The Three Furies (Erec Rex) (52 page)

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actually gives me time to arrange everything." She sounded excited.

"You heard her!" Bethany was too excited to ask what Wandabelle was talking about, or even care that a fairy was floating around in the room. "Jam, you coming?"

"Yes, modom." He presented her with a backpack. "Ready, young sir?"

Erec could tell that Jam had been exasperated trying to keep Bethany from leaving. She jumped up and down, clapping her hands as Jam found Cinnalim on the map of Otherness.

"Now that I know where Danen's compound is, I'll put us closer. . . ."

"So, you finished your fifth quest, then?" Bethany picked up Erec's Amulet of Virtues. "I wonder why it's not lighting up yet."

Erec hadn't thought about it, but it was true. His fifth quest was done, wasn't it? He had saved the Clown Fairy. Nobody was left in the Nightmare Realm, not even Balor Stain. Maybe something was wrong with it. All of the death rays and black magic that it had absorbed when Baskania was trying to kill him must have damaged it. He let the thought go as Jam opened the door into the hot Cinnalim sunshine.

Bethany whirled out onto the beach. "It's
beautiful
! I knew this place would be this great. Look at the waves rolling in. The temperature is perfect." She ran to the water and trailed her hand through a wave. "It's warm. We should swim ... but no. Up that cliff. Look at those gorgeous mansions up there! I want to go!"

She raced ahead to steep stone steps carved into the hillside and ran up two at a time. Erec and Jam chased after her.

"Careful, Bethany! Go slow. Just in case Baskania might be around."

"Eek! Look at this place." Bethany pointed out the gazebos, gardens, pools, and tennis courts. "Let's go in there." She ran toward

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the largest mansion, its glass walls and beams, steel doors and rails, sending sprays of color like a giant prism. White-painted porches and rounded window frames added warmth to the glitter.

"Slow down!" Erec grabbed her arm, and Jam caught her other one. Inside the open door, surrounded by his never-ending party, sat Danen Nomad on his throne of money.

Bethany melted when she saw him, dropping to her knees. "Look at him! I can't believe it. He's the one--the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Erec was, against his better judgment, starting to feel jealous. "That old guy? Look at him, Bethany. His underwear is made of money."

"It is?" She swooned. "How dreamy!"

Erec spotted Ajax Hunter across the crowded room standing near Danen. He was looking at his watch, as if tired of standing around. He must have been stationed here by Baskania, just in case Erec showed up.

Bethany almost ran right toward him, but Erec pulled her down. "Ajax Hunter is right over there. You have to wait."

"
Wait!
I've waited my whole life for this moment. What did you say his name was?" Her voice sounded so dreamy it was making Erec sick.

"Can I help you?"

Erec looked up to see Mike, the big security guard who they had met before. "You have to get Danen to turn his magnet off Bethany. Quick!"

Mike frowned. "It's not been easy, what you've put us through," he said. "Baskania hasn't been back here, luckily. So he doesn't know about Mr. Danen using the magnet on Bethany. But he's had people stationed here since your visit, watching. They don't know why you came, it sounds like. In fact, Ajax Hunter said that after this week

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they won't be bothering us anymore--if we promise to turn you in if you ever show up. So this wasn't the best time to visit. Maybe come back next week?"

"No!" Bethany gasped. "It kills me to think of leaving!"

Erec shot Mike an annoyed look. "Can you just send a message to Danen that we say thank you and please let her go now? We're never going to get her out of here otherwise. I don't think you want Bethany hanging around and getting caught here either. That would lead to more questions."

Mike sighed and disappeared. Erec and Jam pulled Bethany out of the door, struggling, and sat out of sight.

"Just . . . let . . . me . . . go." Bethany twisted and fought against their grasp. "It's lovely in there. Great people to meet." Then, as if just realizing something, her jaw dropped. "We should live here! You can still do your quests. Go to Alypium when you have to draw one from Al's Well. But this can be our home base!"

Erec didn't bother answering.

All of a sudden, Bethany held still. She looked around, and then back at the house, frowning. "Was that Ajax Hunter in there?"

"Yup."

"Then what are we
doing
here? Let's go!"

Erec did not let go at first, wondering if she was trying to fake them out and get inside the house. "You don't want to meet Danen Nomad anymore?"

"Who, that guy inside? Not if he's standing next to Ajax Hunter. What's the big deal about him, anyway?"

He squinted at her, starting to smile. "Isn't he 'the one'? The perfect man that you want to spend your life with?"

Bethany turned pink, remembering. "Um, did I say that? I guess that magnet is turned off now. How embarrassing!"

Erec grinned with relief. "Okay, let's go home."

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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Schmaltzberry Pies

UNE GAVE EREC a huge hug when they returned. "I haven't said congratulations yet for saving the Clown Fairy." She was very relieved. "You don't know how important that was. Wandabelle has been flying in and out of here--the little thing is all excited. Did she tell you what's going on?"

Erec answered. "She's doing something to secure the future of the clowns, I think. Something only she can do so they'll always be safe."

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June looked at him closely. "She didn't give any details, though?"

"No. But she wants us all to help."

Surprising Erec, June sniffed and forced a smile on her face. "Okay."

"Are you all right, Mom?"

"Yeah." She ruffled his hair. "Just wanted to spend a little time at home with all of you. You know."

"We'll be able to do that soon, Mom. Don't worry."

Wandabelle fluttered up to Erec and kissed his nose, making him itch tremendously, then fluttered to Danny's ear. "It's time! Everything is ready. I have all of the special ingredients, whipped them all together." She giggled. "Come on! All of you!"

"All of us?" Erec asked confused. "You don't want everyone here to go, do you?"

"Of course!" Wandabelle's voice tinkled.

"I mean, my mom should probably stay here with Nell, Trevor, and Zoey, I think."

"Nonsense! They should come too. This trip is perfectly safe, I assure you. And I'd be very disappointed if Aunt Salsa didn't join us."

Aunt Salsa covered her mouth, giggling in delight. "Should I bring anything?"

"Not at all. Except we have to hurry!"

Everyone filed after the little fairy into the Port-O-Door, and she directed Jam to which part of Otherness to pull up on the map. "Over there. Enlarge the part that says 'Smoolie.' Now put the Port-O-Door into that big field there. Yes, the tree on that side is fine."

They stepped out into the most gorgeous place Erec had ever seen. The large field surrounded by groves of trees was absolutely spectacular. Each tree looked like a work of art, the leaves glistening green as if they had been painted with neon light. The sapphire sky seemed to melt around everything. Sunlight streaked from high

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above and made the air gleam and shimmer. The birds, the grass . . . everything seemed more like a painting than real.

Erec had visited many beautiful places, but never anywhere like Smoolie. It took a moment for him to adjust before he even noticed the crowds on the open lawn. Hundreds of clowns filled the clearing. Some of them juggled and did acrobatics, but most stood talking animatedly, facing straight ahead.

Wandabelle led Erec's group to the front of the clearing. Curiously enough, he spotted two large pies set atop thrones.

"Stand here--all of you." Wandabelle gestured to the front of the large crowd. She flew to the front of the crowd and sat on the grass. At first it was hard to see her. But she raised her arms and grew larger, shooting up to the sky, until she was thirty feet tall. Her voice boomed.

"Thank you all for coming here, to share with me a day that will go down in clown history! Many of you have been working hard for years to bring us to this point, that we can provide true safety for clowns. So let me say, long live the clowns!"

The crowd behind Erec screamed and cheered. "Long live the clowns!"

After they had settled down, Wandabelle continued. "We've been through a lot lately. Our numbers have dropped. We've almost suffered a disaster. For clowns without leaders cannot go on. And the Shadow Prince, who wanted to be your new leader, would have made you slaves.

"So, I'd like to thank our hero for today. Let's give a big cheer for Erec Rex! He freed me from my prison in the Nightmare Realm! And he has brought with him our new future--a future of hope for all!"

Wild cheering erupted behind Erec, and a few people slapped him on the back. He felt his face turn red. Why all this? He didn't

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need this attention. But at the same time he felt himself grinning.

"So, it's for Erec, as well as all of us, that I'm going to tell a little story. This is the story of the clowns. Our trials, our perils, and now--our victory!"

Amid the screams and cheers, Erec thought he heard circus music playing in the background.

"Many hundreds of years ago, a fairy princess had a dream. It was about a new nation of people whose mission was to spread joy and delight across all lands. And out of this dream sprang a wonderful reality. The princess made a wish. And the wish came true. The first clowns were born, and they prospered, following their Clown Fairy with love and devotion.

"As time went on, the clowns needed more than just their guardian protector to care for them, loyal as I was. They thrived with structure and deserved some of their own kind to lead them with wisdom and respect. So, one glorious day, I wished that kind of leadership for you. Two objects floated down from the sky, drifting on little parasols. They were quickly recognized as two of the most beautiful clowns ever seen.

"Queen Shalimar and King Derby stepped into their rightful places as the rulers of the clowns. I blessed them with the gift of ages--that as long as there was a clown on this earth, then they would live to rule. For many hundreds of years they lived happily and at peace with their subjects.

"When the Kingdoms of the Keepers formed five hundred years ago, the clowns happily accepted the invitation to live in settlements in Otherness and move completely out of Upper Earth. Baskania offered us safety and room to do as we wanted, without being disturbed by others. We trusted him and found no reason to doubt his good will.

"But ten years ago, Baskania's men went on a murderous spree,

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destroying most of King Piter's castle in Alypium, in an attempt to take over. Among his other plans, we found out that he also intended to take the lives of our precious rulers.

"Clown intelligence is the best there is. We have spy networks everywhere. So of course we learned the plot to take Queen Shalimar's and King Derby's lives. The king and queen brought their top advisors in to discuss the matter, and it was decided that they go into hiding. Their death would be staged. The deed was complicated, but with my help we were able to fool the killers.

"But to stay safe, Shalimar and Derby would have to stay out of sight. As soon as Baskania learned that they were alive, he would be back again. So we decided to take our own action. The rulers remained hidden while we came up with the most glorious and wonderful invention of all time. Something that would not only protect our rulers, but every clown alive as well.

"It was an Aeronautic Castle--a special structure that humans or clowns could never build alone. It took fairy work along with years of clown labor and assistance to create. But finally it has been finished. And so I reveal to you now: the Aeronautic Castle." She waved her arm, and the air before them rippled. A gigantic, shimmering clear castle appeared behind her, stretching into the sky. Its edges and beams shone, but most of it was completely transparent, which gave it the appearance of an immense, palace-shaped bubble. Amazingly, the entire thing was floating in the air, a few feet off the ground.

"This, my friends, provides safety. This gives us freedom. Once your rulers return here, nobody will ever be able to harm them, or you, again." She smiled. "Which brings me to the last part of my story." She gestured at the two thrones with pies sitting atop them. "Your rulers. They are here."

A frantic buzzing filled the air. Erec looked at the pies in shock. Their king and queen had disguised themselves as pies ten years

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