How Far Can Zerm Be Trusted?

She went on: "When Billingsley comes round, I'll see if I can persuade him to tell me where he stashed the goblet. I don't see why he should refuse. It's not as though I could steal it from him when we're all stuck on this island. Then I'll get Fogeno to use his last wish. It won't really matter if he wastes it, now that you are going to teleport me and and Alex - Alexis - off the island."

"From what you've told me, she won't want to come unless Billingsley comes too."

"I never thought of that. But you can undo her devotion to Billingsley, can't you?"

"Not at a distance. When I teleport the pair of you, it will have to be to me. Then I'll be able to undo it."

Was Zerm telling the truth? She felt uneasy at the thought of being teleported to Zerm rather than back home to Aqualaria. But she supposed that she wouldn't be able to prevent him from transporting them to himself in any case, if that was what he wanted to do. Beggars couldn't be choosers. She would just have to trust him and hope for the best. It was strange that she was reduced to relying on Zerm, but compared to Billingsley he almost seemed like Zerm the Speakable.

Something else occurred to her. "If you can't undo the wish affecting Alexis at a distance, then can you manage to teleport us, given that we are far away from you?"

"Oh yes, thanks to that telepathy link that I set up with you before I let you 'escape'. It does mean that you will need to be holding hands with Alexis if I am to teleport you both, as I didn't set up a telepathic connection with her."

1. Zerm was telling the truth.
2. Zerm was lying. He couldn't do any magic at a distance, and wouldn't be able to teleport them. His plan was to get Astra to tell him the location of the goblet, but to renege on the deal and leave the sisters on the island.
3. Just then Astra heard the voice of Robert from the next room calling her name. He was obviously awake, and no doubt very hung over. "Billingsley's awake," she told Zerm. "Speak to you later."

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