So I hauled Mandy up the stairs, such as they were, and we made it to the living quarters. A long curving hall with tall doorways leading into tall rooms. There weren’t any actual doors; the people who’d built the Observatory had been tall and unsighted, and not especially concerned with privacy.

Schmendrick’s nest was in the biggest room. She had one of the bed furnishings left by the Observatory builders: a big sort of stuffed leathery cocoon she crawled into for her naps. The rest of her pack would take turns in there with her, keeping her company and warming her. She’d give birth in there, if all went to plan.

The Radio sprouted from the black stone wall, its speaker and dial glowing cheerily. The vines and flowers spread out wildly, blooming in waves of color. It played one of its old songs: “Everybody loves a baby, that’s why I’m in love with you; pretty baby…pretty baby…”

Schmendrick was curled up in that big puffy cocoon, smelling of ointment. The top of her head was visible, and the tip of her thick tail. Her black nose twitched and snuffled. “Owen,” she said.

“Hi sweetie, did the medicine help?”

“A little. Pet me.”

So I went over and did as ordered. She stuck her head out all the way, lolling miserably from the upholstery. I stroked her head, rubbed the bases of her ears. “I brought a visitor. Her name is Mandy, and she’s the Undine. A water monster person. Have you heard of her?”

“On the Radio. Always fighting bad guys. Why is she here, are we bad guys?”

“No, she’s here to pet you.”

“Tell her to hurry.”

I beckoned to Mandy, like I had to Art earlier. I had to do it twice; Mandy was standing frozen with her hands over her mouth, eyes shining. She approached and began rubbing Schmendrick’s neck.

“No,” Schmendrick said. “Cold.” She sniffed at Mandy. “Not alive.”

“No, I’m not,” Mandy said gently. She vibrated with contained happiness. “I’m alive elsewhere, in the ocean. This is a magic Mandy I made to visit you.”

“Stay but don’t touch me. Where’s Husband?”

I looked around. “I thought he was in here, probably went to get you something to eat.”

“Good Husband. Ghost last night.”

“I know, are your guys ready?”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Yes, next time will be the time.”

“We have a ghost,” I said to Mandy. “He wakes us up yelling no no no, and won’t tell us what the problem is.”

“Scares Owen awake and he crushes everyone.”

“Oh my god, they sleep with you in the same bed?” Now Mandy looked envious. “All of them?”

“Yep, apparently very important, the whole pack. This nest is just for Schmendrick right now, when she wants it.”

The Radio abruptly stopped its music. “War news update!” A beeping noise, one I’d learned signified morse code, an older mode of electronic communication. “The invasion force had safely passed through all hazards, and Owen knew with icy certainty they would arrive within the hour,”

“Oh, good for them. Mandy, this is the Green Radio. It’s the voice of the Observatory, I think, and it tells us about your adventures. Radio, how many times has the Undine fought off monsters and jerks from this part of the world?”

“The Green Radio had witnessed the Undine battle the House of Fists, the Iron Conclave, Vertex Thaumaturge, The Eternal Third Variable–”

“Stop it,” Mandy said, flushing. “It’s no big deal.” She looked away, suddenly very intent on petting Schmendrick, who shook like a wet dog and bared her fangs.

Mandy was embarrassed at her own heroism. My Human readers will understand that I found this extremely, painfully endearing.

“We appreciate it,” I said.

She scowled. “Shut up.”

“Not allowed to leave,” Schmendrick said imperiously.

The smile came back to Mandy. “Got it. Nice to make your acquaintance, Radio.”

“The Undine had saved the Observatory many times, and had never asked for anything in return.”

“Stop,” she said, flapping a hand at the Radio. “Enough.”

“And Mandy herself, as Owen had rhapsodized just this morning, really was adorable.”

I rolled my eyes, and I knew my face was blazing. Mandy smiled slowly, not looking at me, perhaps reddening a little. I hoped she’d get over being offended; she was a goddess and I was just a doofus. Blabbermouth Radio.

The Radio blared a fanfare of shocking, horror-movie music. “A message was being sent from an unknown source!” A series of harpsichord notes and chimes with the occasional click or handclap. Nonhuman speech.

That was odd. “Can you please translate it? Do you know the language?”

“The message was as follows: ‘In the grand arena where suffering seeks solace, your destined place beckons like a newborn star.’"

“Where’s it coming from?”

“A structure between the Observatory and the Ammonite Priestess. It was a round building, hovering in place, covered with trees that grew down to barely touch the sea hundreds of feet below.”

I frowned. “Oh, that. Killed one of us. Mandy, do you know it?”

She nodded. “Empty for a long time, I’ve never gone in, though. Could be someone in there, sending spam. Want me to wreck it?”

I didn’t get a chance to continue. A noise came from down the long hall, a male human voice shouting. The ghost.