Cube Route by Piers Anthony Page A

wasn't quite satisfied with this. It would be hard to scout for potential Companions if she had to humor children. “Thank you, but--”
        “Right this way,” Melody said. They seemed to take turns speaking. The three of them turned and skipped across the drawbridge.
        Cube had little choice but to follow. Maybe an adult would take charge of the playing children inside, and she would be able to get on with her business.
        A huge serpentine head rose up from the water of the moat. It was a sea serpent, looming over the children. “Nickelpedes,” Cube whispered, and suddenly she was surrounded by them. She wasn't sure they could reach the monster in time to prevent it from gobbling a child, but she had to try.
        Harmony turned back. “You don't need those,” she said, evincing no fear of the nickelpedes.
        “This is Soufflé,” Rhythm said.
        “Our pet moat monster,” Melody said.
        “And baby-sitter,” Harmony said.
        Soufflé brought his huge head down, and all three girls reached up to pet him on the snout.
        “Uh, all right,” Cube agreed, banishing the nickelpedes. She wasn't entirely easy with this, but surely the girls knew their moat monster.
        The monster nodded, then slowly sank back into the water. Cube realized that he understood human talk. The wonders of this castle continued.
        They entered the castle. The central hall was enormous, with many arched doors along its sides.
        “This way to your room,” Rhythm announced, running to a stone stairway.
        “But I'm not staying here!”
        “Yes you are,” Melody said, running beside her sister.
        “But I only--”
        “Hurry up,” Harmony said. “We have a lot of showing to do.”
        Cube came to a stop. “Look, girls, I appreciate your interest, but I'm just a passing traveler. I can't--”
        The three burst into laughter again. “No you're not,” Rhythm said.
        Every time she told a half truth, they caught her. What was going on here?
        “Children!” a woman called, approaching from down the main hall. “What mischief are you up to?”
        “Awww, Mom, we're just showing Cube around,” Melody said innocently, a bright little halo appearing over her head.
        “She needs to see the sights,” Harmony added.
        “And get some Companions,” Rhythm concluded.
        The woman turned to Cube. “I apologize. The Princesses are so mischievous it's hard to keep track of them. I hope they haven't been bothering you too badly.”
        “Oh, not too bad,” Cube said.
        The three girls burst out laughing again.
        Then something else caught up to her awareness. “Princesses?”
        “Perhaps we should make a more formal introduction,” the woman said. “I am Princess Ivy, and these are my children, Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm.”
        Now Cube saw that the woman also wore a crown. She recognized the name. “P-P-Princess Ivy?”
        There was more laughter from the children. “She didn't know!” Melody said.
        “We were having real fun,” Harmony added.
        “Waiting to see how long it took her to catch on,” Rhythm concluded.
        Princess Ivy shook her head. “They are endless mischief, but it's hard to stop, because they are Sorceresses.”
        “Sorceresses,” Cube repeated numbly. She was standing before a Princess--four Princesses--and didn't know whether she should bow or faint.
        “Any one of them is a Sorceress,” Ivy clarified. “Any two of them square it, and the three together cube it.”
        “Cube it,” Cube echoed, wondering whether this was pure coincidence. She kept encountering squares and cubes of three. Had the Good Magician known?
        “Whatever they sing, play, and drum together becomes real. Beware when they start making music.”
        Melody began to hum. Harmony played a note