The Elusive Goblet

"Oh!" Astra said, disappointed. Doing something like that was in character for Robert, of course. Perhaps it would be enough to tell Zerm where the thing now was? Surely he must be powerful enough to get it back once he knew its location, and hopefully he would be still be grateful enough to take her off the island. "Who did you sell it to?" she asked.

"A brothel owner in Walants. But I could always steal it back again, assuming that she still has it. Of course, I'd need to get to Walants first." "And the name of the brothel owner?"

"I don't remember. Does it matter? I could track her down easily enough."

He yawned. "It was a late night last night, and I could do with some shut-eye. Would you care to join me? Naturally the bed in my chamber is a double."

Astra suppressed a shudder. Being nice to Robert was all very well, but that was asking too much. Besides, it now seemed that she had all the information that she was going to get from him concerning the goblet. Hopefully it would be enough for Zerm to transport her off the island. She could suggest that he sent her to Walants, to track down his goblet. Perhaps that might sway him.

"I'm not ready to go to sleep just yet," she said. "Perhaps I'll join you in bed later." And perhaps not, she thought.

Ten minutes later, Robert was in bed and already fast asleep, snoring loudly. Astra now had the chance to contact Zerm.

1. Her information about the goblet was enough for him to transport her off the island. Or perhaps he just fancied having her as his slave. He brought her to him.
2. Her information about the goblet was enough for him to transport her off the island. He sent her to Walants to try to retrieve the goblet.
3. Her information about the goblet was enough for him to transport her off the island. He told her to hold hands with the sleeping Billingsley, and sent them both to Walants.
4. But she couldn't raise him. Had the telepathic link broken down?
5. Her information wasn't enough for Zerm to do a deal. It looked as if she would have to resort to her idea of temporarily becoming a monkey. Not that that would get her off the island, but killing Robert was preferable to spending a life-time with him.

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