Erec nodded.

She sighed impatiently. "I thought we talked about that. You can just not accept it. When it's all done we'll bury it somewhere. Or I'll hide it from you if you want."

Yeah, sure, Erec thought. Right.

CHAPTER FOUR

A Smug Harpy and a Helpful Ghost.OSCAR HELD THE small yellow kitten to his cheek. His eyes were red and puffy. "Thanks, guys."

Erec tried to cheer him up. "We saw Balor and Damon's mom in the pet store. Looks like she made Rock Rayson give his dragon horse to their brother Dollick. She said it 'wasn't fair that Dollick didn't have one.' I guess it's only fair for her sons to have things, not other kids."

38."What about their friend Ward Gamin?" Oscar asked. "He won a dragon horse too. You think they'll take his away?"

"Who knows." Bethany looked disgusted. "Those Stain triplets don't care about anyone but themselves." She glared at Erec, an unspoken reminder that he couldn't drop the ball and let the Stain boys become kings.

The three of them were sitting by a brook in Paisley Park. All around them kids were paired with tutors, brandishing remote controls and making useless things happen in an attempt to harness their magic. Bethany had called her session off today, and Erec had no tutor arranged yet. His previous one, Pimster Peebles, had taught him nothing--had not even allowed him to try using his remote control. He said it was too dangerous.

Erec smiled at Oscar. "Well, one good thing about Rosco Kroc--at least he showed me how to use my remote control to move things. He's the only one who taught me anything about doing magic. I bet he would have shown me more, too, if--"

"If what?" The smile dropped from Oscar's face. "If he didn't turn out to be an evil kidnapper? How could you even think anything nice about that guy? I hate him. Hate Hate him." He glared at Erec with defiance. "It was your brother and sister he kidnapped. Remember?" him." He glared at Erec with defiance. "It was your brother and sister he kidnapped. Remember?"

Erec rolled his eyes. "Of course I remember. I don't like him either, believe me. But we used to. Remember how you talked about how great he was? How much magic he taught you?"

Oscar's face was bright red. Erec immediately felt bad for making a point of it.

Oscar growled, his eyes slits, "Don't ever speak another word about Rosco Kroc to me. Ever. He ruined my life."

Erec nodded, but Bethany tilted her head, puzzled. "We all can't stand him, Oscar. We know what he did. But how did that ruin your life? Just forget about him."

39.Erec knew why Oscar felt his life was ruined. He had looked up to Rosco, loved him like a father, probably. And Rosco had disappointed him. It must have humiliated Oscar to find out that the person he respected most was a kidnapper and a spy for Baskania, and had lied to him about it. And when he was sent home, he'd gotten in fights with his father about getting another tutor, right before his father died. Maybe Oscar thought that if it hadn't been for Rosco, his father would have lived. He probably blamed Rosco for the whole thing.

Oscar wiped his eyes on the kitten's yellow fur and squinted at Bethany. "Because of Rosco, I'll never get to do any quests with Erec. That's the only thing I really want to do. I could have learned all that magic from anyone."

Erec had forgotten about that. One more reason for Oscar to hate Rosco.

Bethany held a finger up. "Why can't you do a quest, Oscar? Just because Rosco said so? He's wrong."

"No," Erec said. "He's right. Ugry said that he'd make sure Oscar would never go on a quest with me, just because Oscar had been associated with Rosco."

Oscar's face was pinched. "If I ever see him again, anywhere, he better watch out."

Erec figured it was time to change the conversation. "Well, I'm probably not going to go on another quest again, anyway. Looks like Balor and crew are working on ways to get the next one without me even knowing about it. We'll just figure out our own fun things to do here instead."

The edges of Oscar's mouth twitched into a smile. Bethany glared at Erec, but didn't bring the quests up again.

"How long have you been here?" Erec asked.

"Just got here yesterday," Oscar said. "I have a bunch of money 40.that I found at home. Some unknown relative left it for me to get a tutor. I still need to find one though. Are you getting a new tutor?"

"I better," Erec said. "Peebles stunk."

Oscar grinned and Bethany broke into a smile. She took Oscar's kitten from him and rubbed noses with it. A second later Cutie Pie, pink fur on end, dove from a bush right at her hands. If Bethany hadn't jerked away in time, the kitten would have flown to the ground. "Cutie Pie!" she exclaimed, jaw dropped. "I'm allowed to hold other kittens. Shame on you!"

She handed the yellow kitten back to Oscar. "I want you and Jack to have dinner with us at the castle tonight. King Piter will be there. He'll be so glad to see Erec again. We should make it a party. Sound like fun?"

Oscar nodded. "I still have that autograph the king gave me, from the first time I met him."

A loud, strangled screech made all three of them jump. In front of them appeared a creature with the body of a vulture and the head of a woman. Shiny black hair plastered on her head wound into a tight bun, and her nose shot out like a beak. Erec wasn't sure if she wore black lipstick or if her lips were naturally that dark. But either way, he recognized her, and her ferocious expression, immediately.

It was Erida, the Harpy.

Erida, from the Committee for Committee Oversight, in the Bureau of Bureaucrats, was supposed to be in charge of the quests. She had invited Erec to draw his first two from Al's Well. Erida thrust a claw toward him, holding a crisp parchment roll. He reached out toward her to take it.

As if he was not right in front of her, Erida shrieked, "Erec Rex! Erec Rex! Erec Rex!"

Erec jerked his arm back in shock. "Is that for me?"

41."Erec Rex! Erec Rex! Erec Rex!" she squawked, a glint in her eye, as if she enjoyed making them recoil. Bethany covered her ears. With a flick of her claw, the parchment flew into Erec's face. "Watch out, Erec Rex," she said. "President Inkle made us the police here now. We've got our eyes on you. See you soon...sucker!" she cackled. Then she swooped through the air and flew away.

Erec shuddered. How could President Inkle have made those awful Harpies the police of Alypium? Then again, the president seemed to do whatever Baskania wanted. Maybe this was another way of scaring the people of Alypium into doing whatever they wanted.

He unrolled the thick crinkled paper. It read, "It is with the utmost pleasure that the Committee for Committee Oversight invites Erec Rex to the Labor Society this Friday at 7:00 p.m. to accept his third quest." At the bottom, a smug-looking smiley face was engraved next to the words, "Our Mission--PIPS: Pleased, Inspired, Pleasantly-surprised Service."

"Friday? That's tomorrow. Well, this is a surprise," Erec said, staring at the invitation in his hand. He fingered the gold amulet around his neck, not thrilled about drawing another quest. "I can't believe that Alypium is going to be run by screaming Harpy police with their dumb committees and red tape."

Bethany's lips fluttered back and forth between a smile and a frown. "I don't know, Erec. I don't like it. You heard Mrs. Stain. What if they have some kind of plan to trick you? But, then again, you can't quite turn it down, can you? Doing another quest is your only chance to be king and get rid of Baskania for good."

"I can can turn it down, Bethany. You saw Erida's face. And the words, 'Pleased,' 'Inspired,' and 'Pleasantly-surprised'? They want me to go. That's not a good sign. I better stay away." turn it down, Bethany. You saw Erida's face. And the words, 'Pleased,' 'Inspired,' and 'Pleasantly-surprised'? They want me to go. That's not a good sign. I better stay away."

"So you'll quit and let Baskania get the scepters? Destroy the whole world?" Her eyelids narrowed and she put her hands on her hips.

42.Erec felt guilty. He was just thinking about himself. She was right. He had to put aside his fears of being given a scepter and actually do something to keep them away from Baskania. He shrugged sheepishly. "You're right. We just have to think about a safe way to do this."

"Don't forget," she said, "your Amulet of Virtues will protect you more with each quest you do. It kept King Piter, Queen Posey, and King Pluto safe from Baskania when they were young, after they did enough quests."

Erec nodded. It also gave Baskania more reason to get rid of him now, before he got any stronger.

Oscar had been quietly watching them. His voice sounded distant as he said, "Just go without me. Nice to know you."

Erec stared at him. "You know what, Oscar? Who cares what Ugry says? Who cares about these dumb rules? All the rules are being made against me now, anyway. I want you and Bethany to go with me on this quest. Let's see someone just try to stop you."

Oscar sat up straight. His kitten almost dropped from his lap, and had to cling on to his pants with her claws. "You...you mean it, Erec? I can do a quest with you?" He stood. The kitten tumbled to the ground but landed on her paws. "I can't believe it!" A grin filled his entire face. "Maybe I'll solve the quest myself! Maybe I'll even end up being king with you!"

"I don't think--" Erec stopped in midsentence when he saw Bethany shake her head at him. She was right. Oscar deserved to feel happy.

It had been a month since Erec had been in the Castle Alypium, and it felt strange being back. It was so big and imposing compared to the New Jersey apartment he shared with his five adopted siblings and their adoptive mother, June. On his way to the west wing, Erec 43.caught a whiff of something foul. Around the corner stood a man with a vertical crease running up the center of his bulging forehead.

Balthazar Ulrich Theodore Ugry, King Piter's AdviSeer, leaned on his dark carved walking stick. The scarab amulet on his black cape was glowing. "Ahh," he said, eyelids narrowing. "I can see I'll be busy again."

Erec frowned at him. "Not on my account. Just do your own thing. I'm fine."

As many times as Erec had been suspicious that Ugry was up to something nasty, though, he had been proved wrong. As unpleasant as he acted, and smelled, it seemed that Ugry meant no harm. In fact, he had saved Erec from a shadow demon. He could not let himself forget that.

"So are you saying you don't need a babysitter anymore?" Ugry looked perpetually annoyed. "Because that's not how it seems to me. Each time you're here you get in trouble."

"I'll be fine. Just..." Erec waved as if to shoo him off.

Ugry smirked and drifted down the hall. Erec found Bethany in the west wing dining hall. Its soaring ceilings, stained glass windows, chandeliers, and fancy china on the long table made Bethany look tiny.

Jam Crinklecut, the butler in charge of the west wing house staff, walked in. He carried a silver tray stacked high with cheeseburgers, pizza, and stuffed potato skins. His gray vest, long black dinner jacket with tails, fancy white shirt, and even his white gloves looked perfectly pressed. Fortunately, his hair was no longer slicked to the side with thick grease as it had been when Erec first met him.

Jam was more than a butler to Erec, he was a friend. He had followed Erec into Otherness and fought by Erec's side against the entire Alypian army. Not that Jam would ever brag, or even admit that he had been brave. He was too humble, and noble, for that.

44.Jam broke into a grin when he saw Erec. He put the platter down, rushed over, and put his hands on Erec's shoulders as if he were about to give him a hug. Then he thought better of it and instead bowed again and again.

"Aw, cut it out." Erec boxed Jam's shoulder playfully, then gave him a quick hug. "How've you been, Jam?"

"Most pleasant, young sir," Jam said in his crisp British accent. "And how may I best serve young sir today? Are there any special requests you might have?"

Erec thought a moment. "Yes, Jam, I do."

Jam straightened, ready as usual to serve.

Erec smiled. "I request that you join us at the table for dinner."

Jam's eyes flew wide open. "But...young sir." He looked around uncomfortably. "This is highly irregular."

Before Erec could answer, King Piter came through the doorway. His long white hair was pulled back under his crown, and his eyes twinkled. The king's magnetic presence made everyone turn to him like needles in a compass.

Or was it what he was carrying? In his hand glimmered a golden scepter. Erec's breath caught when he saw it. For a moment he forgot that everyone else in the room existed. It was just him and the scepter.

"Well, Jam," King Piter said, "I think it's a wonderful idea. I'm sure Erec would enjoy a meal with you."

Jam bowed to the king. "Yes, sire. If you say so, sire." He looked around uneasily as if wondering what to do next, then stood a moment, staring at the plates. Finally, he sat next to Erec.

Bethany flew across the room and gave King Piter a hug. "Hey, Daddy!"

A smile played on the edge of Erec's lips. Bethany used to catch herself when she called King Piter her father, but she must 45.have given into it finally. Erec was happy for her. She had wanted parents so badly, and King Piter was pretty close, basically adopting her. Bethany had seemed over the moon when the king told her he thought of her like a daughter.

The king patted her head, the corners of his lips tipping into a wistful smile. Then he looked at Erec. "Come here, boy."

Erec approached him, as he had when he'd first dined with the king, unsure what to do. The closer he came to the scepter, the more he began to squirm. He wanted to touch it badly but was also terrified of it.

Then something inside him relaxed. It was better this time. The urge was less. He was sure of it. No doubt his cravings for the scepter were still there, but its grip on him was loosening. Finally! He stayed on the other side of the king as he came close, feeling slightly more in control.

King Piter planted a thick palm on his head and mussed his hair, then walked to his seat at the head of the table. As Erec sat down, a woman's voice sounded in the room. "Erec?" The voice sounded familiar. He looked all over, but no woman was there.

Then it was louder, making him jump. "Erec? Can you hear me?"

Erec stood up and looked around. "What was that?"

Bethany and King Piter watched him with quizzical looks. "What was what?" Bethany asked.

"That voice!" he said.

And then it sounded again. "Erec? It's me. Your mom. Remember? The Seeing Eyeglasses?"

The Seeing Eyeglasses let their wearer see the person who they missed most, and talk to them. His mother had them on now and could see Erec clearly, even though he couldn't see her. His jaw fell open. "So, this is what it's like? You can spy on whatever I'm doing with those things?"

46."It's no different than when you used the glasses to talk to me. Look at the chair to your right," his mother said. "That way you'll be looking at me when you talk."

Erec laughed. "All right."

Bethany looked stunned. King Piter, on the other hand, munched some cloud rolls without taking any more notice.

"Is everything okay?" his mother asked. "Looks like you found Bethany all right."

"Yeah. And I got an invite to do another quest. So I guess I'll be here awhile."

"I figured that would happen soon," she said.

Bethany asked, "Erec, who are you talking to?"

"My mom. She has the Seeing Eyeglasses."

"Ohhh." Recognition showed in Bethany's eyes.

"I'll check in on you later, then, Erec," June said.

"Okay, bye, Mom."

The king cleared his throat. "Good to see you back, Erec. I'm glad to hear the Fates are ready to give you your next quest tomorrow."

"I have a question," Bethany said. "Why was there so much time between Erec's last quest and this one? They're so important, it seems like there shouldn't have been any wait."

King Piter laughed. "I've actually been surprised at how fast Erec's quests have been coming. Ours were spread out much more. The quests aren't just contests that can be planned in advance. They are a part of Erec's real life. His quests will affect all of our lives, really. Things happening around us will shape into the right lessons for Erec to become a good king.

"There are no time limits on quests. Some of the great quests in history took many years. Some of them might require a while to prepare for as well. The Fates would not rush the making of a king." He winked at Erec. "And they know when it's time to give breaks, 47.too, when they're needed. I think Erec was ready for some time at home this last month."

The king sighed. "I've been busy with some problems. I'm sorry I haven't had time to check up on your situation much. Things are getting worse on Upper Earth, and it's all I can do to figure out what's wrong."

"What problems on Upper Earth?" This caught Erec by surprise. It didn't seem possible that any problems large enough to interest King Piter could be happening on Upper Earth.