Bride of the Castle by John Dechancie Page A

it.”
    â€œLooks very futuristic,” Gene said. “Test-tube buildings, tracery connecting them. Nineteen-fifties paperback cover.”
    Snowclaw sniffed air that wafted in from the arid plain. “I don’t like it.”
    Gene sighed, straightening up. “Yeah, you’ve seen one test-tube city with skywalks, you’ve seen them all. Let’s find another aspect.”
    Snowclaw shouldered his broadaxe. “I’m getting tired of looking,” he complained as he accompanied Gene down the long stone-walled corridor.
    Gene yawned.
    â€œYou look ready for adventure,” Snowclaw said.
    â€œExcuse me. Maybe all I want is some sleep. Get ready for the wedding.”
    â€œIf you want,” Snowclaw said with a shrug.
    Another yawn overcame Snowclaw’s dark-haired human pal.
    â€œMan, you’re raring to go,” Snowclaw said sardonically.
    â€œHell,” Gene said. “What’s wrong with me? I can’t get up enthusiasm for anything these days.”
    â€œYou were talking about something the other day with Linda. About how humans sometimes feel sad for no good reason?”
    â€œUh . . . Oh, you mean depression?”
    â€œYeah, that’s it.”
    â€œYou think I’m depressed?”
    â€œLooks to me as though you are. Sad, for no good reason. Frankly, I can’t understand it. O’course, I’m not human, so don’t pay me any mind.”
    â€œI’ll be darned.” Gene stopped walking and considered it. “Snowy, maybe you’re right.”
    Snowclaw’s face, usually not capable of registering much emotion, showed surprise. “I am?”
    â€œYou just might be,” Gene said. “I should see a shrink.”
    â€œShrink?”
    â€œHead doctor.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œYeah.” Gene was thoughtful. “But they cost money. And therapy takes years. And that’d mean I’d have to go back to Earth.”
    â€œDon’t they have head doctors in the Castle?”
    â€œWell, Dr. Mirabilis might know of one out in one aspect or another, but that amounts to the same thing: being away from the Castle.”
    â€œWhat does a head doctor do?”
    Gene didn’t answer for a moment. Then he said, “Hm? Oh, not much. Just talks to you.”
    â€œI can do that.”
    â€œSo you could. But there’s another way of curing the blues.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œKeeping so busy that you don’t know you have a problem.”
    â€œIn that case, you should get busy,” Snowclaw recommended.
    â€œProblem is, though, all I want to do is go to my room and hibernate.”
    â€œHey, I didn’t know humans hibernated. I’m overdue for my winter sleep.”
    â€œI was speaking figuratively.”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?”
    â€œForget it.”
    They walked on, stopping now and then to peer into a likely-looking world. There seemed no end to them in this particularly long corridor of the Castle keep.
    Gene seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, paying little attention to what lay beyond the portals. Snowclaw grew more and more irritated.
    â€œGene, if you really don’t want to go out today, just say so. Fine with me.”
    â€œHuh? Oh, sorry, Snowy old pal. Yeah, I do want to go out. But . . .”
    Gene unbuckled his swordbelt and threw it, along with his scabbarded broadsword, into a nearby empty alcove.
    â€œBut without that. I’m tired of violence.”
    Snowclaw nodded indulgently. “Okay.”
    â€œNo, really. This constant thirst for adventure has to stop. It’s a symptom of something. A neurotic disorder, probably.”
    Snowclaw kept nodding. “Okay.”
    â€œWhat am I trying to prove? That I’m a he-man, a fearless hero? Why do I have to prove that? And to whom?”
    Snowclaw shrugged. “Beats me.”
    â€œTo no one, that’s who!” Gene said. “I’m through with