The Stranger - Max Frei [171]
I don’t think you’ll care much for what my new cook prepares, but you must come anyway. Good night, Sir Max. And thank you again—for the advice, and for avenging me.
When the invisible connection with Lady Tanita was broken, I was again alone, except for the sweetly sleeping Kurush. Soon, sleep stole over me, as well, and recalling Sir Juffin’s order, I dozed dutifully in his chair.
I was extremely uncomfortable. My back ached, my legs went numb. I woke up every five minutes, then slipped immediately into slumber again. “Don’t fidget, don’t get distracted,” the voice of Maba Kalox, the most mysterious creature in this improbable World, repeated to me in my dream. I couldn’t really see his face, though. Toward morning, I also dreamed about Juffin, but I didn’t have the strength to understand, much less remember, the contents of these importunate visions.
“You look terrible, Max.”
The cheerful voice of Juffin restored me to life. It was morning. I felt quite sick.
“Were you playing tricks on me me?” I asked wearily. “What were you and Sir Maba up to?”
“Do you remember?” Juffin asked. “Do you remember what you dreamed?”
“Not really. Only that you were there, and it was exhausting, I hasten to add. Well, and Sir Maba’s voice—he told me ‘not to fidget.’ What was it about, Juffin?”
“Never mind. You’ll go home, sleep a bit, and you’ll be as good as new. Before you go, though, try making some kamra again.”
“Juffin, are you taking revenge on me for Boboota?” I asked. “What a beast you are, after all.”
The chief looked at me with genuine compassion.
“Why, is it that bad? Please, Max, try it. I beg you. Honestly, I’m not teasing you. Or if I am, just the very slightest bit.”
I went downstairs and had a good wash. I did feel better, though my body still ached all over. Returning to the office, I clattered the dishes around humorlessly. Sir Juffin Hully behaved like a director on premier night. He was terribly nervous, but he tried hard to conceal it. I hurried to get the culinary experiment over with.
“Here,” I said. “Who are you planning to torture? What’s that you say—the hunchback’s waitress wouldn’t talk? Let her drink that, the old shrew.”
To my surprise, Juffin not only sniffed the contents of the pot, he even tasted it himself. When he tasted it a second time, my jaw dropped as far as it could without falling off altogether.
“Don’t you want to try it, Max?”
“Come off it,” I said, sighing. “That’s all I need.”
“As you wish.” Sir Juffin filled his mug to the brim. “It’s not quite as good as the kamra in the Glutton; but still, I like it.”
“What are you talking about? Why are you drinking that stuff? Are you getting stingy? I can put it on my tab in the Glutton—I’m rich and generous. Don’t do it, sir!”
“Don’t you get it, Max? Try it yourself—stop fooling around!”
I tried it. The kamra wasn’t as good as the Glutton’s; but it was better than the kamra in the Sated Skeleton in my neighborhood.
“Did you teach me how to make kamra in my sleep?” The truth was starting to dawn on me.
“Not me—Maba! It wasn’t within my powers. In time I may be able to teach you to move between Worlds—but not how to cook. It wasn’t even easy for Maba.”
“But why? Do you need a new chef?”
“Far from it, son. There’s no power in the World that will make a good chef out of you. To be honest, Maba and I just wanted to find out what we were worth. We weren’t sure we could do it. But now we know that no one else can match us. And it may come in handy for you. Go home to bed, poor fellow. Tonight you can enjoy life. Come back tomorrow exactly one hour before sunset. We have an important call to pay.”
“To Sir Maba?” I asked, brightening.
“Dream on! Life can’t be one unbroken chain of pleasures. We’re going to Jafax.”
“To the Main Residence of the Order of the Seven-Leaf Clover!”
“Right you are. We’re going to reshape history.”
“What do you mean by that, Juffin?”
“I’ll tell you later. Go get some rest. Good morning, Max.”
When I got home, I snuggled down under the blanket on my bed and buried