Cube Route by Piers Anthony

the next turn or hill, though of course all she had to do was keep walking and she would find it. Then she almost collided with a man going the other way. “Apology,” she said.
        “My fault,” he said. “I was looking through things and not watching where I was going.”
        “Through things?”
        “My talent,” he explained. “I make solid things appear like quartz, so I can see through them. Like this.” He gestured at a tree.
        Cube looked. The tree was now transparent, and she could see right through it. “That's a marvelous talent!”
        “Now all I need to do is find a nice woman who thinks so,” he said, and moved on.
        He hadn't recognized her as a woman. That dampened her outlook, though it was hardly the first time.
        She walked on, and soon she saw the highest turrets and pennants of the castle. It was surrounded by a large orchard, which turned out to have an enormous variety of magical trees and bushes. One section seemed to be an extensive graveyard. She paused by it, wondering who was buried there.
        The ground over the nearest grave stirred. An emaciated hand popped out of the earth, followed by a gruesome head and shoulders. It was a zombie! She was too taken aback to move. Her nickelpedes wouldn't have much effect against a thing like this, because zombies didn't feel pain and were always shedding bits of flesh anyway.
        The head turned to gaze at her with hollow eye sockets. “Khhannn Iii hellpsh you?”
        It was talking! “I was--I was just going to Castle Roogna.”
        “Thhash waayyy,” the zombie said, pointing at the castle.
        “Thank you.” Cube got her legs moving. When she glanced behind, the zombie was sinking back into its grave. Now she remembered: zombies guarded the castle, rousing themselves only when it was under attack. She would never want to try to attack it.
        The path led up to the moat. Was there going to be a Challenge to enter? Probably not. What was she going to say to anyone she met? Surely there would be a guard demanding her business. She needed to have something reasonable to tell him. What would be technically correct, but not give away her mission?
        An elf appeared before her. No, it was a cute little girl, wearing a cute little crown. She wore a green dress, had green/blonde hair and blue eyes, and looked to be about seven years old. “Hi!”
        “Hi,” Cube replied. Was this really a little Princess, or merely a child in costume?
        “I'm Melody.”
        “Hello, Melody. I am Cube.”
        The girl laughed. “No you aren't!”
        Was she guessing? “It is what others call me. My real name is Cue.”
        A second child appeared beside the first. This one wore a nice brown dress, which matched her hair and eyes. She held a toy harmonica in one hand, and wore a matching crown. “I'm Harmony.”
        “I am--”
        “I heard. Why are you here?”
        Cube wasn't sure she should state her business to children. On the other hand, there was no harm in it. “I am looking for--for a traveling Companion.”
        Both children burst out laughing. “No you aren't!” Harmony said.
        What was going on here? Cube suppressed her irritation. “Or Companions.”
        A third child appeared. This one had a red dress, red hair, and green eyes, and carried a toy drum. She, too had a costume crown. “I'm Rhythm.”
        “Hello, Rhythm. I was just saying--”
        “I heard. Why?”
        “Are you twins?” Cube asked.
        All three laughed. “No,” Rhythm said.
        “We're triplets,” Melody explained.
        Oh, of course. Cube had clumsily gotten the wrong term. “I don't want to travel alone, so I need Companions. I thought I might find some here at Castle Roogna.”
        “Okay,” Harmony agreed.
        “We'll show you around,” Rhythm concluded.
        Cube