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

for a little while. She needed time to think on serious

matters and suggested he do likewise. It was hard on him.

He did miss her. But there was the possibility she was

simply too independent for any one man.

He held to his hopes, however. Perhaps someday she

would tire of her wanderings and come back to him. There

wasn’t a thing he could do but wait.

As for Flor Quintera, the cheerleader he’d inadvertently

brought into this world, she had turned out to be a major

disappointment. Instead of being properly fascinated by

him, it developed that she lusted after a career as a

sword-wielding soldier of fortune and had gone off with

Caz, the tall, suave rabbit with the Ronald Colman voice

and sophisticated manners. Jon-Tom hadn’t heard of them

hi months. Flor was a dream that had brought him back to

reality, and fast.

At least this was a fit world in which to pursue dreams.

At the moment, though, he was supposed to be pursuing

medicine. He clung to that thought as he turned down the

tiny side street.

True to the marten’s information he heard sounds of

singing and raucous laughter. But instead of a single small

oil lamp there were big impressive ones flanking the door,

fashioned of clear beveled crystal.

Above the door was a swinging sign showing a finely

coiffed hound clad in feathers and jewels. She was gazing

back over her furry shoulder with a distinctly come-hither

look, and her hips were cocked rakishly.

There was a small porch. Standing beneath the rain

shield, Jon-Tom knocked twice on the heavily oiled door.