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‘You think it’s etwith you that aren’t estured to the soaked earth ‘This seeo horrifically awry"’
‘It’s just a little loss of control,’ Dreadaeleon replied as calet to decide which muscles it eats away’
‘That doesn’t see with,’ Denaos said ‘What was it that caused it? Too ic stuff?’
‘Yes, exactly All the wondrous thought and power that goes into ic stuff,"’ the boy snarled ‘You have a prolowered disdainfully at the sleepy look in the rogue’s eyes, sniffed at his foul breath ‘Mostly the drunk’
‘Well, there’s hardly any need to be snide about it,’ the rogue replied ‘Really, though, I am a bit curious’
‘And I’’
‘Hush, I’ue leaned back with an air of scholarly ponder, tapping his chin ‘Why in Silf’s naods you don’t happen to believe in, would you still be suffering ic-related ail ic for all the time we’ve been here?’
He knows He knows about the toht ca of his spine and sudden dripping halt of his flow caue’s eyebrow rose so sloith such arrogant curiosity, that Dreadaeleon could almost hear the muscles behind it creak like a door
No, he told hi How could he?
How could he not? the boy countered himself It’s not like you’ve been particularly subtle about it And he has a penchant for sneaking up on people …
That made sense, the boy had to adh away to avoid Denaos
Still, he told himself, he can’t knowworks
But he could have learned He could have found out, watched the wizard in hisabout the island, that he was pulling downcovered in bird stool
His heart started to beat quicker How ue know? Was he aware of the tome’s location? Was he aware that the boy knew? Had he surmised the boy’s plan, to delay their discovery until he could bring hith and find it himself?
He must know; he’s not an idiot, Dreadaeleon told himself Maybe I should just tell him He can be persuaded to keep a secret …
No, fool! He reprimanded himself with a et it and ill you have done? Tattled like a child? They’ll be the great heroes again, adored by her, and you’ll be nothingto theMaybe I’ They can’t possibly see me like that
But when have they not? The irritation ca back into hi you and throwing you away at their convenience You set the fires and they enjoy the warnored so lightly You’ve conquered bigger obstacles with ht, he told hiht?
‘You’re hiding so the accusation like a knife
‘What makes you so sure?’ the boy replied as se
‘You just froze while I was talking you, likely disappearing into soht that you’d rather I was not privy to’ The rogue sniffed ‘Also, your piss is on fire’
The smoke filled his nostrils before Dreadaeleon could even think of a reply He stared doith twofold horror: once to see the strea in a sround His cry, too, came twice as he leapt backward and sprayed fiery soil across the earth
‘Good Gods, how do you explain this?’ Denaos leapt from the errant stream
‘It’s … it’s perfectly natural,’ Dreadaeleon staht, not natural, but not uncoet crossed when a wizard channels the in urine that explodes when exposed to air Nothing to worry about’ He nodded sternly, placed his hands on his hips, then looked up at the rogue ‘So, uh, what do I do?’
‘How should I knohat to do about your fluids?’ Denaos said, cringing away ‘How often does this happen?’
‘Not enough that I knohat to do,’ the boy shrieked, gesturing wildly ‘How do I stop it? What do I do?’
‘Well, don’t point it athi him toward a nearby bush ‘There! Just … just close your eyes and think of Muraska It’ll wear itself out’
Damn, damn, damn, Dreadaeleon scolded himself mentally This! This is what happens when I don’t rest! I knew this was going to happen Well, not this, specifically, but so like this! Oh, I’m so bad at this … His hands twitched about his loincloth, fearful to touch and aim the suddenly lethal spewer Well … no, it’s fine Denaos can keep a secret, right? He’ll make me pay for it later, but for now, all thaton?’ a familiarly feminine voice lilted to his ears
He nearly broke his neck as he contorted it to see over his shoulder Asper stood, hands on bare hips, her expression a blend of concern and irritation that drifted between the wizard and the tallbetween them Dreadaeleon felt his blood run cold, even as he felt a sudden, fiery spurt
Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!
‘Watch my back,’ he whispered his plea to Denaos
‘Better than your front, surely,’ the rogueon here that I should be infor her nose as she witnessed Dreadaeleon’s activity ‘Or is this actually as foul as it appears?’
‘Foul?’ Denaos nant stance ‘What’s foul about it?’
‘He appears to be urinating on a burning bush,’ she replied, fixing him with a suspicious stare ‘Why?’
‘Dry season’
‘And Dreadaeleon is …’
‘Perforhed dramatically ‘Listen, this is rather a personal aspect of awe can help you with?’
‘Lenk has so the rings with his injury, so I went out to find you’
‘Well, injured or not, he’ll have to co to be a while’ At her confused stare, he nodded sagely ‘It was a very dry season’ Following that, he thrust his own curious stare at her ‘Interesting that you should coh … Almost out of character, isn’t it?’