MYTH-Interpretations: The Worlds of Robert Asprin by Robert Asprin Page B

undo Garkin's spell.
    "Aahz!" Tananda squealed, throwing herself into his arms. "You've been gone for days! We were worried about you."
    "You, too, big-timer," Massha said, putting a meaty arm around me and squeezing just as hard. The embrace was a lot more thorough coming from her.
    "Thanks," I gasped out.
    "Gleep!" my pet exclaimed, wiggling through behind us. The trip through the mirror restored him to dragon-shape. In his joy he slimed all of us, including the trembling Bezel, who was being prevented from decamping by the firm grip Nunzio had on the back of his neck.
    "Honest, I swear, Aahz," Bezel stammered. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't do anything."
    "Altabarak across the way let the dragon loose, Boss," Guido said, peering at me from under his fedora brim.
    "Okay, Bezel," I said, nodding to my bodyguard. If he was positive I was positive. "I believe you. No hard feelings. Ready to go get a drink, partner?" I said. "Everyone want to join me for a strawberry milkshake?"
    "Now you're talking," Aahz said, rubbing his hands together. "A guy can have too much dream food." Bezel tottered after us toward the door flap.
    "I don't suppose, honored persons," the Deveel said hopefully, the pale pink coloring slightly as he dared to bring business back to usual, "that you would like to purchase the mirror. Seeing as you have already used it once?"
    "What?" I demanded, turning on my heel.
    "They ought to get a discount," Massha said.
    "Throw him through it," Guido advised. Bezel paled to shell-pink and almost passed out.
    "Smash the mirror," Aahz barked, showing every tooth. Then he paused. "No. On second thought, buy it. A guy can dream a little, can't he?"
    He stalked out of the tent. My friends looked puzzled. I smiled at Bezel and reached for my belt pouch.

Myth-Trained
    Robert Lynn Asprin
    I focused on the candle's flame. Forcing myself to remain relaxed, I reached out and gently wrapped my mind around it.
    The flame didn't flicker. If anything, it seemed to steady and grow. Moving slowly, I extended a finger, pointing casually at the object of my attention. Then, as I released a quick burst of mental energy, I made a small flicking motion with my hand to speed the spell along its way. There was a tiny burst of power, and the flame flared and went out. Neat!
    I leaned back in my chair and treated myself to a bit of smug self-congratulation.
    "Have you got a minute, Skeeve?"
    I glanced toward the doorway. It was my curvaceous assistant. At least, the theory was that she was my assistant. Since she tagged along when I retired from M.Y.T.H. Inc., however, she had taken over not only running the household and the business side of things, but also my life in general. Some assistant.
    "Bunny!" I said with a smile. "Just the person I wanted to see. Com'on in. There's something I want to show you."
    With a casual wave of my hand, I relit the candle.
    "So?" Bunny said, unimpressed. "I've seen you light a candle before. If I remember right, it was one of the first spells you learned."
    "Not that," I said. "Watch this!"
    I wrapped my mind around the flame, pointed my finger, and released the spell again.
    The candle exploded, scattering droplets of hot wax across the table and onto the wall behind it.
    "I see," Bunny said, drily. "You've learned a new way to make a mess. Some day you'll learn a spell that helps with cleaning up. Then I'll be impressed."
    "That's not how it's supposed to work," I protested. "I did it perfectly just before you came in."
    "What is it, anyway?" she said.
    "Oh, it's a new spell that was in my latest correspondence lesson for the Magikal Institute of Perv," I said. "It's a magikal way to extinguish a flame. It didn't seem very difficult, so I've been puttering around with it as a break when I'm working on the other lessons."
    "A magikal way to extinguish a flame," she repeated slowly. "Is it really a vast improvement on simply blowing the candle out?"
    "It's an exercise," I said, defensively. "Besides, if I