At the top, the corridor turned again and went out an arch way covered in a mass of flowering plants. Aahz pushed through the plants and I helped Tanda follow.

We stepped out into the beautiful sunshine of a wonderful afternoon. After being under tons of rock, getting knocked out by an energy explosion, and waking up in pitch darkness, the sunshine was beyond words.

There was a shovel lying on the lawn in front of us. It was the same shape as the golden-plated shovel we had used, only there was no gold left on it.

"Would you look at that," Aahz said.

On the corner of the lawn was a smoking pile of what looked like a cow.

"Looks like we broke Bovine's spell," I said.

"Sure does," Tanda said, pointing to the shovel. "On both sides of it. Whoever had that shovel has left. And the front gates of the castle are standing wide open."

She was right, but what I also noticed was that the gold trim that had decorated the gate was gone, and the gold along the top of the walls was gone. I looked slowly around. There wasn't a speck of gold in sight. Tanda's spell must have used it all around this area.

We walked across the soft grass toward the burning pile until the smell stopped us twenty feet away. It had been a vampire cow all right, but now its legs were sticking straight up in the air and its skin was burnt to a crisp. It looked as if had burst into flames and died almost instantly, before even turning completely back into its vampire form.

"What a waste," Aahz said, staring at the burning creature.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "That was a blood sucking vampire."

"No," Aahz said, shaking head. "I mean what a waste of good meat. No one eats their steak well-done these days."

He turned and smiled at me. "What was the chef thinking?"

"That it will be years before I eat another steak," I said.

Chapter Eighteen

"So where's the profit?"

TERECTUS

Victorious or not, we were still pretty tired by the time we made our way back to where we had left Harold and Glenda. Something I've noticed in the past about playing with chan neling energies: when it's over, what you feel is drained.

The first thing that was noticeable was that apparently Harold had untied Glenda, as she was conscious and perched in a chair across the table from him. The second was that Harold himself seemed far more composed as he rose to greet us.

"Ah, my friends! It seems that congratulations are in or der," he said, smiling broadly. "All indications are that you were successful in your efforts to shut down the spells."

"That's not all that's in order," Aahz said darkly, folding his arms across his chest. "I think, at this point, we're due a few explanations. Beyond the tale you told us originally, that is."

"But of course," Harold said, gesturing for us to pull up chairs. "I take it that you have already determined that my story was not quite complete."

"Let's just say that the facts as they were presented to us don't quite add up," Tananda said through tight lips.

Harold nodded. "It is true that there were a few minor points that I omitted or altered slightly when I explained the situation you."

"Why don't you just fill us I on those points now," Aahz said, "and let us decide for ourselves how minor they are."

"Very well. First, perhaps things will be clearer if I admit that my name is not Harold. In truth, I am Count Bovine himself."