show her essence through them. Don't do it, Lad; it's not me! Don't do it!

He saw. His own eyes widened with recognition.

Then the demon clamped down again.

Gale was helpless. Her body was entirely in the power of the demon, including her eyes. She had caught the thing by surprise, for a moment, but that was all.

Come to me, my baby man, the demon thought urgently. But Lad balked.

He froze in place, not advancing to complete the connection.

Come! Come! The succubus made gestures of hauling him in to her body, using her arms and legs. But she couldn't actually touch him physically.

Then Lad slowly withdrew. He backed away, and got off the bed. He staggered across the stage, no longer looking at the succubus. Gale was left with everything spread open, but rejected.

With a curse of pure fury, the demon departed. She had after all been vanquished.

Gale collapsed as the awful presence left her. She sobbed with mixed pain and relief, for the demon had taken a toll on her body and left her hurting. But it was more than that. She had been captive, and now was free--

because Lad had successfully resisted the succubus. In reality as well as in the

play.

She was roused by the applause of the audience. Even the smallest children had thrilled to the drama of the finale, almost fearing that Lad was going to lose. Now Guard came to give Gale her cloak. She got off the bed and covered herself, and resumed her dour Dame expression. Lad dressed too, and the two of them stood and bowed in each direction, accepting the applause. The play was done, the message given. No growing child would fail to remember the danger of the demon.

But where was Leader? "He's okay, just recovering," Guard said. "What did you do to him?"

272 Key to Havoc

"The succubus really came," Gale said, feeling unsteady. "She took me over. When Leader caught on, she stunned him with a look, so he couldn't interfere."

"So that was it! I thought you two were trying to be realistic. Then I thought you got carried away by the part. Then I thought you were really trying to seduce him. You were--I got a reaction myself, and I've seen a thousand such plays. You're the loveliest to play that role, but it wasn't only

that. There was just something--so it really was the demoness."

"It really was the demoness," Gale agreed. "The play was real. Thank the planet that Lad withstood her."

"Only because Leader kept reminding me," Lad said. "Then I was gone, until I saw your eyes. I thought I saw you way down in a well, screaming

`Don't do it!' and I realized what had happened. Even so, I almost did it."

"That saved you," Gale said.

"I wasn't concerned about me. I was so--it was so--I just had to do it.

Except that I couldn't stand to hurt you."

"To hurt me? Lad, I was only the body. It was your soul she was after."

"I knew you'd be sorry if you hurt me, and I--Oh, Dame, I never want to make you sorry."

She put her arm around his shoulders. "Thank you, Lad. Remember, no matter what I do in the play, I really don't want you to do it."

"Yes. But I hope I never meet the succubus again. She--Dame, I mean no offense, but when she took over--"

"I know. The demon's expertise in sexual expression makes me an innocent."

They came to Leader, who was resting on a pallet where he had been placed. He smiled weakly. "You made it."

Gale smiled back. "We didn't make it, you rogue. But it was an appallingly close call."

"I'm sorry I took so long to catch on. At first I thought it was just-"

"Yes. You couldn't know the invocation worked. The amulet didn't."

Village Elder joined them. "That was the most remarkable performance I ever witnessed," she said. "I could have sworn--"

"It's true," Gale said. "Something went wrong. The demon possessed me, and almost got Lad."

"The amulet must be defective. You must get another."

"Why? Lad withstood the succubus, so she will never come again."

Elder nodded. "True. I was forgetting."

Gale removed the amulet and returned it to Leader. "I feel safer without it."

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He shook his head. "I am chagrined to have given you no better protection. I never thought--"

"None of us did," Guard said. "We are all chagrined."

Leader looked at Gale. "Get some rest. I have a notion how you are feeling."

She nodded. "That demon did not care about my health."

They returned to the house. Gale fell on her bed with relief, and sank into a troubled sleep. The demon had left nothing of herself behind, except the memory of her cruel presence. But that memory left Gale unnerved. To have been so helplessly subject to such a thing--how could she ever escape the appalling awareness of that awful entity? She felt unclean, despoiled, compromised. And if the demon had succeeded in taking Lad, what then?

How could she ever have lived with herself?

She woke to feel a hand on hers. It was Lad. "You were restless--I thought you needed support."

She drew him down to lie beside her. "I do, Lad. Thank you. I'm so glad you survived."

"It was me she came for. I hate it that she used you like that."

"But it won't happen again. You withstood her blandishments, and are now forever immune."

"I don't know. It--she--you are so very beautiful. If you wanted to take me-"

She smiled. "Why, is this an offer, Lad?"

"No!" he cried, horribly embarrassed. "I mean--" He sat up, about to go.

She hauled him back. "I was teasing, Lad. I apologize. It was in bad taste."

"I have no power against you. If the succubus came again, and I didn't know-"

"She won't. But you know that I want never to do it with you. Not because you are in any way deficient. Because it would ruin the play, and perhaps your life. If I ever seem to be truly intent on seducing you, flee, because it will be the demon."

"I know." He lay there for a moment, then spoke again. "Dame?"

He had something on his mind. "Yes, Lad."

"I--you make me desire you so much, I could never resist, if you wanted.

But just being here with you, like this, is--is so much better. I love you."

She turned toward him and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you, Lad. You know I love elsewhere. But I will always remember you fondly."

274 Key to Havoc

She was afraid that was not enough of a reassurance, but he almost seemed to glow with pleasure. He was smitten with her, as Leader had warned he would be, but he knew the limits, and was satisfied with her friendship. It was hard to believe that she was only four years his senior; she felt enormously older.

Soon they got up, made repairs of appearance, and went out to join the villagers. They were of course fully clothed, and would remain so. Now came the eager questions, which they answered with proper caution. How did she make herself so young, so suddenly, in the play? A little bit of magic,

perhaps. Did the succubus really come like that? Yes, she could, if not guarded

against, and the incubus, too, to girls verging on nubility. So beware, beware!

The village celebrated with a good lunch meal, and singing and dancing in the evening. Gale joined them, in her stately Dame persona, for this was her expertise. She danced with Lad, she prim, he somewhat awkward, and the villagers loved it. It was a thrill for the villagers to meet and mingle with the

characters of the play. They had expected a somewhat clumsy first effort, with mistakes, but had instead been treated to the most realistic version ever.

In the morning the weather was fair, and they set off down the trail for the next village. They had successfully accomplished their first performance, and expected no trouble with the play thereafter. But they knew that the challenges of the treks between villages could still be formidable. Gale remained a bit stiff in parts, and a bit bruised in others, from the hard treatment

by the succubus, but the extended walking helped work the kinks out, and she felt better as she went.

At one point she found herself with Leader. "That succubus," he said.

"I don't like that. So if you prefer to cancel the tour--"

"It won't come again," Gale said. "It was an ugly business, but not reason to overreact."

He looked relieved. "I agree."

They made it without undue challenge, and were welcomed at the next village. The following day they put on the play, feeling more confidence. Lad remained abashed as they got naked, but this time reacted more promptly as she addressed him. It was going well.

Then the demon came again.

Gale could hardly believe it at first. How could the succubus come a second time? But there she was, suppressing Gale's control, taking over the dance, making it so much more effective than Gale herself ever could. The dragon seed had warned her, but she had looked for some other danger, as before, never anticipating this.

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This time Leader caught on the moment the change occurred. He did not challenge the demon directly, but made sure there was not much chance for her to tempt Lad for very long at a time. Lad caught on too, and became as diffident as he could without spoiling the play. And Gale fought to recover possession of her body--and did make a little progress. The demon still governed, but the hold was not as tight. It seemed that Gale was learning some resistance at key points of her identity.

Part of it was her guarded inner memory. That was protected from magical mind reading, and it seemed from the succubus too. So she had a base, like a sealed fortress, from which she could make sallies. That enabled her to interfere with the demon's effort to fascinate Lad. The demon could not focus completely on both Lad and Gale.

In the end, Lad did resist, with more leeway than before, and the demon departed in disgust. But that left the mystery of its reappearance.

"How could this happen?" Gale demanded. "In real life, the tempting is supposed to be only once, and the boy either loses his soul or is forever immune."

"I'm not immune," Lad said. "I saw the change, but she was so sexy she would have had me anyway, if Leader hadn't kept moving it along to the next dance, and if she'd been a little more--I don't know."

"I was able to fight her, some, this time," Gale said. "I'm learning how to do it. I couldn't stop her, but I could hold her back some, divert some of her attention. That seems to have been enough."

"You were able to fight her?" Leader asked? "I never heard of that before."

"We never heard of a second possession, either," Gale pointed out. "So maybe no other woman has had the chance to fight a second time."

Leader nodded. "There seems to be much we don't know about such demons. They may not be as limited as we supposed. But that makes our educational mission that much more valuable: children must be fairly warned to stay on guard."

"Maybe," Lad said, "maybe it's not exactly that. Maybe the first one didn't count, because I had help resisting. So I didn't do it all myself."

Leader considered. "Now that's possible. I hadn't thought of it. It's also true that we have an unusually lovely Dame, who is surely harder to resist

than others would be. Maybe the succubus likes possessing her, however briefly."

"Or maybe we have a Lad whose soul is especially desirable to demons,"

Gale suggested.

276 Key to Havoc

"But I'm nothing special," Lad protested. "I don't have any special talents or knowledge or training."

They questioned him about his background, but what he said held up: he was quite ordinary. It seemed unlikely that the demon would seek him out persistently. So maybe, they concluded, the second possession had been a fluke.

But when it happened a third time, they knew there was something. The seed warned her, but she couldn't stop the invasion of the demon. It came in through her cleft, like an infusion of mist, and spread out to rule her body.

"I

hate to do it, but I think we should abort the tour," Leader said. "This is just

too strange and dangerous."

"But I'm resisting it better," Lad protested.

"And I am fighting back better," Gale said. "We can resist the sieges of the succubus. And I understand the effect is very persuasive for the villagers."

"Yes, nothing like seeing an actual succubus tempt a really vulnerable Lad," Leader said sourly. "Half the adolescents in the audience are getting fierce reactions--the male half. And the female half is more interested than it might be, studying the motions. That's good, maybe, considering the message. But what if the succubus tries a new ploy, and gets him?"

Neither Gale nor Lad could be sure that wouldn't happen. The demon was very good at seduction.

"I'm the one mostly at risk," Lad said. "If I'm willing, you should be."

"That's because you'd give your life for Dame, without even thinking.

You're in love with her."

But Lad didn't back off. "So?"

Leader threw up his hands. "All right--try it one more time. Then we'll see."

They tried it again, at the next village. The seed buzzed, and the demon came again. But Lad was getting increasingly savvy at distinguishing between Dame and demon, and got cautious the moment the change occurred. He played up to the audience, pretending to be on the verge of capitulation, but it was evident to those who knew him that he was under control.

So they tried it at one more village. The demon came again, and Lad withstood it again, despite some excruciatingly exquisite gestures Gale's body made. Gale also made further progress resisting. Surely both processes were evident to the demon. So why did she keep coming? It was a slowly losing game, in demon terms.

Then one evening between shows, when the two of them were lying on Piers Anthony 277

the bed and sleeping, Gale woke to a buzz by the dragon seed, and in a moment found herself possessed. There had been no invocation, no stripping, but the demon had come.

She fought, but could resist only to a degree. The demon controlled her body. And this time the succubus did something it had never tried before: it spoke. "Lad," it said softly. "Lad, hear me."

But he was sound asleep, and did not respond. She reached across and lifted the cover from Lad's form. That was another frighteningly new thing: she was touching him. No--only the blanket. "Lad!"

He woke. "Dame."

It took hold of his nightdress, by that device drawing him in. "Kiss me."

"But Dame, if I do that, I might lose control."

It tugged harder. "I need you. Lad, my darling, come to me."

"Oh, Dame," he whispered, melting. He rolled onto his side, to face her.

"Do you mean it?"

Gale made a sudden, transcendent effort. She attacked her own mouth, getting it for an instant. "Demon!" she hissed.

The demon clamped down, but it was too late. Lad was staring. "You're the succubus! Outside the play! And you're talking!"

"Yes. Come to me, my idiot stripling."

The demon had made a mistake on her own, speaking aloud what usually was silent. That shattered any remaining doubt about her identity. Lad scrambled out of the bed. "Go away!" he cried. "Go away! Let Dame go!"

The case was obviously hopeless. With a growl of disgust, the demon departed.

"It's gone," Gale said. She found herself unable to decide whether the demon was neuter or female. "But what a horror. It came outside the play, without the invocation, in clothing."

"And it talked," he said. "And grabbed me." Then he looked horrified.

"Maybe it's still you!"

"No. It's gone."

"How do I know that?"

Gale considered briefly. "It did talk. That's new, but probably within her powers all along. But it didn't touch you. It touched your clothing."

"It pulled me toward her."

"By your nightdress. It still can't actually touch you. Not directly. You must touch her." She walked toward him.

He shied away. "I'm not sure!"

"Lad, it can't touch you. I can. Let me touch you, and you will know."

278 Key to Havoc

He nodded, but he was plainly nervous. He stood unmoving while she came up to him. She reached out and touched his hand, squeezing it in the way she did. Then she let go.

He was satisfied. "Oh, Dame! I was so afraid."

"With reason, Lad. This is astonishing. We fought it off in the play, so now it's attacking outside it. This means we have to be on guard all the time."

"All the time," he agreed, shivering. "Dame, this scares me something awful. In the play I've learned how to hold out, but here in the bedroom--if you hadn't gotten out that warning, it would have had me."

"Yes. Fortunately her control is not complete. I can sometimes get through. Maybe it's aware of that, so is trying more desperate measures.

Before it loses the ability to go after you. But I don't understand why it wants

you so badly."

"Dame!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't want me--it wants you!"

"Me! Why?"

"To stop your investigation. If it takes me out, there'll be no Lad for the play, and you'll have to shut down the tour. Then you won't be able to do what you came to do."

It was like a lighting flash. "You're right! It's trying to get rid of me, one way or another. By eliminating you, or controlling me. I've made progress resisting her, but it's also made progress controlling me, paradoxical as that sounds. If I try to investigate the Temple, it'll take over and make me betray myself. If the Troupe ever gets that far."

"Your mission must be pretty important."

She couldn't tell him what it was; even if he tried to keep the secret, his mind might be read magically. But he was right: the business of the changelings, which King Deal was investigating, must be the reason he was killed.

"And I must be on the right track, because only an important discovery would be worth sending a demon to stop. But if it's that critical, I wonder why the enemy, whoever it is, didn't send a warrior to kill me?"

"Because they don't want the secret exposed," Lad said. "They don't want to call attention to it, and a seemingly purposeless killing of a lovely innocent woman would do that. So they are trying to stop you without seeming to. By stopping the tour in a way anyone would understand--accidentally summoning a succubus for real--or just messing you up from inside, and you can't complain, because you have to keep your mission secret too."

"That must be it," Gale agreed. "Oh, Lad, I could kiss you!"

He looked abashed. "As long as you sure it's not the succubus."

"It's not. Remember, it can't touch you." She stepped into him, em-Piers Anthony 279

braced him, and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

He was unsteady in her arms. "Leader's right," he gasped. "I would die for you, Dame."

"Don't do that!" she said. "That would ruin the play."

He dissolved into laughter, and then she joined him. They hung on to each other for support, helplessly shaking. It really wasn't funny, but in the circumstance it had set them off and wouldn't let go.

At last, spent, they sobered. "We must tell Leader," Gale said.

"Now? In the night?"

"Yes, I think so. Because the demon came in the night, and showed new powers. We need to prepare immediately, in case it comes again tonight. We don't know what it'll do, as it gets desperate."

He nodded. "I guess so."

They crossed the hall and knocked on the other door. Guard opened it immediately.

"The demon came," Gale said tersely.

"That I can't protect you from. Come in."

In a moment they were talking with Leader, explaining what had happened and their explanation for it. Guard listened, and even Carto joined them. "I think someone in the first village must have read one of our minds, and discovered my mission, and sent the demon," Gale concluded.

Leader was grave. "You must be right. I should never have discussed the matter openly. It didn't occur to me that any of our minds would be read later. I am chagrined, and I apologize for my blunder. I'll cancel the tour."

"No!" Gale protested. "That will give the enemy the victory, by stopping my investigation."

"But it will be stopped anyway, in a worse way. By sacrificing Lad's soul, or getting you caught snooping in the Temple, where, if it's this important, they will likely kill you and hide your body and pretend you were never there.

Better to back off now, cutting our losses."

"But this is all the more reason to pursue my mission," Gale said. "When I started, I wasn't even sure this was a good lead. Now I know it's so important the enemy will go to an extraordinary length to stop it from being exposed. I don't know what the secret is, or even who the enemy is, and in fact I didn't even know there was an enemy, but I can't default on my mission just because it turns out to be dangerous. I must go on, though I hate putting the rest of you at such risk."

"I'm with you," Lad said immediately.

Leader considered. "I don't like this. But the fact is, your presence in 280 Key to Havoc

this troupe isn't just coincidental. Word came down the chain of command from the king himself, making you the real commander of the mission. Dame, I must obey your directive. But I wish you would reconsider."

Gale had known that she governed the mission, but had said nothing, both to preserve the secret and to avoid affronting the nominal commander, Leader. Still, she preferred to have a consensus. "I must go on. But if any member of the troupe should be lost, it would be difficult to continue. All of us are needed for the tour. That means that all of us are at risk. I'm willing to

go into danger myself, but I'm not willing to require it of the rest of you.

So

maybe it would be better to end the tour, but let Lad and me go on alone.

That would at least enable the three of you to return safely, and organize another tour with another Dame and Lad. It is better to preserve your lives, than to put you at risk for something that is not your concern. I could order you to do this, so that there would be no question of dereliction."

"No," Leader said firmly.

"But you are family men. It simply is not right to risk the grief of your families for this."

Leader glanced at Guard and Carto, then returned to her. "Dame, if you are committed, we are committed, regardless."

"I know that Lad is committed for his own reason, but--"

"Dame, we all have the same reason. We could not let you go on alone, even if that were feasible."

"No, I mean Lad loves me, so does not even want to let me go alone. I'm sorry to have imposed on him so, but it's a consequence of the role. You three men, in contrast-"

"There is no contrast. Dame, we all love you."

"Well, in a figurative sense, of course. But--"

"No," Guard said. "We are all your father's age, and married. But you have simply overwhelmed us."

Gale was taken aback. "But I never sought to--you know that this is a professional relationship. How can--?" She looked desperately at the third man, Carto.

Carto answered. "We have seen lovely women before, and we are true to our wives. We will cause you no problem, and will not speak of this elsewhere. But it is true: from the first your presence has been like that of the succubus, drawing us in even as we tried to resist. It is not merely your great

beauty, but your attitude. You do not complain of hardships, you do what is required, and you are nice. You are to our minds the perfect woman. We tried to remain professional. But there is something about you that draws us in Piers Anthony 281

regardless. It is true that to know you is to love you."

"Yes," Lad said avidly.

Gale was nonplused. "I had absolutely no idea. If I had realized--"

"It would have made no difference," Leader said. "We were lost from the moment you were assigned. We would not have mentioned it, if you had not been about to try to let us go, so that we would not be in danger because of your mission. Dame, in the face of your determination to continue, our only proper fulfillment is to support you completely, and see that you succeed in your mission. Then we can see you safely back to Triumph and wish you well with the quintessentially fortunate man you return to."

"That man is the king." Then she froze. "Oh, I should not have said that!"

Leader nodded. "You should not have. It is not our business. But it explains much. The King must have sent the one he most trusts on the mission of most importance. This makes it absolutely important that we do our utmost to complete it. To preserve you, so that no grief comes to the man we all serve."

"Oh, he has a girl for his appearances and his bed, while I am gone," she said wryly. And paused again. "I am saying too much. This whole business has shaken me, making me intemperate."

"This is understandable. We have all said more than we care to. But now that we better understand each other, how should we proceed? Continue, the tour, of course, but how can we support you privately?"

"Maybe I should not sleep in your room," Lad said. "With the succubus coming by surprise, at night, it's not safe. I am not that strong."

Leader nodded. "Agreed. We can at least make the demon work harder to take you out. It will be crowded, but--"

"Maybe one of you could join Dame," Lad suggested. "Maybe Guard, to protect her."

"No," Guard said. "I dislike saying this, but if it came on to me in Dame's body, I could no more resist her than you could. The succubus would take me out, and leave the troupe incomplete."

"The same would go for Carto and me," Leader said. "At least Lad has experience resisting. But crowding is better than losing the mission. We'll make do."

"No," Gale said.

All four looked at her. "You prefer to take the risk?" Leader asked.

"Remember, you as yourself have won our emotions. You as the succubus put us in a position of standing before a blindfolded archer while he prac-282 Key to Havoc

tices. This is dangerous."

"I know it. But if the demon can not prevail one way, it will try another.

It can't touch a man directly, but it's learning how to get around that. Maybe it will cause me to take my knife and stab one of you when you don't expect it: the knife, not it, would touch you. Maybe it will push something into you, so that you fall into a chasm. It is dangerous at all times, not just at night."

"True, but its preferred mode is to lure a man into sex. It will try that first, if allowed."

"Yes," she said. "And we know how to handle that. It is not easy, but we have been getting better at resisting. I think it is not intelligent; it merely

follows her nature and does what is natural for her. I am coming to understand her better, with each experience of her. It can be channeled, to a degree." She was still being inconsistent about the gender of the succubus, but was increasingly seeing it as female.

"But is this sufficient reason to give her further opportunity?" Leader asked, following her lead on gender. "It seems safer to isolate her by night, and be on guard against her by day."

"No, I think not. Because though we may thus preserve the tour, she still will interfere when I attempt to investigate the Temple. We need to abolish her menace completely."

Guard spoke. "No human person has power over a demon. In the Chroma they form their own substance and do their mischief against those who lack caution or protection. In the nonChroma regions they must infest the bodies of living human beings. That is a limitation, but far from control.

We can abolish demons no more than we can abolish magic itself; we can seek only to avoid them."

"That is the popular wisdom," Gale agreed. "But I think it may be mistaken, as was the belief that a succubus tempts a youth only once, and does not speak. Maybe I can't abolish her, but I think I can capture her."

"Capture her!" Leader exclaimed, astonished. "How could such a thing be possible?"

"By fathoming her weaknesses, and using them to trap her--in my body.

By reversing the ploy, so that instead of her controlling me, I control her. I have been making progress resisting her, and if I make enough, I may be able to capture her. So that it can no longer leave at will."

"Locking the bird's feet to the ground," Leader said. "But won't it turn against you, and destroy you in her effort to break free?"

"It will surely try. But if I am prepared, and can resist her, it should tire, and in time I will overcome her. Then not only will I--and you--be safe Piers Anthony 283

from her, I should be able to use her powers to forward my ends. Such as completing my mission."

The others looked at her. "I like that," Lad said. "You can interest any man, Dame, and in time rule him. But the demon can compel him immediately. It could lure him into a pit, if it didn't want to complete the seduction."

"Yes. I would like to have that ability." Gale smiled. "Not to use against any of you, understand. To use against men who might otherwise kill me."

"That would be a great achievement," Leader agreed. "But suppose it does destroy you, in her desperation to get away? It may well be easier to kill

you from inside, than to control you."

"If it could kill me that way, I think it would already have done it. It would look as though I had suffered an internal malfunction or eaten poison.

No, I think it knows only how to control, and will be, well, unmanned if it finds herself caught. I'm ready to take the risk. The benefit could be enormous, and not just for this mission. I would have power I never otherwise could have."

"Then we support you in that challenge," Leader said. "So your notion is to lure her in by having Lad close by, and letting him distract her, while you

try to catch her?"

"Yes. It may take several more sieges, but I think it can be done." She looked at Lad. "If you are willing."

"I am willing," he said immediately. "I'd love to be tempting it, instead of it me."

"Just try to recognize it when it comes, and don't believe anything it tells you." Gale looked around. "Now I think we can return to sleep. I'm sorry to have roused you at this hour. It just seemed important."

"It's important," Leader agreed.

Gale and Lad returned to their room, and lay down together on the bed.

Then she thought of something. "Lad, I know I have had an effect on you; after all, I address you naked every play. But what am I doing to allure the others? I had no idea they were interested."

"There's just something about you," he said. "You're just so likable.

Even if you weren't lovely, you'd be everyone's friend. Even if you were stupid, you would be persuasive. But as it is--"

"But how am I different from any other woman? I was not special as a child." Actually that wasn't quite true; other girls had resented her prettiness,

and boys had wanted to play Tickle & Peek with her from the outset. She had seen both as problems, so had thought herself different and therefore not good. Until Havoc.

284 Key to Havoc

"I don't know. You just are. I don't think there is any other woman like you."

She sighed, giving it up. "Well, if you ever encounter another with that quality, let me know. Maybe I can observe her, and learn something."

"I will, Dame."

They slept, and the demon did not come again that night.

But it did come during their next play presentation. Once again the seed warned her, and once again she was unable to do anything to escape. It outdid itself, almost embracing Lad, so that if he had moved at all he would have touched her. It was not the touch that did it, but the completion of the sexual act; still, the touch of a woman could be conducive, and more than that with the succubus. Lad seemed on the very verge of capitulation; it fooled the audience, so that some children cried "Nooo!" and it seemed to fool the demon. But Gale knew him well enough now to know that he was teasing.

Oh, he desired her, as his state of readiness made obvious; but he was not about to touch her.

Meanwhile, Gale was infiltrating the command points where the demon dominated her. One was at her speech center, so she could not talk; another was in her neck, just below her brain, where the spinal nerves radiated out to control her limbs and torso. Another was in her belly, making her female anatomy almost prehensile in its readiness to take in the male anatomy, and catch on to the male soul as it did. She found that the demon could control all

centers approximately, or some centers completely. When it concentrated on talking, which was not natural to it, the control of some other center weakened. When it focused on dancing, one of its strengths, it could not talk and was not completely ready for sexual performance. When it controlled the eyes, and especially when it used them to throw a stun-glare, it could neither dance nor speak.

Normally this limitation made no difference, as things tended to happen in order: the succubus would dazzle a boy with her marvelously moving body, then beckon him with its eyes and arms, and finally dispose its body to receive

him most conveniently. Once he was in the throes of sexual fulfillment, it would focus entirely on his soul, drawing it down into his organ and out with his semen. Once it had the soul, the body no longer mattered; the demon would desert it and fly with the soul to its lair, wherever that might be. Boy and woman would discover themselves in sad straits, the one without his soul, the other without any modesty. For it seemed the demon usually took the nearest available woman, not inquiring whether she wished to have sex with a neighbor boy. Conjuring could attract the demon's attention, and if there was Piers Anthony 285

a woman handy, that was the one used. But the demon neither had to respond to conjuration, nor wait upon it. Thus much of what human beings thought they knew about such demons was only partly true.

Gale studied, and learned, and when the demon danced, Gale infiltrated her own speech center, so that she could control it, then relaxed that control to let the demon speak when it wished. When the demon spoke, Gale quietly shored up her control of her own body, but did not try to exercise that control, so that the demon did not realize. Because her infiltration was not enough;

the demon could still wrest control from her when it wanted to, wherever it wished.

What she needed to know was where the demon's home base in her body was. It wasn't her brain, because Gale retained control of that throughout, and kept her thoughts secret. It wasn't her eyes or voice or limbs.

Where,

then?

She didn't find it during the play, but she had learned much else, studying the demon during its focus on the boy. And when Lad managed, at the last moment it seemed, to fend off the seduction, the demon did not realize that he was faking or that Gale was flanking it. The demon departed, frustrated, but determined to try again and again until there was success.

"I am gaining," Gale said afterward. "I am sure I can take the demon; I just need to build up my position sufficiently to do it."

"This is almost fun," Lad said. "To pretend that I am about to do it, then hold back at the last instant. I saw its eyes narrow and heard its breath hiss, and knew it was angry."

"You are doing a good job," Gale said. "It is almost entirely preoccupied with you, thinking you are on the verge of submission if it only persists a little

longer. It is powerful in its way, but not very smart. That's why it follows the

ritual. Then you survive the Void temptation, and have escaped another siege.

Meanwhile, I am learning where and how to strike."

"Don't try to play with it," Leader warned. "The thing is dangerous.

Strike when you get the chance."

"I must wait until I am sure of success," Gale said. "If I strike and it escapes, it will never give me another chance. It's not smart, but neither is it

entirely stupid. But I think I can try to trap it soon."

Several villages and sieges later, Gale felt ready. She had finally located the demon's base in her body: her womb. From that nourishing, protected cave the demon reached out to the several nerve centers. To that cave the demon intended to bring the boy's soul, and then carry it away. Gale dared not challenge it there, for the demon's power could not be overcome at its 286 Key to Havoc

seat of strength. But she thought she could trap it there. If she prepared well, physically and mentally.

"Leader, I need something," she said. "You are aware how women have cycles? Times of the month?"

"Yes, of course. If you have need not to perform on a given day--"

"I can perform. But I need something special to use in that region." She explained about the base the demon used. "So if it works, it will cork the demon, as it were, and confine it there."

"What do you need?"

"Sulvan seaweed."

"But that's used to prevent a demon from entering a sick person."

"I think it may also prevent one from leaving a well person. But it must be obtained quietly, and I must hide it, hoping the demon is not aware of it."

"Dame, I can get it from a villager, quietly. But I am not at all sanguine about trying to trap the succubus inside you. It might rip you apart."

"I think not. It isn't physical, here in nonChroma territory. It has to act through a person, and has limits there. It may make me try to injure myself, but I'll do my best to avoid that."

"Injure yourself! Should we bind you, if--?"

Gale realized that the demon could take control of her arm and use it to remove the plug of seaweed, ruining her ploy. "Yes, tie me down if you see I'm not in control. I expect the main battle to be internal. Be especially sure

to keep my hands away from my crotch. Don't let me go until you are sure it's me."

"This will not be sweet, Dame."

"I know it."

Leader got the Sulvan seaweed. It was only a small swatch, in a little pouch, but she deemed it sufficient. She tied it snugly with string, and wound the string into her hair on top of her head, farthest from the demon's entry point, hoping it would not be detected.

The succubus came for the next play. Gale, dancing, tuned out the warning buzz, and was not aware of its invisible entry until too late; it assumed control, and she could not act. So they went through the routine again, and she practiced her infiltration and studied the demon. She was more certain than ever that she could do it, if she could only catch it in time. At the beginning,

before the demon extended control to her body.

Lad held out, and the demon departed. It had been another great public performance, but a private loss. She told herself she had to expect this; precise timing was not easy to achieve.

Piers Anthony 287

"You didn't get it," Leader said after the show.

"Not this time," she agreed. "Next time I'll try to be ready. It comes so quietly, I have to be alert."

That night she was lying beside Lad, talking idly as they prepared for sleep. "Dame," he said suddenly. "I think it's coming."

He could sense it before it entered her? Evidently so, for then the seed buzzed. She lay still, focusing on her nether aspect. Sure enough, she felt it,

like a faint wisp of smoke, sliding into her private cleft, infusing her.

Appar-

ently it could not readily pass straight through her flesh; it had to get inside

her, establish its base, then use her bodily systems. She felt its presence in her

womb, as it gathered, completing its entry. It was as though she were a tiny bit

pregnant, a disquieting notion.

"Now," Lad whispered.

She snatched the pouch from under her hair so quickly the string snagged and broke. She brought it down between her legs, and up under her nightdress. She had no time to extricate the seaweed; she stuffed the whole pouch into her channel, poking it in with her finger. It scraped, hurting her, but that

was the least of her concerns.

Lad leaped off the bed and ran from the room. She didn't have attention to spare for him at the moment; she had to trap the succubus.

In a moment the demon, spreading out through her body, became aware of the seaweed cork. It could not escape! You slut!

It took extra seconds for the succubus to complete its takeover of the body. Then Gale fought it for control of her arms. Its whole attention focused on her right arm, and she could not withstand it. The arm went down to her crotch and her fingers fumbled there. It was going to draw out the seaweed plug.

Leader and Guard burst into the room. They dived for her, each man catching an arm. But the demon fought, bringing her bare legs up, kicking at their crotches. It missed, but Leader grunted, in pain, apparently bruising himself in his effort to avoid the foot. Nevertheless, he hung on to her arm.

Lad threw himself across her legs, tackling them. His weight held them down. Still the demon fought, with superhuman strength, hauling the two men around, making their heads collide. It hardly cared what damage it might do to the woman in the process. But they would not let go, and soon the strength of Gale's body was exhausted. Then the men tied her arms and legs down to the bed, rendering her physically helpless.

They had trapped the succubus. But that was only the beginning of the fight. Now Gale had to overcome the thing's dominance of her body.

288 Key to Havoc

She tried for the arms again. The demon clamped on them, shoving her out. She tried for the legs, and for a moment had them, until the demon focused on them and took them back. Then she went for her voice. "You can't be everywhere, monster!" she cried.

But then it took back the mouth, and answered. "You sow! I'll destroy you!"

Gale was already going for her eyes. She looked at the men, who were staring down at her, concerned.

"Maybe we should cushion her head," Lad said. He brought a pillow and tried to tuck it under her head. Her head snapped up, her teeth snapping at his closest hand. But that was a bluff; it could not actually touch him.

Just

as the crotch kicks had been bluff. Only when the men were actually holding on to Gale could the succubus affect them physically. Then Leader put a hand on each side of her head, holding it in place, while Lad slid the pillow under.

Her mouth smiled. "Lad! Kiss me."

The demon was emulating Gale's voice and manner! Trying to fool the men into believing she had returned. It was getting more cunning.

But Lad knew better. "And get my face bitten? Forget it, demoness."

"But Lad, I love you. Why are you treating me this way?" Her eyes began to weep.

This was awful! The demon had more tricks than they had anticipated.

The men weren't deceived, but suppose the thing found a way to fool them after all?

Lad turned away, not letting it get to him. But the demon was far from vanquished. "Leader! I have been catering to this dull boy, but it is you I really crave. You are a man. Release me, and I will give you pleasure such as you have never known."

"Forget it, infernal spook. You won't get my soul either."

"Guard," the succubus said. "I know you care for me. "Are you going to let this imbecile insult me?"

The demon was trying to set them against each other. But they weren't having it. "I'll insult you too, you disgusting parasite," Guard said.

The succubus put on a woeful expression. "What can I do to persuade you to release me?"

"Forget that," Leader said. "Just tell us who sent you, and why."

The thing wept some more. "You are so cruel to me. I want only to give you pleasure, yet you bind me and insult me."

"Get used to it," Guard said.

Piers Anthony 289

The demon gave up on them, and turned inward. And you, you sneaky bitch cheat pig of a slut! You stinking mess of corruption. What do you want?

"I want you," Gale replied, not using her physical voice. "I want to bind you to my will."

The demon's anger was like a solar flare. You idiot mortal worm! Such unmitigated audacity! How dare you so presume?

"I have got you trapped in my body. You can't get away. So struggle, succubus, until you wear yourself out. This worm has turned."

I will make you hurt.

Gale was afraid of that, but knew she had to face it. "Then do it, demon. You are not getting free."

It turned out to be no bluff. Suddenly Gale was burning throughout her body, as if being dipped in penetrating fire. But she knew it couldn't be literal,

and therefore it could be survived. And, after a moment, she realized something else: "You feel what I feel, ill spirit. When I hurt, you hurt."

Curse you! The heat faded. The demon couldn't torture her without torturing itself.

But then it found a way to hurt her without hurting itself. It conjured horrible mind pictures. Gale found herself looking into a gloomy stone chamber, where several women were chained to a wall. They were naked and beautiful, with long tresses hanging down across their full breasts. They were quietly weeping, the picture of despair. From her limited view, Gale realized that she was another woman, on the opposite wall.

Now watch my pleasure, the demon said. Here comes Shrapnel, the torture master.

A hulking man came into view. He wore helmet, boots, leather armor, and carried a whip. His face was a landscape of determined brutality. He stood before the woman farthest to the right of Gale's field of vision. "Are you ready, wench?" the man demanded.

The woman lifted her tear streaked face. "No," she sobbed.

Shrapnel struck her with the whip. It cracked across her face, leaving a stripe down one cheek. She screamed as Gale winced. This was torture--but why?

"Are you ready?" the torture master asked again.

The woman, gasping with pain, disheveled, writhing in her chains, did not answer.

The whip cracked again, making a welt across one breast. The woman screamed again. Gale tried to look away, but her eyes were fixed open. She had to watch this brutal scene.

290 Key to Havoc

Between each lash, Shrapnel inquired again. When he didn't get the answer he wanted, he struck again. Soon the woman's face and body were a mass of crisscrossing stripes. Blood streaked her torso and dripped to the stone floor.

Finally the woman responded no more. She was unconscious.

Seemingly undismayed, the man threw aside the whip and took up a gleaming knife. He went to the next woman. "Are you ready, strumpet?"

The women averted her pretty face, not answering.

Shrapnel put the blade to her belly and sliced across. Her flesh opened like a red mouth. She screamed horribly. But the cut was not deep enough to kill her.

"Are you ready?"

She sobbed, but did not accede.

The knife came up to carve at her right breast. It sawed through as blood spurted, until at last the breast severed completely and fell to the floor.

"Are you ready?"

Still she resisted, and the torture continued, until her body was unrecognizable as a woman. But she was not dead. When she screamed no more, the torture master put aside the knife and addressed the third woman.

Gale was appalled. What could possibly be so horrible that these women would suffer this agony rather than agree to it? She would have nightmares about this sequence. She knew it was only a vision, not real, and that gave her

courage. Yet her curiosity remained, though she felt guilty for it. There had to be some explanation.

"Are you ready, whore?"

The third woman struggled with herself, but shook her head.

"Then you will be entertained by the hellhound."

The woman looked appalled. "No. Please."

"Then are you ready?" Shrapnel repeated.

She hung her head, shuddering, not answering.

Shrapnel turned to the side and gestured. A shambling shaggy four-legged creature came up, with a snout like that of a wolf, and a furry tail.

It

was male, for it had a huge male organ. It leaped on the woman, wrapping its forelegs and hind legs around her as she screamed. It moved its hind end around, orienting the monstrous member on her cleft. The bulbous tip lodged and shoved upward. The thing was raping her.

The act took some time, for the beast seemed indefatigable. Its organ was so large that it did not simply slide into her; it had to be forced, stage by

stage. The bulb was glistening with slime, but mere lubrication was not enough.

Piers Anthony 291

The hellhound bucked repeatedly, hammering its rod in the manner of a wedge into a rocky crevice, splitting her cleft apart, scream by scream, until the bulb

was completely in. The action did not stop there; the driving continued as the shaft slowly penetrated, until at last almost the whole of the implement disappeared inside her straining torso. Then the trunk of the member swelled farther, pumping thick oily fluid in such volume that it distended her belly and

welled out under pressure around the organ, to drool down her legs. Still the creature drove up and in, pumping, refusing to stop until all of its urgency was abated. When the beast was finally spent, it withdrew its softening member with a sucking sound and bounded to the floor and away. The woman hung from her chains, unconscious, with scratches, bruises, and bite marks all over her body, and blood leaking out below with the voluminous surplus ejaculate. Coalescing gobs of it dripped to the floor.

Shrapnel turned to face the woman Gale looked out from. "Are you ready, harlot?"

And the woman, shuddering, answered "Yes."

The shackles must have opened, because she seemed to drop to the floor. Her limbs were brown. Before her a stone vault opened. She lay down in it, and watched the stone lid come down, sealing her in. She had been buried alive.

"This is you!" Gale said, catching on. "This is how you became a succubus!"

Yes. But the dragon seed buzzed.

"Then how can it be your pleasure? You capitulated before you were tortured."

My pleasure to see you suffer this perpetually.

"Perpetually? But it's over, isn't it?"

No. This is my life, when I am not on a mission. I must gather a hundred boy souls before I get my own soul back, and am free. While you keep me, you will suffer instead of me. Every day it is the same; only the tortures differ.

Now Gale was appalled in another way. The torture was to make these women become succubi, and go after the souls of innocent boys?

"What do they want with all those souls?" she asked.

I don't know. I just deliver them to empty male bodies for storage.

"Why don't you just flee, and not return? They can't hold your spirit, can they?"

They have my body. It will not recover if I do not return.

"Recover? But you weren't tortured or mutilated or bestially raped, were 292 Key to Havoc

you? You capitulated when they got to you."

That is not the way it works. Each woman is removed at night, restored next day, hung up and queried again. They have magic to do that, so that their torture can be endless, as long as they don't get careless and kill someone.

There is no escape by death. I was tortured and raped many times before I gave in. Shrapnel made me suffer over and over, and I knew he would never relent.

The seed buzzed again. There was something the succubus was not telling. "But if you do not return to your body, such torture will be meaningless, won't it?"

If I do not return, they will use my body as a zombie servant to do chores, and to serve the sexual interests of the torturers, until at last it expires.

Then either I will die, or I will be forever trapped as a succubus, with no hope

of reprieve.

The seed did not buzz, so this clarification was true. Gale was appalled anew. "Every day the same women are tortured? Unless they agree to go out and seek some innocent soul? And you must fetch a hundred such souls before you are released intact?"

Yes. Now the seed buzzed.

"And I will suffer in your place if I do not let you go?"

I will see to it. I will watch from memory all the time. No buzz.

Gale found herself having some sympathy for the demon, to her surprise. But she knew better than to trust it. What conscience did a demon have? This could all be made up, to deceive her, to trick her into unwarranted compassion. That would account for the warnings of the dragon seed. It buzzed for the descriptions of past horrors, but not for the threats to Gale.

Carrot and stick, with the carrot not real? "I will not let you go."

The demon's fury exploded again. Literally: it was like being on top of a magic bomb during a celebration, and being blown apart by it. Radiation spiked out, fire surged, and smoke roiled all around. Pain flared in every part

of her.

But she hung on, knowing that the demon shared what it made her feel.

Sure enough, it soon faded. If the demon had been able to stand much pain, it wouldn't have capitulated to the demand of the torturer. No, that was perhaps unfair; that rape by the hellhound was horrible in ways other than physical pain, though there had obviously been plenty of that too. Gale doubted that she could withstand torture of that nature.

So will you let me go?

She had not tried to shield her thoughts. She would have to watch that.

Piers Anthony 293

"No."

"Damn!" The fury of the succubus was almost tangible.

Then came a phantasmagoria of more specific nastiness. Gale had to watch as her eyes fixed on a brown woman's body being tied by ropes knotted about each wrist and ankle, connected to harnesses on four oxen, and torn apart with dangling muscles and tendons as the oxen forged outward. As that body, suddenly restored, was dipped screaming in boiling water, the loose feet kicking up to avoid it, until the buttocks could not escape. As a dozen ape-like men swarmed over it and raped every available orifice simultaneously. As it was cut open and disemboweled, one length of intestine at a time. As lightning struck it and cooked it, burned it, blackening the skin and making the lustrous hair frizz instantly off. As a funnel was jammed into its mouth and throat, and water poured in, more and more, until the belly distended grotesquely and burst, spraying discolored fluid all around. As metal hooks caught at its eyeballs, pulling them out and dropping them to dangle from the sockets, and its tongue, pulling it out until it tore free of the mouth. As a burning hot poker explored one orifice after another, sending out gouts of smoke and leaving bubbling black holes. As one horror followed another, overwhelming Gale's imagination, making her sick with abhorrence. She was retching in her mind, heart, and soul, but she could not escape the dreadful visions. The demon was punishing her in the way it could, emotionally, and she could not long withstand the hideous onslaught.

Would she have to let it go? But that would mean loss of her mission, because the succubus would have the power to come and go at will and interfere with any investigation Gale tried to make. She had to win, to come through

for Havoc. If she nullified the demon, she would be able to accomplish her design and return in good order. Also, she had learned enough about the demons to know that this was a cult or scheme that needed to be dealt with.

If she brought the demon back, they might be able to track its origin and go after the torturers, or whatever was really behind it. Whatever knew about her mission. Because that entity or organization was dangerous, and could not be ignored.

But she could not stand the cascading horrors she was experiencing.

She had to get away from them--and could not, as long as the demon was with her. She had trapped it, but could not overcome it. She could resist it to

a degree, but could not rule it. So they were locked in a sickening struggle, and her gumption was failing. Like the succubus who had surrendered rather than endure further brutality, she seemed bound to let it defeat her.

Then she thought of a way. It seemed far fetched, but maybe it would 294 Key to Havoc

work. She would try it, and try to think of something else if she had to.

At the moment the woman figure was enduring a penetration of long needles. They were being slowly pressed into her head and body, and through it, until their points emerged on the other side, while she writhed and screamed.

Gale focused on the needles, grasping them with her imagination. She reversed their thrust, so that they paused, then started withdrawing, as slowly as

they had advanced, until they were out of the body, and no punctures remained.

The demon took a moment to catch on to what was happening, as the vision had not been abolished, merely altered. Then the needles reversed course again, and pressed in toward the body.

But Gale had her next ploy ready. She changed the needles from metal to ice, and made the body hot. As the points touched the flesh, the ice melted,

and the needles did not penetrate.

Suddenly the scene changed. The brown woman was chained spread-eagled on the ground, and a six legged tiger was striding near. The tiger started to eat the woman, who screamed and struggled but could not escape.

Gale focused on the tiger, and gradually it shifted, becoming a large house cat. Instead of biting, it licked. It purred.

The scene vanished. Now the woman was lying under a level board, and weights were being piled on the board, crushing her in stages. Gale concentrated on the weights, and they became blocks of foam, very light.

The image changed again. Now the woman's feet were caught in a trap, so that she could not run away, and two huge men with clubs were coming.

They lifted their weapons, taking aim at her head and torso.

Gale oriented on the clubs, and they became pillows. The men swung viciously, and the pillows struck the woman. They burst apart, and feathers flew out in clouds. Then, to add insult, the clothing of the men melted off, leaving them naked, and the woman found huge feathers to tickle their crotches and make them dance.

The image was replaced by one in which the woman was on a huge bed, and a satyr was coming at her. She screamed, trying to scramble away, but he caught her and brought his monstrous member into play. It was just as large and urgent as that of the hellhound.

But as the two came together, the satyr metamorphosed into a handsome man, with a member just a bit smaller than average, and perhaps slightly soft. The woman smiled, accepting him as her lover.

So it continued, as Gale countered each horror with a nullification or delight. She could not stop the images, but she could adapt them, and she Piers Anthony 295

was confident that her imagination was greater than that of the succubus. It was no longer freaking her out.

Therein lay her victory. The demon had been deprived of its last weapon, and was powerless. It could continue to fight, but could not gross Gale into capitulation.

At last the demon's efforts were exhausted. What do you want?

"I want to recover full control of my own body," Gale replied. "And I want control of you, so that I need have no further fear of you, no more bad images, and can use your powers for my own purposes."

But this will destroy me.

"Not necessarily. I'll make you a deal. Cooperate with me, and I'll arrange for decent treatment for you when I return to Triumph City."

I do not comprehend decency. They extirpated that before they gave me the power to see in darkness and sent me out the first time.

"I doubt that. Decency surely remains, but buried under layers of horror. I can't let you go. But maybe I can arrange for you to go to another human host, one you can control. You will not be free--you will be confined to a chamber or apartment--but you will have the body. And be allowed visitors if you wish, such as lusty men."

There was a certain appeal in that, for the succubus, who was a creature of sex. She was weakening. But I want my own body back.

"I understand that. We'll go after that torture cult, and try to abolish it, and free its captives. Maybe we can recover your body, and return it to you.

Maybe you have some decency or joy left, if you can get away from the torture cult. So you can after all make a normal life. But that's in the future.

In

the interim, I can not let you return there with news of me. So I won't let you

go, but I will treat you fairly--if you let me govern you."

This is a trick, a scheme, a swindle!

"You are thinking in torture culture terms. I am a living human woman, with honor. You can trust me to keep my word. Look into my mind and verify this."

The demon did, and came to a decision. It is true. You have what I have lost.

You are motivated by something other than immediate survival. I agree.

The dragon seed buzzed. The succubus lied.

Gale did not accept either agreement or lie at face value. "I have you trapped. If you renege, and try to govern me again, I will fight you, and I think beat you again, because now I have done it I know how. If I have to do that, our deal is ended, but you will remain my captive. So it behooves you to follow through honestly, even if you have no honor of your own."

296 Key to Havoc

The demon considered. Yes.

This time the seed was silent.

"Then yield me your name and control points."

I was Swale before I was taken by the demon cult.

"Swale? What does it mean?"

A small dip in the ground. My brother is Berm, a raised earthen area. I haven't seen him in some time. I miss him.

"That's interesting, Swale. I recognize you now as an enslaved woman, rather than a demon. Now yield."

The strength of the spirit faded, and Gale was able to recover full control of her body. Swale retreated to her nest in Gale's womb and offered no further resistance.

Gale opened her eyes. She remained bound hand and foot, and the ropes chafed where her body had fought them. There was also a gag on her face, passing inside her mouth to prevent her from biting her tongue. She could not speak aloud.

But Lad was there, watching her. When he looked at her face, she met his gaze, and winked.

"Gale!" he exclaimed. "Are you back?"

She smiled around the cloth.

He undid the gag and cleared her mouth. But he left the rope that circled her neck, holding her head down. She worked her tongue around, restoring moisture to her mouth, then cleared her throat and spoke. "I beat the demon, and am back in control. Thank you for watching over me."

But he remained cautious. He untied only one hand, leaving that arm bound at the elbow. "Touch me."

She raised her hand and touched his arm. She gave it a squeeze. "The succubus remains with me, but now I control her. You are in no further danger from her, Lad."

He relaxed visibly. "Oh, Dame, I could kiss you!"

"Then do it while I am safely confined," she said, with another smile.

Half to her surprise, he did. He kissed her very carefully, gently, on her mouth. "Oh, Dame," he breathed. "If you had lost-"

"I could not afford to do that."

He untied her remaining bonds, and helped her sit up. She stretched.

She ached in many places, and would need balm for her chafes. But she seemed whole. She tried to stand, but lost her balance and had to sit down again.

"I will steady you," he said eagerly.

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"Thank you, Lad."

He gave her his elbow, and she held on and managed to stand. After a moment she caught her balance, and was able to take a few steps. She hurt, but that would pass.

"We'd better tell the men," he said. "I'm just so glad that you--"

"So am I, Lad."

Thereafter she bathed and applied balm, and did some limbering exercises, and retired for the remainder of the night. She held Lad's hand, because he was hesitant to take hers, considering the restriction of the succubus.

That made her wonder: why were the demons limited like that? Why couldn't they enter men as well as women, or seduce men by touching them?

That would surely be more effective. So she asked, internally: "Swale, why are you limited to women?"

That is the way of it for all. Gender is overwhelmingly important. If your spirit left your body, it would be able to touch only the bodies of women,

and not to infuse them. Only the magic of the demon cult lends us the power of infusion.

"But once you are in a living woman, you don't have to infuse a man.

Why can't you touch him?"

Even touching is infusion, to a degree. My female spirit can't even attempt such contact with a man. All it can do is hold the female body in place and let the man touch it. This makes the capture of a male spirit far more difficult.

"How can you take the male spirit, when you can't even touch the body?"

It associates with the life force that emerges from his member. In that moment, before the soul divides, it is possible to trap it and draw it free of his

body. Normally only a part of it is left in the woman, to colonize the baby he sires in her, but we take it all. We have been given magic to enclose it and secure it; we can't touch it directly.

That seemed to cover it. "And the male spirits--they are similarly limited?"

I believe so. There is a separate facility for the incubus. I understand a male spirit must be extremely seductive to get a living girl to not only touch him, but to give of her spirit, so that he can take it. It is that portion of her

soul intended for the baby she makes, that he catches and uses to draw out the whole of it.

"So an incubus will not actually rape a living woman?"

He can't. Except by deception, prevailing on her to initiate the act while he remains still. Then when she experiences the joy of union, he takes her 298 Key to Havoc

soul in through his member.

Gale filed that information away for future reference; it could be useful.

A woman with her wits about her needed to fear rape only by a regular man, not an incubus. Which suggested that at time she might even prefer the company of the incubus. A curious inversion.

Her curiosity satisfied, she settled back to sleep.

Next day she was stiff, but was able to work much of it out while traveling. She hadn't felt any of this incidental battering while fighting the succubus,

because Swale had had control of her body. That gave her an idea. "Swale, can you give me relief from physical discomfort?"

Only by taking over your body.

"Can you do that without taking over me?"

If I assume only that control required to move your limbs without opposition by you.

"Try it. Use my limbs, but not my head."

Swale spread out and took over Gale's legs and arms. This discomfort faded. Now she was walking without feeling it. This was a fair improvement.

Thank you for giving me this amount of freedom.

"You don't mind doing my walking for me?"

I crave my body back. This gives me some of the feeling, without the constant stress of focusing on a target man.

"But don't you feel the discomfort?"

I revel in it. It means I am alive again.

This looked promising. Thereafter Gale experimented further, and found that there were a number of routine physical chores that Swale was glad to do.

When it came to the play, the expertise of the succubus was invaluable; she had a touch Gale envied.

"You must have learned from the demon," Leader remarked later. "I thought I saw her again, in that dance."

"You did. But I am in control."

He frowned. "Is this safe? This is no innocent creature."

"It is a risk," Gale agreed. "But I think I am gaining more than I am risking. The succubus knows now that she has more to gain by working with me than by fighting me. She is not my friend, but her self interest encourages cooperation."

"I hope you are correct. I would rather pet a savage animal."

The troupe performed at several more villages. Between villages, Gale made it a point to get to know more about Swale, questioning her on her background and abilities. This was simple caution, as she wanted no ugly Piers Anthony 299

surprises, but it turned out to be interesting.

Swale had been a girl of the Brown Chroma. She grew up to be lithe and beautiful, but she was not good at the Brown specialty of conjuring, and she was not particularly smart. This limited her opportunities both business and romantic. So she decided to make the best of what she had, which was her body, and travel to the capital city of Triumph to become a dancer. It was known that there were excellent prospects for dancers, particularly if they were not stingy with their personal favors.

She had packed her scant belongings and joined a caravan headed for Triumph. She was sixteen; she had two years to make good before she had to marry and start having babies. With luck she would attract a wealthy husband and live well thereafter. She paid in the usual manner of girls with bodies like

hers, serving the caravan leader and his key personnel at their convenience, which was often. That bought her not only passage, but good food and often a ride in a wagon, so that she did not have to walk the whole way. It was a novelty doing it while riding, as the bumping and rocking of the wagon lent extra force to the lusty efforts of the men.

Then brigands raided the caravan. The wagons circled and the guards fought off the raiders, but not before some supplies were lost. Swale had been sleeping in a wagon, between appointments at the moment, when it happened. A raider broke in, took one look at her naked exposure, and decided that she would do for his booty. He slung her over his shoulder and hauled her away. Swale was screaming the whole time, but there was so much noise from the raid that no one noticed, if they had even been able to help.

Thus it was that she became the plaything of the raiders. But after a few days they tired of her, and anyway it was their business to sell what they raided, so they sold her on the slave market to the highest bidder, a representative of an obscure cult. He put a necklace on her that robbed her of all volition, and put her in a coach. She had no idea where they were going.

When she was taken out it was no improvement: she was chained to a wall in a dungeon.

For several days she hung there, undisturbed, but forced to watch the tortures of other girls like herself. She had no appetite for food, but that didn't matter; they put a funnel down her throat and poured in gruel. She was not released for natural functions, so inevitably let her urine and feces fall to

the floor below her. Terrified, she resolved to do whatever the cult leaders demanded of her. But when she finally learned what it was, she couldn't stand it, and tried to refuse. So she too was tortured, by being left there hanging day and night, until at last she agreed to do their bidding.

300 Key to Havoc

Then she was taken down, cleaned up, given a cloak to cover her naked-ness, and a bunk in a cell to sleep in. There was balm for the raw chafes left by the manacles, and a comb for her hair. An older man came to tutor her in certain basic magic. She knew him only as Trainer. She had lost her powers of magic when she left her Chroma, but these were items of some special kind that worked in nonChroma regions. One was applied to her eyes, and it enabled her to see in darkness. Another she had to swallow, and it enabled her to separate her spirit from her body, so that it could travel through the night to locate innocent boys verging on manhood. Another lodged in her womb, and it enabled her to capture the souls of such boys and carry them away with her. Actually her spirit would enter the womb of another woman, but her spirit had its own womb that would confine the newly-separated spirit of her victim until she delivered him to the storage body. It insulated her from direct contact with the male spirit, enabling her to handle it in this limited fashion.

She was also trained to dance. Not the way she was used to, but in a special fashion that enhanced her sexual appeal enormously. Trainer had exceedingly specific notions. She was slow to catch on to the nuances of it, but encouraged to try her very best, because every time she failed to make sufficient progress, she was put back on the wall to watch some more torture.

If she still didn't get it, then she was tortured again, and promises had no effect; she suffered until she fainted. Then, restored, she was returned to the

lesson room. Before very long she got very good at the nuances of the dance.

Thus did she become a succubus. But it was never easy. Each morning she was chained to the wall again, to watch more torture, and if there was no mission that day, she remained there, not tortured but not released. The only way to earn greater freedom was to bring in a boy's spirit. She did that, repeatedly, and so her life became almost tolerable. But when she went out on a mission and failed to bring back a spirit, she lost a measure of freedom.

Her dedication to her mission became extreme.

Until the present mission. This was by day instead of by night, and failure was tolerated because of the importance of this particular spirit. But she had to keep trying, by day or night, in an effort to catch the boy unguarded and harvest his spirit. It was dangerous because the woman she borrowed was canny, but if she succeeded she would be rewarded with credit for ten ordinary spirits.

But now she had failed. And Gale had the story. Gale still didn't particularly like this succubus, but neither did she hate her, and she had learned a

lot.

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Then they approached the village of the Temple. There were Temples all around the planet, but it was this small one Havoc had targeted, because it

was on the troupe's route, and might be investigated without arousing suspicion. Could she accomplish that? She wasn't sure.

"Do you know why you were sent repeatedly to me?" Gale asked Swale.

No. I have never been sent to the same woman twice before, let alone several times. I think this boy's spirit must be extremely valuable.

"It is, to him. Was there any other directive you were given?"

Only to give you no peace until I got him.

Which would have nicely interfered with Gale's Temple investigation.

But Swale had not known that that was the purpose. The torture demons were being canny. Perhaps they had realized that it was risky to attempt repeated invasions of a single woman, so had made sure that no useful information was in their agent.

"Do you know what the Temple is?"

Oh, yes. Women go there to pray for fertility.

"I must explore a Temple. Does this bother you?"

No. Why should it?

Gale decided to take another risk that might yield benefits. "My mission is to find out what's in a Temple, without the Temple priests knowing. In fact,

I mean to sneak in by night. Do you care?"

No. Why should I?

"Because I suspect that you were sent to stop me from doing this."

No, I was sent to-- Swale paused. To give you no peace, especially at night, until

I got the boy. Especially if you went somewhere at night.

"Precisely. So I ask again: does this mission of mine bother you?"

No. I don't care about the Temple. But this makes me curious. Why should I have been sent to stop you?

"I don't know. But I hope to find out. Now there are two ways we can do this: you can stay out of it entirely, and maybe if you're lucky I'll get caught

and be taken captive and you will be freed. Or you can help me, and take your chances on my gratitude when I return to the city."

Suppose you get killed, and I remain trapped in you? That would kill me too.

"I assumed that if I die, my body can no longer hold you. That is not the case?"

I don't know. I've never been trapped in a body before. But I think I can not escape unless you let me out, and that if you die, I die. Sometimes a spirit

did not return to the cult chamber, we think it was because it died with the 302 Key to Havoc

body it animated. Maybe if a parent caught it seducing a boy, and struck it instantly down.

"You said `we.' Who else?"

The other tortured women. We talk as we hang on the wall between torture sessions. There is nothing else to do.

That was one grim business. "Well, I don't know either. So you decide whether you prefer to chance my death or help me survive."

The succubus considered. I will try to help you survive. If you do, you will be

more generous to me later. If you do not, the result is the same as it would have been. So

it is better for me to help.

That was rational. But there was a loophole. "If you try to help me, then see an opportunity to betray me, the priests at the temple may reward you."

Yes. But I know you now, and I don't know them. I also don't know whether they would have any influence over the torture cult. So I think you are the better chance.

The dragon seed did not buzz, so she was not lying. Swale saw her best self interest in being loyal to Gale. "Then I will give you considerable lati-tude, because I think there is significant help you can provide. I believe you said you demons can see in the dark. Is this true?"

I don't consider myself a demon. But yes, I can see in very little light, so I can find my way efficiently. It is part of the package of magic they gave me.

"That is what I thought. They gave you the powers you needed to do your job. That must be fairly simple magic, that can function in fringe areas like this. How well can you see at night?"

Well enough. I never had a problem finding my way.

"Well enough to read?"

I suppose so. I never tried to read. I couldn't handle a book anyway, in spirit form.

"But with my hands, you could."

Swale was surprised. Yes, I could. But why? I thought you wanted to spy, not read.

"I do. But suppose they are cheating on their taxes? I will need to read their accounts."

Oh, you are spying for the king! How wonderfully evil.

"Actually it's not their taxes I want to check, but their changelings."

Changelings? What is that?

"All I know is that I'm supposed to find out. To me, a changeling is a baby switched for another, when some mother is foolish enough to leave it Piers Anthony 303

unguarded. I think it's mere folklore. Maybe the king's men think there is more to it."

I am actually getting interested. I thought the Temple just answered prayers by women for natural babies. Why should they want to exchange any?

"I have no idea. Maybe that's not what they're doing. Or maybe they are selling changelings for adoption, and not paying taxes on the money. Whatever it is, that's my mission. I don't think I want to talk to any of their priests,

so I want to look at their books. Their records, or whatever. But I need to be in darkness, to conceal myself, and very quiet. If you can read without light, that will help enormously."

Let's find out. Put a book in darkness.

Gale tried it. Swale could readily read in the dark, though she was using Gale's eyes, when Gale could see nothing. A little magic worked wonders.

They agreed that Swale would read silently to Gale, at her direction. This was looking considerably more promising.

But something nagged at Gale. That stray dragon seed buzz--always when Swale described her past treatment by the torture cult. Obviously the horrible visions derived from that experience; they were too real to be made up on the spur of the moment. Yet something was wrong with them. The seed's warnings might be tricky to interpret on occasion, as they could indicate a direct or indirect lie, a danger, an attempt to read her mind (which was

really a type of danger), or just a general wrongness in the situation. That was

the problem with a device of very low magic power or definition. But the seed was never wrong. There had to be something, if she could only find it.

As she walked, Gale pondered, reviewing what she had learned from the succubus. The buzz did not seem to indicate immediate danger, and its timing suggested that it was something in the dialogue that triggered it, not a mind reading attempt. Swale wasn't challenged at other times, so seemed to be telling the truth as she knew it. Why should she lie about her past horrors while visiting them on Gale? This left the categories of general wrongness, and the indirect lie. The two might be the same, in this case: there was something wrong with what the succubus said, only the succubus didn't know it.

Then, suddenly, an explanation burst upon her. Gale took time to work it out by herself, then braced the spirit. "Swale, you suffered horribly before

you agreed to become a succubus?"

Yes. The seed buzzed.

"I think you didn't. Not directly."

How can you doubt? I showed you what they did to me and the others.

"Yes, you showed me. It seemed horribly real. I feel guilty for doubt-304 Key to Havoc

ing." In fact she would not have doubted, had it not been for the dragon seed.

"But consider this: couldn't the torture cult have made those images as real for you as you made them for me?"

I don't understand. No buzz.

"Can you tell the difference between what actually happened to you, and what you remember happened to you?"

But they are the same. Now there was a buzz. Gale knew why: because Swale's memories did not accord with the truth.

"Let me describe something, and you see whether it could be true. Suppose a cult needed the cooperation of a person, but had very little power or magic. So it pretended to have much more of both than it did. Suppose it had the power to implant memories of horrible things."

Swale was taken aback. My memories of torture aren't real? And there was no buzz.

"Yes. And maybe there are no other beautiful women being tortured.

Only your memories of them. You may be the only succubus."

But that can't be! The seed buzzed.

"It can be, Swale, and it is. Think: how could a woman have her breast cut off one day, and be perfectly whole again the next day? Even the strongest magic healing can not re-grow a breast that fast. How could you be tortured to the point of unconsciousness one day, and have no marks or pain the next day? How could your hair be burned off--and suddenly restored?

Magic can make hair grow, but not two feet in eight hours. But you could have memories implanted, and never doubt that what they contained was real.

You thought you had been horribly tortured, and thought you had capitulated. So next day, rather than go through that again, you surrendered immediately. It made sense."

It made sense, Swale agreed. But still--

"And consider this: if there are a number of succubi going out, why did they keep sending you on the same mission? When you failed the first time, why didn't they try another succubus, who might have better luck? When you didn't return, why didn't they send another succubus to check on you?"

I don't know.

"Because they don't have any others! You are the only one. All the others are creatures of your memory. Repeat after me: you are the only one."

I am the only one.

The seed did not buzz. That was the final confirmation. What Gale said couldn't make the seed buzz, but when another person repeated her words, the seed called true or false. "That's why they require you to bring in so many

Piers Anthony 305

souls," Gale continued. "Because they need them for incubi, who can then fetch in more female souls. In time they may amass a formidable demon contingent. But at present, there is only you."

There is only me, Swale repeated, and again there was no buzz. It could be.

"Indeed it could be." Gale knew now that it was so, but didn't care to reveal how she knew; the dragon seed was her secret forever. "And if that is the case, you have much less to fear from the torture cult than you thought.

Your chances of returning to a normal life are that much greater."

Yes! Swale agreed, beginning to believe.

That was enough. Gale simply needed to know the truth, in case it affected her mission. But it wouldn't hurt if the succubus developed a genuine loyalty to Gale.

They arrived at the village, and spent the night, as usual. Gale did not discuss her mission with the others; they all knew that they might be overheard.

In the morning they put on the play, and the village children were as appreciative as ever. In fact, there were quite a number of adults present, too.

"I think word has spread that we've got a really fine show," Leader murmured with satisfaction. "And a really beautiful Dame."

Gale wanted to demur, but knew that he was right. The proportion of adult men in the audiences had been growing. They behaved well, but paid quite close attention to the Dance of the Succubus.

Gale and Lad spent the day being spot celebrities, answering the usual questions, and assuring the children that no, they did not have sex in private,

either. After all, there might be a succubus nearby. If only the villagers knew

how true that was!

When night fell, Gale slept as usual. "But wake me in two hours," she murmured to Lad. "Silently."

He nodded. Two hours later he squeezed her hand. She got up, quickly dressed, and stepped out. He wanted to go with her, but she blocked him, silently demurring. She needed him to cover for her here, so that no one would know she was gone. He knew what to do, as they had discussed it once: he would lie there and picture her lying beside him, holding his hand.

He would pretend as ardently as he could, as long as he could. Because if someone read his mind, that loud thought would provide her with an alibi.

She left the house and made her way out of the quiet village. The Temple complex was separate but within half an hour's walk. The Temple property was within the fringe of a Blue Chroma, which meant it had the use of magic, though not strong magic, because the intensity faded with distance from the 306 Key to Havoc

volcano. Still, this was an additional aspect of the challenge.

Now Swale's night vision helped greatly. They shared her eyes, so that the succubus' ability seemed to be Gale's own. It was a novel experience.

Gale avoided the main path, and made her way along a lesser trail through the forest. There might well be danger here, but this was part of her protection, paradoxically: the temple would not expect an invader to come this way. They might not realize that this woman had experience with wilderness paths.

She didn't even dare hurry, because that could attract attention of one sort or another. She tried to keep her thoughts buried, so that the enemy mind reader would not identify her. She tried to keep her feet silent, so that no predator animal heard her. Fortunately this was an established, if minor, path, so there were few aggressive plants. Just enough to explain why it was not well traveled, which made it suitable for her. She was wearing a blouse that was loose around her arms and snug at her wrists, and trousers that were similarly snug at her ankles. This was to protect her from the incidental attacks of nettles, thorns, corrosive juices, and similar mischief of the wilderness.

You know how to handle plants Swale noted.

"Yes. I'm a barbarian girl." The terrain was gradually turning blue.

Gale's only Chroma experience had been with yellow, red, and green, but this didn't make much difference to her; all Chroma were essentially hostile territory to a nonChroma person. Of course Mentor was blue, but he was an individual dragon, not relevant in this case.

When I was free, I thought barbarians were stupid.

"Not all of them. There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity." That was one of Havoc's favorite sayings.

So I see. I never thought you would fight back, let alone capture me.

"Then we're even: I never thought a succubus would lay siege to me."

If they sent me to stop you from spying on the Temple, they must know who you are and where you are.

"Yes. This was something I hadn't counted on when I first set out on this mission. But I must nevertheless make the attempt." Gale paused, then decided to make a promise: "If I am caught or hurt, and can't get away, I will free you from my body, so you can return and report that you stopped me."

Why?

"Because it's the decent thing to do. No need to take you down with me."

But you owe me nothing unless you succeed.

Gale smiled in the darkness. "Maybe that's what makes it decent."

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Maybe I would have understood that, once.

The perimeter fence loomed ahead. The path turned aside, but Gale did not. She made her way to the fence and surveyed the situation. The fence was made of woven blue hardwood sheets, opaque and strong. It was about eight feet high and topped with a strand of blue stingvine. That made it formidable. But Gale was encouraged, because it was a mechanical barrier rather than a magical one. She could handle it.

If you try to poke through it, they will know.

"I think if I even touch it, they will know. So I won't touch it."

Gale unwound her belt and formed it into a twenty foot pole. Then she lifted the center and raised it as the pole formed a hinge at that point. When it was vertical, she crossed the two legs of it and spread them until they lay on

the ground again. It was awkward, but feather light; her main problem was keeping the legs oriented so that they didn't suddenly bend the wrong way.

Finally she had her stiff A-frame, with the legs joined by a tight downward loop at the apex.

Now she had to place it over the fence. This was a challenge, because the A-frame as she had made it would not keep its legs stiff when she changed its orientation.

What are you trying to do?

"I'm trying to set this A-frame over the fence without touching the fence."

I don't think it can be done.

"It has to be done." Gale wished she had thought out this aspect before.

She just hadn't properly visualized the challenge. The problem was to keep pressure on the end of the frame that was to pass over the top and lodge on the ground inside the fence. Without such pressure, the pole would simply start curling down.

Finally she searched the local forest and after a longer delay than she cared for, found a dead blue sapling that would do. She used this to lodge against the end of the frame, pushing it outward until it was at right angles to

the near leg. Then she moved this awkward structure toward the fence. But she couldn't get close enough to drop the far leg over the fence, without banging into the fence.

She gave up on that and looked for another way. She saw a large blue tree growing close to the fence, and one of its branches crossed over the fence. Maybe that would do it. She could climb the tree, pick up the A-frame, and drop it over. Except that the legs would curl when she let go of it.

Why do you want to put the A-frame over the fence?

"So I can use it as a stile, to climb over the fence without touching it."

308 Key to Havoc

Why not just climb the tree and drop off the branch, inside?

Gale paused. She had missed the obvious! Furious with herself, she rolled up the stilevine, returning it to belt status, and climbed the tree.

This

was easy to do; she was athletic, and had climbed trees all her life. She followed the branch over the fence, then lowered herself until she hung by it, and finally dropped to the ground. She landed carefully, experienced in this too. She was as much concerned with any noise she might make as with her bodily health.

Now she was inside. She used her wax to mark her hands, feet, and face, giving her the temple odor. She set off for the Temple, not yet in sight. The blue continued to intensify; all the vegetation and exposed dirt was that color.

There was a sound. Dogs! Swale thought.

"They should recognize me as a person of the Temple," Gale said. But she felt a chill. This wasn't a sure thing.

Two blue six legged hounds bounded into sight. They were only half Gale's height, but each was more than her mass, and they had large blue teeth.

Gale stood, waiting for what might be, hoping that the wax ploy was as good as it was supposed to be.

It was. They sniffed her, not recognizing her personal scent, but knowing that the smell of the Temple was on her. After a moment they moved on, satisfied.

You have more nerve than I do.

"We all do what we have to."

She saw the dark blue structure of the temple looming ahead. This was the largest challenge, because she did not know its layout or the schedules of its priests. She would have to step very carefully.

It was by now quite late at night, and it seemed that the temple personnel had retired. No lights were on. But that did not necessarily mean that all of them were asleep.

Gale walked around the building, inspecting it carefully. There was the big front entry, securely closed. There were several side doors, also closed.

And there was a kitchen door, readily identifiable by the pile of food garbage nearby. It was propped open.

Gale stared at it. How could they be so careless? Unless they were anticipating no intrusion, and completely off guard. So that a foolish kitchen worker had opted for convenience when he had to carry several loads of garbage out, so had propped the door, and then forgotten about it.

Or it could be a trap.

Well, she could test that. She walked toward the door.

Piers Anthony 309

What are you doing? Swale demanded. Even I would not enter a door my enemy opened for me.

"One way to verify a trap is to spring it," Gale said. She kept walking.

She reached the door, and the seed did not buzz. So this was legitimate carelessness, not a trap. Relieved, she stepped inside.

There could be guards waiting to pounce.

Gale knew there weren't, because the seed had given no warning, but she didn't tell the succubus that. "I'll keep careful watch for them."

The kitchen was deserted. It had shut down for the night. It remained fairly warm from the ovens; possibly the open door was to let out the heat.

Gale didn't touch anything, not wanting to leave any avoidable evidence of her presence. The fact that everything was blue reminded her; she had always been careful about touching Chroma things.

But she had to touch a door to escape the kitchen area. She reached slowly for the handle. The seed did not buzz. So she took hold of it, turned it, and slowly opened the door.

Beyond was a hall. Where did she need to go? She wished she could have had a map of the temple complex. But it seemed that every Temple was different, and subject to frequent changes, so no one map would do. She had to find what she wanted herself.

What she wanted was the Temple records. They should be in a library or the equivalent. That was the room she needed to find. Where should it be?

She judged it should be on the ground floor. She would just have to search until she found it.

She walked down the hall. Swale's night vision was invaluable; she could see every door. Several were marked: KITCHEN behind her, DINING

ROOM, LOUNGE, LAVATORY, and so on. And one was labeled LIBRARY.

She tested the blue doorknob, received no buzz, and opened the door.

The library was small but well ordered. There were a number of categories, with books and scrolls on their shelves. Which one did she want? She had to be efficient, because she had perhaps two hours before she should make her escape.

Something moved. She froze, startled. The seed did not buzz, so there was no immediate threat, but why was anything moving here?

She oriented on it. There was what appeared to be a nest, and lying in it was a blue creature.

A pet?

It lifted its head and oriented on her. It looked like a monkey. It must have been sleeping, and woke when she entered. It used the knuckles of two 310 Key to Havoc

hands to rub its eyes, blinking. Still no buzz from the dragon seed, so the blue

monkey must be harmless.

I saw one of those once, Swale thought. A book fetcher.

"A blue monkey fetches books?"

Sure. Blue is the animal Chroma. They are awful good with animals.

Gale began to understand. She addressed the monkey, and spoke aloud.

"Changelings."

The creature scrambled out of the nest, jumped to the floor, and bounded along an aisle between shelves. It stopped, balancing on four hind legs, its front pair pointing to a part of the shelf.

Gale followed, and looked. There it was: a shelf labeled CHANGELINGS.

"Thank you," she said, and patted the blue monkey on the head. It was clearly pleased.

She contemplated the books. There were several, and they were large tomes. This was almost too much information. Which book would lead her most directly to what she needed to know? Part of the problem was that she didn't know what she needed to know.

Maybe try the monkey again, Swale suggested.

"Nature of," Gale told the monkey.

It pointed at a volume. ORIGIN & NATURE OF CHANGELINGS.

That should do. She took it down, carried it to the nearest desk, sat down, and opened the tome. The print was clear despite the darkness; the succubus'

ability was wonderful.

She turned pages, finding her place. Soon she learned that the origin of the changelings was unknown. They were delivered by anonymous coach as tiny eggs in a magic nest that held them in suspended animation. The priests of the temple had learned not to inquire into what should not concern them.

They kept the eggs in the nest until they were needed.

Needed? What for?

Further research in the volume produced the answer: Infertile women came to the Temple to pray for babies, for it was abject shame to fail to bear and raise four children. Such prayers were answered quite specifically: such a woman was ushered into a special chamber, put into a dream state by blue mist, stripped of her nether clothing, and a fertility surgeon implanted a changeling egg in her womb. It was simply a matter of using a thin flexible tool to insert the jelly capsule containing the egg; once in the right region, it dissolved

and the egg took root. A year later the baby changeling was birthed.

A year? Swale wondered. Isn't normal gestation three quarters of a year?

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"That is my understanding. These evidently take longer."

Gale learned that it was important for the women not to know that they were pregnant with changelings. They were encouraged to believe that normal sexual relations had generated the baby, as the result of the blessing of the Temple.

Gale sat back, experiencing a rush of mixed feelings. Her own mother had prayed at a Temple in the Green Chroma, the year before Gale was born.

Apparently that was a precautionary measure, to make sure she would be fertile and have a healthy baby. The priest had assured her that would be the case. Now it seemed that faith might have played no part in this, and that the priest had not been guessing. Gale's mother could have been pregnant when she left the

temple. With a changeling. Gale.

You poor woman.

"How could I be a changeling?" Gale asked, horrified. "I don't even know what they are."

It could be sex with your father, three months thereafter.

"My father was on a two month trip to another village at that time. My mother pretended that he returned to see her then, but he couldn't have. I thought I was premature."

Were you small at birth?

"No."

But you are human, and a nice person.

"I can't be a changeling!" Gale said, anguished. But doubt remained.

Whatever the changelings were, she could be one of them. This was an astonishing coincidental turn of her investigation.

Gale had been the only natural child in her family. Her three siblings had been adopted. This suggested that her parents had not been able to conceive naturally. Further evidence that she herself was unnatural.

Do they keep records of impregnations?

Good idea! "Records," Gale said to the blue monkey.

Soon she had the tome. It claimed to list all the implantations performed by the Temple. It was alphabetical by year, and covered the planet.

She looked up her mother's name for seventeen years before. And shuddered with relief. It wasn't there.

But what about eighteen years ago? Swale inquired like a bad conscience.

Of course: she had forgotten the year of gestation. She checked there--

and found her mother. One year before Gale was born. She had been implanted with a changeling.

Then Gale had a horrible notion. She looked up Havoc's mother, nine-312 Key to Havoc

teen years before. She was listed. Havoc was a changeling too.

Desperate, she made a wild stab, and looked up King Deal. The name and age of the king was taught in all schools, so she was able to get the correct

year. And he was there.

This was becoming like a weird dream. She looked up several other mothers in the village of Trifle, and they were not there. She and Havoc seemed to be the only ones. Then she looked up Ennui, trying several years because she wasn't quite sure of her age. But she had no luck there, because it was the mother's name she needed, and she didn't know that. Still, what she had learned was quite enough to leave her permanently unsettled. No wonder King Deal had been curious about the changelings; he must have discovered that he was one of them, and wanted to know more about them. But was that reason for him to be killed?

She didn't have much time left, if she was going to escape safely. She read further in the original volume, and learned that the changelings were crafted to vary in appearance, but to have the common traits of high intelligence, excellent body and health, an inbred sense of honor, and to be attractive in personality and manner, once they came of age to reproduce. Male changelings tended to be highly appealing to women and liked by male companions, and female changelings were typically beautiful, and readily cultivated the interest and love of the men they associated with.

Gale sat half stunned. This was a perfect description of Havoc and herself. He could charm any girl into letting him Peek and Touch, Gale included. And she, as she matured, had had similar power over boys, and men too; she had seen men looking wistfully at her, surely wishing they were free.

The two of them had remained true to each other in significant part because each was most attracted to the other. But also in significant part because they

had made the oath of betrothal, and had strong personal honor. Both Havoc and Gale were far smarter than they let others know, because they preferred to avoid resentment. They had played complex games of riddles and analogies, which no others in the village would have fathomed. They understood each other in ways others did not.

"We really are changelings," she murmured, giving up her effort to resist the notion.

I know King Havoc only from your thoughts, but I think if I had been sent to seduce him, I would have fallen in love with him instead.

"Probably so," Gale agreed. "He has that way with women." Even several grown village women had considered asking him to sire their fourths, despite his youth; only quick and careful sidestepping on his part had dis-Piers Anthony 313

suaded them.

Then Gale marshaled her thoughts, put aside her feelings, and returned to her research. She had to find out why the changelings were being seeded into the human population. Then she would have a report for Havoc that would surprise him.

The blue monkey had been resting on the floor beside Gale. Suddenly it perked up. Gale listened, and heard footsteps in the hall outside the library.

Someone was coming!

She started to go to a corner to hide, but realized that she had the books laid out on the table, a sure giveaway of someone's presence. She dashed back--and the library door opened. She froze, hoping it was just a careless spot check by a night watchman. But then the lights came on, glowing pale blue, and she was exposed.

A blue priest was standing there staring at her. In a moment he would raise a commotion.

I can distract him.

Gale let Swale do it. She danced, making her body move in the erotic way. The priest watched, his mouth open, his alarm evidently shifting into intrigue. He was an older man, blue bearded, but not so old as to be beyond fascination by a succubus.

I'll get close. Then you bash him. I can't touch him.

They danced around the table and toward the priest. His eyes followed every movement. The shirt and trousers weren't as good as a skirt would have been, and not in a class with nudity, but the body and motions were there, and they held the man's attention.

They got close, smiling alluringly. Close enough. Now!

Gale swung out with one hand, to chop at a nerve complex in the neck.

But her hand bounced off without touching his flesh.

"Blue magic," the priest said calmly. "You can't attack me. Didn't you know that?"

She was fairly caught. But maybe she could lull his suspicion, then break for the outside. "No. I'm nonChroma."

"Will you accept my word that you can't escape?"

The dragon seed did not buzz. So much for that. "Yes."

"Then let us be seated and talk."

They sat at the table with the books. "I am Booker, the head librarian of this particular Temple unit."

"I am Dame Teacher of the Educational Tour. You knew I was here?"

"Of course. We of the Temple are not entirely obtuse. Anyone who 314 Key to Havoc

enters the compound is tracked, and of course the dogs reported the details."

"But they're only animals. They accepted my smell."

The priest lifted a small object like a whistle to his mouth. He blew, but there was no sound. Yet in a moment there was a pounding as the two dogs came charging in. They pushed open the library door and came to sit by the table.

"Please identify this young woman," Booker said.

One blue dog opened his mouth. "She climbed the tree overgrowing the fence and dropped in. She applied wax to deceive us. She appears to be from the cast of the troupe now playing at the adjacent village. She is not alone."

The priest lifted a blue eyebrow. "She has a companion?"

"There is the smell of a succubus, though the woman is human. We believe she carries a spirit with her."

The priest nodded. "This is unusual."

"She does seem to have special powers," the dog agreed. "She knows when you tell the truth."

"Don't I always?"

Both dogs and the monkey dissolved into laughter.

Booker shrugged. "It seems you can't deceive a blue animal."

"It seems I did not," Gale agreed. "I thought the dogs were normal."

"They are normal Blue Chroma animals."

"Gee thanks," one of the dogs said. "We thought we were unique."

Booker smiled. "Blue Chroma specializes in animals, and ours are specially trained. Part of their training is to emulate ordinary dogs when encountering foreigners." He squinted at Gale. "Just as yours is to emulate an ordinary woman when encountering strangers. Need I draw any further parallel?"

Gale ignored the implication, which was quite accurate. "Why did you let me enter unchallenged?"

"My dear, we were curious as to your business. We assumed you were a tax spy for the king. We feared you would kill yourself rather than reveal your

mission if questioned, so we let you pursue it unchallenged. But you surprised us. You merely desired information about your origin."

So he didn't know everything. "Yes."

"She is not being entirely candid," a dog said.

Booker smiled. "Do you care to rephrase, Dame?"

"I sought information about the changelings."

This time the dog did not object. Apparently it could serve in the man-Piers Anthony 315

ner of the dragon seed, spotting untruth.

"For whom?"

The truth seemed best. "The king."

"But the king can have this information for the asking. Why didn't he query us directly?"

Gale did not try to mask her surprise. "After all the trouble you went to to conceal it, you say the king can have it?"

"Conceal it? I do not understand."

"The succubus!" she flared. "Why send the succubus to stop me, if you have nothing to hide?"

Booker shook his head. "We know nothing about a succubus."

She stared at him. The seed had not buzzed. "Then who sent it?"

"I have no idea." No buzz.

For the moment, Gale was at a loss for words.

"She believes you," the dog said. "But she is amazed."

"I confess to being surprised myself," Booker said. "You evidently captured the demon, which I should have thought would be beyond your power, without magic. How did you do it?"

"I stuffed Sulvan seaweed into my cleft."

Both dogs collapsed into laughter again, and this time so did the priest.

"Oh, what a simple device!" he gasped. "Common cleverness, instead of magic. Delightful. But surely it wasn't that simple."

"I had have certain differences to work out with her," Gale said. "But we have come to an understanding."

"Giving you the power to dance in a remarkable manner. I watched for some time, appreciating what you had accomplished." He nodded. "I think the changelings are improving, and that you are the best yet. How did you acquire the power to detect truth? That is not inherent."

Gale shrugged, not venturing a direct lie in the presence of the dogs.

It didn't help. "She has a dragon seed," a dog said.

"A dragon seed! How did you get that?"

"I prefer not to discuss it."

"Why not? It's a remarkable accomplishment."

Gale was silent. This trio was prying out all her secrets, but maybe she could stonewall them.

"She does not trust your discretion," a dog said.

Booker frowned. "I am not your enemy, Dame. I harbor nothing but good wishes for all changelings. You have achieved things I thought beyond the power of any changeling. I would like to know how, so as to guide our 316 Key to Havoc

placement of future changelings."

Gale still didn't trust this. This man was too canny, and if he was not her enemy, neither was he necessarily her friend. "At this point, I want just to return to my troupe."

Booker glanced at the dogs. "How best to proceed?"

"Negotiate with her."

The priest returned to Gale. "You heard. You have information we desire. Do we have something you desire?"

"Yes. Complete information on the changelings, and the granting of my freedom."

"Done. We will exchange information, satisfying each other, and then you will depart quietly the way you came, finish your tour, report to the king,

and neither party will betray the interests of the other." The seed did not buzz. In fact, it hadn't buzzed throughout the entry into the Temple complex. Was it still functioning?

"Tell me a lie," Gale said.

"After I agreed to tell you the truth? I don't understand."

"To test the seed," a dog said.

"Oh. We already know whatever you might tell us."

The seed buzzed.

"Thank you. I agree to your deal."

"She commits," the dog said.

"Good enough. Who starts?"

"I will. When I was young, my friend and I came across an injured blue dragon. We made an oath of friendship with him, and then fed him and helped him recover. He gave us the dragon seeds, and taught us about magic and all else we might need to survive. Now my friend is king, and I am on a mission to learn about the changelings, because we suspect the prior king was killed because he was investigating them."

"King Deal was killed? I can't accept that."

"All true," a dog said.

Booker sighed. "I stand corrected. I must accept that. But you must accept this: we had no knowledge of such a plot, and no part in it. The Temple never conspired against the king or wished harm to him. He was one of ours."

"Yes. What are you trying to do with the changelings?"

Booker paused, evidently considering his answer. "I will answer, but I trust you understand that we do not wish this information to be bruited about."

"I thought that was part of the deal: we keep each other's secrets."

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"Precisely. When I said our information was always available to the king, I meant only to the king, via some duly authorized emissary."

"Agreed. I am the king's beloved. I will tell only him. I can not speak for whom he may tell."

"We understand each other. We are attempting to seed changelings in all the leading positions of our species, so that they will govern mankind and improve our planetary situation."

Gale stared at him. "You're trying to take over the world? To make the Temple supreme?"

"No. We are not political, and seek no power for ourselves. Only to deliver the power to the changelings, who are superior examples of the species. This project has been in place for several decades, and perhaps is nearing completion."

"You seek no power? You do all this for nothing?"

Booker gestured expansively. "By no means! It is for everything. We truly want the species of mankind to succeed on planet Charm, and to prosper in every way. We want to eliminate poverty, injustice, warfare, illness, and

ignorance, and go on to recover our lost ability to travel in space, so that we

can achieve the ultimate: colonization of Counter Charm, our sister world."

His eyes seemed fairly to shine as he spoke of the Temple's dream, and the dragon seed did not buzz.

"You're a humanitarian!" Gale exclaimed. "A visionary."

"I am. We all are. No one joins the Temple without being one."

"And you think replacing human beings with changelings will be best for mankind?"

"Changelings are human beings. Consider yourself: are you in any way inhuman? Do you have any agenda other than what is human?"

"No! And neither does Havoc. But we thought we were human. I mean, just like others."

"There you sit, in baggy clothing, disheveled, arguing with me--and yet so lovely I wish I could embrace you. So smart you can learn at a rate impossible to ordinary folk. So determined that you will put your life on the line to

accomplish your mission, whatever it may be. You befriended a dragon! You captured a succubus. And your similar friend Havoc is king, and already taking hold in an amazingly competent manner. Tell me about being just like others, you fantastic creature."

She couldn't even blush modestly; everything he said was true. "Then tell me I am completely human," she countered.

"You are completely human--in the way that human beings were meant 318 Key to Havoc

to be. The rest of us are only portions of our potential, and thus have become inferior. You represent that potential. Our physical, mental, and moral ideal."

And the seed did not buzz.

She had come to solve the riddle of the changelings, and learned what astounded her. Her self image, her world, had been inverted. She was faced with the unbelievable, and had to believe it.

No wonder you captured me, Swale thought. You're in a wilder situation than I am.

Gale did something that completely surprised her. She wept.

Piers Anthony 319

ack at Triumph, Havoc settled into the routine of kingship with imperfect grace. He was a creature of the wilderness, and did not feel at home with civilization. Gale had not yet finished her tour, so Bijou remained with him. She was lovely and eager to oblige, but she was not, and could never be, the real Gale.

The first night in the king's suite, Havoc tackled that problem. He removed his crown so that they could exchange thoughts. They had been practicing this regularly, along with Ennui and Throe, finding the supposed illness

of mind reading to be increasingly useful.

You have done an excellent job of emulating Gale. But now that we are no longer on public display, I wish to know you as yourself. What is your name?

Bijou, Sire. It means a jewel, a trinket.

You are a gemlike girl. I will call you Gale when I speak aloud, but in my mind you will be Bijou. When I embrace you, you will be Bijou.

Oh, Sire! She flung her arms around him, genuinely delighted to be known and embraced for herself.

You know that I love only Gale. But I do care for you, and--

B