Read Zombie Lover for Free Online

into any other living creature; when he became a roc bird he could carry others swiftly and far.
     
    "Maybe your father, too," she suggested. "He and Chameleon just got youthened, and I think he's still getting used to it."
     
    Dor remembered. His mother Chameleon varied with the phases of
     
    ZOMBIt LOVFR          33
     
    the moon, becoming beautiful and stupid, or smart and ugly. She had been rejuvenated too, but was currently in her ugly phase, and not much company for anyone. "Yes; it will do him good to get out for an afternoon."
     
    Irene waited, as if he had said something stupid. Usually when she did that, she had reason. So he pondered.
     
    The nearest book helped him. "You must be missing something really obvious," it said. "Maybe you should read a good book."
     
    Suddenly it came to him. "They've been what?"
     
    "Youthened," she said with half a smile, or slightly more. "Instead of being eighty one, now he's twenty one. Physically. And Chameleon is a child of sixteen."
     
    He was stunned. "Why? I thought they were getting ready to fade out."
     
    "Nobody knows. There were two doses of youth elixir in the package the Good Magician sent to Jenny Elf this morning, and they were marked for them. So now they are both young again. Younger than their grandchildren."
     
    "The Good Magician always has a reason," Dor said. "But he never gives away anything free. Do they have some arduous service to perform for him?''
     
    "Surely so. But no one has been told. Jenny Elf has a huge chore to do, with instructions. Maybe you should ask her." Which was her way of saying that she wanted very much to know, but didn't deign to inquire directly.
     
    "I will," he agreed. "Right after I locate Bink and Dolph. We'll check with Jenny, and then go out and check with the zombies."
     
    Irene nodded, and continued watering her plants.
     
    Dor went out looking for his son Prince Dolph first. Dolph remained slightly awkward at age twenty four, despite having been married to Princess Electra for nine years and having two bright daughters delivered. His magic was first rate, however, and he was of amiable disposition. Still, it seemed better that his more savvy older sister Ivy become the next King of Xanth, when the time came. Dor hadn't said anything about that, yet, but eventually he would have to.
     
    The inanimate things and surfaces around him directed him to the kitchen, where Dolph and Electra were showing their daughters Dawn and Eve how to make punwheel cookies. The children were six, going
     
    34       PIERS ANTHONY
     
    rapidly on seven, and already seemed to have the hang of handling the required puns and wheels. Electra was 874 or twenty seven, depending on whether reckoned by date of delivery or amount of active living; she had taken a long nap in the middle of her life. The twins were cute in proportion to their mischief, which was considerable.
     
    Electra was clean in blue jeans, but Dolph and the girls were covered with punwheel dough. It was clear where the competence lay in that family.
     
    "The zombies are roaming Xanth," Dor said to Dolph. "I thought you and 1 and your grandpa Bink could go out and find out what's agitating them."
     
    Dolph looked at Electra. "Go ahead," she said. "I think we girls can handle the rest of this by ourselves." She glanced sidelong at him. "But perhaps you should wash and change. You wouldn't want to make a bad impression on the zombies."
     
    Both girls giggled. They were similar in a family sense, but differed in detail. Dawn was red-haired, green-eyed, wore bright clothing, was normally bright, and her talent was to tell anything about anything living. Eve was black-haired and -eyed, wore dark clothing, was more somber, and could tell anything about anything inanimate. Dor wasn't sure which of them would relate better to a zombie, because it wasn't quite clear which category zombies fit into.
     
    'Til do that," Dolph agreed. He left the kitchen.
     
    "We'll