“Don’t trouble yourself, dear Lion,” Glinda said in her honeyed voice, although Cornelius was almost certain he saw a flicker of distaste in her eyes. “When I go to visit the Kingdom of the Beasts, I expect beasts!” She giggled, and the Lion relaxed.
“Cornelius, make our guest comfortable,” he ordered. How exactly Cornelius was supposed to do this was unclear. He quickly dusted fur and the bones of an animal carcass—the Lion’s breakfast—away from an area of the Lion’s platform and indicated that Glinda should sit before scampering off to find something for the witch to eat. Glinda looked down at the rough platform and actually frowned. The Lion was too busy cleaning his paws to notice. “Sit, sit!” he exclaimed through a mouthful of fur.
“Travel is so, er, cramping,” Glinda replied. “I’m much more comfortable standing, dear Lion, and anyway I won’t be here long. I have a message of the utmost importance for you—and a mission, if you’re up for it.”
“A mission?” The Lion left off his grooming to look up at Glinda quizzically. “What kind of mission?”
“I’ve just come from the Emerald City, where I’ve been visiting with the queen,” Glinda explained.
“How is she?”
Glinda blinked, and for the barest second the Lion thought he saw a scowl flash across her face. “She’s very well, of course,” Glinda said, a little coolly. “She’s really settled into ruling like a duck to water. Just born to run things.”
“She is part of the royal line,” the Lion pointed out.
“And she lets you know it!” Glinda giggled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I thought I’d have so much to teach her, but really she just runs circles around the Scarecrow and me!”
“But the Scarecrow’s in the countryside,” the Lion said. At first, the Scarecrow had sent him letters via Pixie Express, but the Lion didn’t always finish them. They were pages and pages long filled with what he was learning. Things that were well beyond the Lion’s brain. The Lion couldn’t help but think that Scare was trying to read his way back to the throne. “Yes, of course, you know that he felt he had to go when he realized Ozma didn’t have any use for him. And in fact, I’m on my way back to my summer palace myself. Ozma certainly doesn’t need me.” This time, there was no mistaking the irritation in her voice. The Lion wondered what had happened back at the palace to set Glinda and Ozma at odds, but he knew better than to ask. Glinda might look kind, but she was powerful—and he’d seen her cruel side. He’d think twice before pushing her. Glinda quickly got her expression under control and her voice returned to its habitual sweetness. “But I didn’t come here to talk about boring old politics,” she cooed. “I came here because I need you, dear Lion, and only you, to help me with a most important project!”
The Lion sat up straight again. “Me?”
“That’s exactly right. In fact, there’s no one else in Oz who can possibly help me with what I need done. Can I rely on you, dear Lion? On your courage—and your utmost secrecy?”
“Of course you can rely on my courage!” the Lion retorted indignantly, wondering if she was trying to suggest the Wizard’s gift was insufficient. He hadn’t lost the initial battle against Jinjur’s soldiers because he wasn’t brave enough, but because he was outnumbered. Surely she remembered that. Glinda laid a soft, perfectly manicured hand on his paw.
“Oh dear, now I’ve offended you. I didn’t mean to imply you aren’t the bravest lion in Oz, but what I’m asking of you will require more than just brawn. I need you to keep your mission a secret, and to conduct it with stealth.” Glinda lowered her voice and gazed deeply into the Lion’s eyes. “Can you do that for me? Is it too much to ask?”
The Lion drew himself up to his full height, returning her look. “I am at your service, lady Glinda, noblest witch in Oz,” he said huskily, though he hardly knew what he was doing. He didn’t even know what his assignment was to be, or who would look after the Kingdom of the Beasts while he was away. But Glinda was so persuasive and so compelling. Not to mention so beautiful. Her blue eyes glittered and she squeezed his paw tightly, covering his forehead with kisses. “I knew I could rely on you, my brave, wonderful Lion!” she exclaimed. Raptly closing his eyes in pleasure, the Lion couldn’t see that Glinda was holding her nose as she kissed him.
“Then it’s settled!” Glinda said happily. “You can prepare to leave in the morning. I’m sure you’ll have to make arrangements for the kingdom while you’re away. I can’t imagine your mission will take too long, but you never know.”
The Lion nodded, looking up at Glinda in adoration. “My mission,” he agreed, and then he frowned slightly. “What is my mission, exactly?”
Glinda giggled. “Oh, right! It’s very simple, really. I want you to protect Ozma. As you know, her army is gone. . . .”
The Royal Army had been a single man. And Jinjur had taken him out in a heartbeat right in front of him and Scare.