Spellsinger 03 – The Day of the Dissonance by Foster, Alan Dean

of him in the eating establishments or gambling dens. He

hadn’t been seen in some time in any of his usual haunts.

Jon-Tom finally found mention of him in one of the

more reputable rooming houses on the far side of town,

where the stink from the central open sewer was less.

The concierge was an overweight koala in a bad mood.

A carved pipe dangled from her lips as she scrubbed the

floor near the entrance.

“Hay, I’ve seen him,” she told Jon-Tom. Part of her

right ear was missing, probably bitten off during a dispute

with an irate customer.

“I’d laik to know where he gone to much as you, man.

He skip away owing me half a week’s rent. That not bad

as some have dun me, but I work hand to run this place

and every silver counts.”

“Only a few days’ rent, is it?” Jon-Tom squatted to be

at eye level with the koala. “You know where he is, don’t

you? You’re feeding me some story old Mudge paid you to

tell anyone who came looking for him because he paid you

to do so, because he probably owes everyone but you.”

She wrinkled her black nose and wiped her paws on her

apron. Then she broke out in a wide grin. “You a clever

one, you are, man, though strange of manner and talk.”

“I’m not really from around here,” Jon-Tom confessed.

“Actually my home lies quite a distance from Lynchbany.

Nor am I a creditor or bill collector. Mudge is my friend.”

“Is he now?” She dropped her scrub brush in the pail of

wash water and rose. Jon-Tom did likewise. She reached

barely to his stomach. That wasn’t unusual. Jon-Tom was

something of a giant in this world where humans barely