"Che's destiny," she said. "It may be to enable the goblins to have a female chief. That could change the history of Xanth."

That made him pause. He realized that his efforts might be counterproductive. "Very well. I will suspend the attack for an hour. If Godiva will let her daughter go, we will do it. But she must answer promptly, for I will not be stalled." Horses could be stalled, but not centaurs.

"Jenny has access to the mountain. She can go in and ask. This could solve everything and make the entire course of this incident have meaning."

"Let her go in, then," he said. "But she must have an answer. If she does not return within the hour, the attack resumes, and it will be swift." He leaped into the air and flew off to attend to the halting of the attack.

"It's up to you, now, Jenny," Chex said. "You will do us all a phenomenal favor if you bring this to pass."

The girl looked scared. "I'll try," she said. "I'll try my very best."

Chapter 14. Jenny's Judgment

Chapter 14. Jenny's Judgment

Jenny was terrified as she approached the mountain, carrying Sammy. She had been with company before, but now she was alone except for the cat; and the surface of the mountain was mostly rubble, and the feel of warfare was in the air. Suppose the goblins thought she was an enemy invader and threw stones at her?

Then she had a moderately bright notion. "Sammy, find a safe way in," she said, setting the cat down.

Sammy seemed irritated to have his snooze interrupted, but he picked his way to one of the smaller tunnel holes and went in. Jenny had to get down on her hands and knees to squeeze past the rubble partly blocking the hole, and she got her nice blue dress—actually it was Gwenny's dress—smudged in the effort, but she made it.

Inside it was terrifyingly dark. She should have thought to bring a torch! How was she to find her way in such blackness? "Sammy, wait for me!" she called, fearful of being left behind. The cat would surely find a safe way in, but that wouldn't do her any good if she didn't keep up with him. It was so much harder here in Xanth, where she could neither send nor receive Sammy's mind.

There was a faint meow. Jenny went toward that, and her foot caught a stone and she almost fell. Then she stepped over an edge and did fall. Screaming, she slid into some sort of slick pit, unable to catch herself.

Then she realized that it was not a sheer drop, but a steep tunnel. In fact it was a slide! She was sliding down and around and around, swiftly but not horrendously. This was the safe way in!