"Point made!" he said quickly. "You could do it."
The fascination faded. She reverted to her original state. "This is a Glamor ability Flame never used on you. She felt it would not be fair play."
"But lying to me was? I am through."
"Understanding. I merely wanted to be sure you understood the background. Regret."
"Regret," he echoed. "Parting." She vanished.
He went to the brink of the cone and stared down at the roiling green magma. He still fully intended to jump, but Shee's words had set him back. He was another fifth? His name was no coincidence! No wonder he had liked Opaline from the outset; they were two of a kind.
Another figure appeared beside him. "Greeting, Fifth."
"Voila!" Even in this stressed situation he remained somewhat in awe of her.
"You helped me find my true love. I believe I owe you something in return."
"But you have a war to run."
"There is a personal responsibility also."
"Not to me. I tried to kill the woman who guides your secret weapon."
"Flame was under orders to fathom the nature of your nexus, and to conceal that information from you, so that we could handle it. We had to deceive the machines, and that meant deceiving you. What you know, the machines know. Regret."
"Who gave her any such directive? She's an independent Glamor. Whose orders?"
"Mine."
"Flame obeys her little sister?" But of course she did. Voila was as strong a Glamor as her three elder siblings combined. Now, as Shee had done, Voila was showing a fraction of her awesome power.
"She did not want to do it. She had no choice."
"So Shee informed me. Couldn't you have foiled the machines some other way?"
"Negation. The paths are devious, but we had to play it through. This way added to our advantage. So if you find it necessary to blame someone, I am that one."
He did blame her. "You have taken my love from me!"
"Regret. Flame is blameless in this respect. Curse me, but forgive her. She loves you."
"She is better off without me."
"Negation."
"Voila, unless you're going to fascinate me into doing your will, please let me be."
She gazed at him sadly, withholding her power. Then she faded out. All he wanted to do was die. Why were they making it so difficult? Another presence manifested. "Greeting, Fifth." It was Flame's brother Warp.
"Voila already tried," Fifth said shortly. "I am spoiled goods, and I want to end it."
"I come to tell you a story, and interpret it. Then I will leave you alone."
"Your art would be wasted on me. I want to end my pain by jumping."
"This is a very old story from ancient Earth, lost to our Charm culture. A fairy tale. I discovered it when researching with Marionette."
"A fine woman," Fifth said shortly.
"Indeed. I will marry her. This is the story of the Princess and the Frog. It's a silly tale, but we as children loved it when Havoc told it, and demanded to hear it over and over."
Surprised by a title he had never heard of, and knowing there was no way he could hurry the departure of a Glamor, Fifth listened.
There was once a pretty Princess who lived pretty much alone, as there were no other royal young adults in the vicinity. She entertained herself by playing with her favorite possession, a golden ball. She would throw it, then fetch it, over and over.
But one day the golden ball rolled right into a deep well and sank into the water out of reach. She didn't know what to do. She was distraught. How could she live without her precious ball?
As she stared into the water, appalled, in tears, a big green bullfrog swam to the surface. "Why are you crying, Princess?" he asked.
"I lost my lovely golden ball," she said, not surprised that a frog could talk, for this was a magic land.
"What would you give to have it back?"
"Anything!" she said without thinking.
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything It's the only thing of any value I have. I've just got to get it back."
"I will fetch it for you," the frog said. "For a price."
"If you want gold coins, my father the King has plenty. He will pay you."
"What use have I for coins? There are plenty of them already in the bottom of the spring."
"Then food. What do frogs eat? You can have a mountain of it."
"Needless. I am already well fed."
"So what the expletive do you want?" she demanded impatiently. Princesses were not noted for their patience.
"If I bring you back your golden ball," the frog said carefully, "you must admit me to your household to be your constant companion, day and night."
"Your companion?" she asked, taken aback. "Why would you want that? You're a frog."
"I have seen you playing in your garden," the frog explained. "You are very pretty, even for a Princess. I am smitten with you, and want to be with you always."
The Princess was not eager to keep constant company with a frog, but she really wanted her ball back. "All right. I agree. Fetch me my ball."
Immediately the frog dived way down to the bottom of the spring. He picked up the ball with his big mouth and swam back to the surface. This required much effort, for the ball was heavy even in the water, but he made it. He spat the ball out at the bank, then lay there, half in the water, gasping.
"Goody!" the Princess cried, snatching up the ball. She ran back to the castle, carrying it.
"Wait for me," the frog called. But she paid no heed. She ran inside and slammed the heavy door behind her. She went to her room and jumped on her bed, thrilled to have her wonderful ball back.
There was a thumping at the door. Her father the King went to answer it. There was the frog.
"What's this?" the king asked.
"The Princess promised to let me be her companion if I fetched her golden ball," the frog explained.
"Let me check," the King said. He went to the Princess' room. "Did you promise this to the frog?" he asked her.
She squirmed. "Well, yes. But I don't need to keep a promise to a frog."
"Yes you do," the King said firmly. "You made a commitment and you must honor it. Now go to the door and let the frog in."
Reluctantly the Princess did so, for the King's word was law. She opened the door, and the frog hopped inside the castle.
Then it was time for lunch. The frog demanded to eat at the same table the Princess did.
"Ooo, ugh," the Princess protested.
"A Princess always honors her promises," the King said, and his tone was such that the Princess immediately squelched any further protest.
So the frog sat on a stool beside the Princess and ate the same pastries she did. She refused to say a word to him, but the King and Queen talked with the frog perfectly politely. They were curious how it was that a frog could speak so well.
"Well, I'm really a Prince," the frog explained. "I annoyed a witch, and she enchanted me to be a frog until I could be the companion of a Princess for two hours."
The King and Queen exchanged a glance, and decided not to question this, though it was clear they had their doubts. It was not considered polite to question the veracity of a guest. In any event, they would have the proof of the statement soon, for almost two hours had already passed. The Princess, meanwhile, was paying no attention.
After lunch it was time for her afternoon nap. She lay on her bed, and the frog hopped up to join her there.
"Ridiculous!" she cried. "You'll get my bed all wet!"
"But I have to stay close to you for another minute," the frog said.
"Get off my bed!!" she screamed, using two exclamation points. That meant she was upset.
But the frog did not get off her bed. Furious, she picked him up and hurled him against the wall.