My
new volcano was hot.
Really,
really hot.
Wiping
sweat off my forehead, I looked over at the lava flow far to my
right. Mervyn's head popped out of the lava, the molten rock slipping
off the salamander like water.
“Dreadful
place.” Ruebin crossed his arms and pawed at the dark, rocky ground
with a hoof. He had a pair of saddlebags bulging with volcanic rocks
strapped to him, and he wasn't happy about it.
It
seems to me that centaurs are rarely happy. Though having to act the
role of a pack mule probably didn't inspire a cheery mood.
“Mervyn
likes it, and the rocks might fetch enough credits to start repairs
to the barn.” I said, smiling as we headed down to the dock. If
Ruebin didn't want to improve the barn, then he wouldn't haul the
rocks.
You
never know, maybe centaurs liked leaky roofs.
“He
got lucky, facing a grass element. If it had been a lynxoon or a
cragar, he'd be dead.”
Reaching
the dock, I started unloading the rocks into a chest inside the shed.
At a hundred and fifty credits a stone, they were the best export I'd
ever collected. And as a favored food of many fire element champions,
I knew someone would buy them.
“We
have the respite before anyone can challenge us again.” I'd never
thought about how I would spend the three days a champion received
after surviving a challenge. Why would I, when my first champion had
been a scrawny moon rabbit, and the three after that spotted carps?
But
now that I had the champion's respite, I wanted to take advantage of
the volcano.
After
all, Mervyn's next challenger probably would be a water element like
the lynxoon.
And
if he lost, I would probably lose the volcano too.
“Use
that time well.” Ruebin's tail swished as he turned to looked at
Mervyn swimming in the lava. “And train that lizard to do more than
play.”
Finishing
with the first saddlebag, I nodded. “I'll try, but I don't know
anything about salamanders.”
Ruebin
gave a horselike snort. “Then learn.”
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