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and fair-haired, about the same height and almost identical from
a distance. But as they approached, their distinctions mani-
fested. Hiatus was male, with developing shoulders and the
first traces of a beard; Lacuna was female, her hair framing a
rounder face and her clothing arranged to set off contours that
were evidently not entirely to her satisfaction. Irene smiled to
herself; some girls filled out early, as she herself had done,
while others were late. Lacuna would get there in due course.

"Welcome to Castle Zombie, your Majesties," Hiatus said
formally. The two were on their good behavior; no mischievous
magic occurred.

"Good to be here," Dor responded. The truth was, the King
had come on business; the twins' debut was merely a pretext
so that citizens of Xanth would not be concerned that something
was wrong. For something was indeed wrong, and this was to
be a significant meeting. It was perhaps the first genuine crisis
since Dor had assumed the throne on a regular basis, and Irene
worried that he might mishandle it. Her father, King Trent,
had been fully competent to deal with anythingЧbut Trent
had retired and moved to the North Village so as not to interfere




4 Dragon on a Pedestal

with the policies of his successor. Irene would have preferred
to have her father closer by, just in case. She loved Dor, and
always had, especially when she was furious with him, but
knew he was not the man her father was. Of course, she never
displayed that sentiment in public; her mother Iris had long
since impressed on her that it was not politic to be too open
about the inadequacies of men, particularly husbands, espe-
cially those who also happened to be kings. It was better to
run things behind the scenes, the old-fashioned way. That was
where the real power was.

"We cleaned up the zombies for you," Lacuna said shyly.

Irene glanced at the zombie centaur, which had followed
after them as a kind of honor guard. Gobbets of decayed flesh
fell from its body as it moved and plopped sickeningly to the
ground. But the creature had a bright red ribbon in its tail. "We
can see that," she said diplomatically. "That was very nice of
you." Zombies did take some getting used to, but they were,
in their putrescent fashion, decent folk. It was hardly their fault
that they had died and been reanimated as walking dead.