"Oh, D. Mentia," Gloha said.

"That's D. Metria," the demoness said sharply.

"So why are you here this time?" Dolph asked, deciding to get it over with.

"I thought you might just possibly figure out what's with the foal, if I gave you long enough to stew over it," Metria said. "But since you're not figuring well, I'll have to give you a hint."

"I don't want your hint!" Dolph exclaimed, because at this point he did want it.

"Think about the parallel," Metria said. "If you don't marry Electra, who dies?"

"She does. But what has that to do with—"

"If Che doesn't become Gwendolyn's companion, who does what?"

"But Gwendolyn's healthy!" he protested. "And if she isn't, just having a companion won't help her."

"What do you know of goblin society?"

"It's vicious," he said. "They kill each other to get ahead. None of the males dares show any weakness or decency, because it'll be the end of him. But that doesn't count for Gwendolyn, because she's female, and they aren't like that."

"And what kind of a position is she slated for?" the demoness asked.

"She'll be the first female chief," Gloha said. "It's always been a male job, before." Then she put her little fist to her mouth. "Oh, my! Competing with males!"

"Which means they'll kill her, if they spy any weakness!" Dolph exclaimed. "But Che couldn't possibly protect her from them!"

"Unless he provided her with something to eliminate her weakness," Gloha said. "But what could that weakness be?"

"I don't know," Dolph said. "She seemed all right to me. Her eyes didn't quite focus, but—" He stopped, a monstrous conjecture looming.

"She could be almost—" Gloha said.

Suddenly Dolph was able to make his diagnosis. "Metria—" he started. But the demoness was gone.

"If—" Gloha said.

"Then—" Dolph continued.

"To save her life," she concluded.

"And they wouldn't tell, because—"

"And we mustn't either."

"Except for Cheiron and Chex."

"After they give their word."

"And no one else," he said.

"And no one else," she agreed.

But he wondered about the demoness. She honored no human scruples and could blab the secret throughout Xanth. Would she? She hadn't yet, so maybe she didn't intend to. It couldn't be that she had any compassion for the goblin girl or any interest in better relations with the goblins. But maybe she thought it would be more entertaining to have a goblin chiefess, some future year. Or maybe she had lost interest entirely. That last would be best.

They arrived at the surface and quickly moved down to talk with Cheiron and Chex. Dolph resumed his natural form.

"We must have your word not to reveal what we have learned," Dolph said.

"Does it concern the welfare of my son?" Cheiron demanded.

"Yes."

"Then I will not give my word."

"But—" Gloha said to Chex.

"Dear—" Chex murmured to Cheiron.

"Until you tell me why this is necessary," the centaur said to Dolph.