stunned. Help? Edmund’s prattle had skipped with such confidence that James half believed he already knew the answer, but it turns out Edmund wholly knew nothing--the newt hadn’t just presented himself, he had sacrificed himself, and even bargained to do so.
James yanked Pip and Sheena into a huddle. They needed an answer.
“Think!” he said, unable to do so himself. Sheena processed out loud, “More than life. Perhaps love? No, a contended man would not desire that…” Pip bit his thumb and stared at the ground. James looked to Edmund and Alcants.
“No delay,” said the Sphinx.
“A moment, drear lady,” clipped the newt. Alcants had slipped him his sword. The newt shielded it with his body. Maybe he could surprise the beast?
James felt Pip jump up. …show more content…
Pip caught them and clamped them to his side. “No, that’s the answer.”
Pip rounded to Edmund and mouthed a word. Edmund squinted and looped his finger. Pip mouthed again.
“Nothing?” Edmund said incredulously. “The combined intellect of the Valley and Allringdale gives me Nothing.” Overcome by either anger or fright, the newt quivered and shook and clenched his fist. The Sphinx, however, had stiffened. Not pounced. Not ripped Edmund to shreds and feasted upon his dismembered limbs. Just stiffened. At last, she spoke.
“The Lord of Jareth proves himself worthy, again. A shame, a pity, with revenge so necessary. No matter, our bargain is honored, the Queen will assist. Grit and caution, caution and grit--low, heed, and embody …show more content…
Edmund unclenched his fist, Alcants snatched back his sword, and Sheena gave Pip an appraising look. Pip blushed. “It just came to me. I thought of who would make me content, and poof, there was nothing else I needed.”
James smiled and aimed a playful shove. “Who would make you content, not what?” Pip flushed a deeper red. Sheena caught on, raised a hand to her mouth, and practically attacked Pip with questions.
Alcants had to separate them. “Grit and caution--the Sphinx warned that this day is not done. Edmund!”
The newt snapped around.
“I knew of your kinship with the Sphinx. But tell me, how did you travel from the South? The Valley is a long way on fine summer day, let alone when Darkness storms the land. I’ll grant you’re a fine tracker, and even so it seems quite…magical.”
Edmund shrugged. “You heard it from the horse’s mouth, or lion’s, as it were. Jareth had reign of the Ways.”
James wasn’t familiar with the term ‘Way’, even if everyone else seemed to use it freely.
Alcants pressed. “The Ways were sealed. That was a condition of the
James yanked Pip and Sheena into a huddle. They needed an answer.
“Think!” he said, unable to do so himself. Sheena processed out loud, “More than life. Perhaps love? No, a contended man would not desire that…” Pip bit his thumb and stared at the ground. James looked to Edmund and Alcants.
“No delay,” said the Sphinx.
“A moment, drear lady,” clipped the newt. Alcants had slipped him his sword. The newt shielded it with his body. Maybe he could surprise the beast?
James felt Pip jump up. …show more content…
Pip caught them and clamped them to his side. “No, that’s the answer.”
Pip rounded to Edmund and mouthed a word. Edmund squinted and looped his finger. Pip mouthed again.
“Nothing?” Edmund said incredulously. “The combined intellect of the Valley and Allringdale gives me Nothing.” Overcome by either anger or fright, the newt quivered and shook and clenched his fist. The Sphinx, however, had stiffened. Not pounced. Not ripped Edmund to shreds and feasted upon his dismembered limbs. Just stiffened. At last, she spoke.
“The Lord of Jareth proves himself worthy, again. A shame, a pity, with revenge so necessary. No matter, our bargain is honored, the Queen will assist. Grit and caution, caution and grit--low, heed, and embody …show more content…
Edmund unclenched his fist, Alcants snatched back his sword, and Sheena gave Pip an appraising look. Pip blushed. “It just came to me. I thought of who would make me content, and poof, there was nothing else I needed.”
James smiled and aimed a playful shove. “Who would make you content, not what?” Pip flushed a deeper red. Sheena caught on, raised a hand to her mouth, and practically attacked Pip with questions.
Alcants had to separate them. “Grit and caution--the Sphinx warned that this day is not done. Edmund!”
The newt snapped around.
“I knew of your kinship with the Sphinx. But tell me, how did you travel from the South? The Valley is a long way on fine summer day, let alone when Darkness storms the land. I’ll grant you’re a fine tracker, and even so it seems quite…magical.”
Edmund shrugged. “You heard it from the horse’s mouth, or lion’s, as it were. Jareth had reign of the Ways.”
James wasn’t familiar with the term ‘Way’, even if everyone else seemed to use it freely.
Alcants pressed. “The Ways were sealed. That was a condition of the