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

our protection, and ‘e’ll never get out o’ this place without

our ‘elp, and ‘e’s more than willin’ to contribute ‘is

share.”

The ferret nodded enthusiastically. “Please accept my

service, good sir… and madame. Allow me to accompany

you. Perhaps being proximate to such mighty ones as your-

selves will improve my own ill fortune.”

“I’ll bet you were a good trader,” Jon-Tom commented.

“Okay, you can come with us, but as an equal. Not as a

servant or slave. We’ll pay you a decent wage.” He

remembered the purse filled with gold, stolen by Zancresta’s

thugs. “As soon as we can afford it, that is.”

“Food and shelter and protection is all I ask, great sir.”

“And stop calling me sir,” said Jon-Tom. “I’ve intro-

duced you to everyone by name.”

“As you wish, Jon-Tom.” The ferret turned to look

down the beach. “What do we now? I presume you are

bound to the east, for if one walks long enough one will

come ’round again to the lands bordering the Bellwoods

and the River Tailaroam, where civilization is to be

encountered.”

“Don’t I wish,” Mudge grumbled.

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Alan Dean Poster

Jon-Tom shook his head. “We don’t go to the east,

Jalwar. We go southwest, to Snarken.”

‘ ‘Across the Glittergeist? Sir… Jon-Tom… I have lived

long and seen much. The voyage to Snarken is long and

fraught with danger and difficulty. Better to begin the long

trek to the mouth of the Tailaroam. Besides, how could

one take ship from this deserted land? And north of here

lie the Muddletup Moors, where none may penetrate.”

“We penetrated,” said Mudge importantly.