"Gauntlets?" Seth guessed. Warren had informed him about the message Kendra had copied from Patton's grave.
"Precisely. The famed Sage's Gauntlets. According to legend, when the man who wears them commands, dragons must obey. Do you suppose such gauntlets might come in handy for me?"
"Probably, since you live at a dragon sanctuary."
Thronis shook his head. "No. They would not fit on my little finger. The Sage's Gauntlets are meant for mortal wizards. Mastering them would be a complex endeavor even for Agad, let alone for you or your comrades. If you were to steal them, no dragon on the planet would rest until you were eviscerated."
"We're not after gauntlets," Seth insisted. "We're after a key."
"I see. Answer me this. The dragon temple is ancient. How did your key get inside?"
"A man put it there."
"Slipped by the three guardians, did he? How extraordinary."
"This guy did lots of impossible things." The giant leaned an elbow on the table. "Who was this puissant trickster?"
"Patton Burgess."
Thronis nodded. "I have bothered to learn the names of only a few mortals. But his I know. Perhaps he did hide your key inside the Dragon Temple. Perhaps he gave you knowledge that will help you gain access. The odds are poor, but the prospect intriguing. Which is why I mentioned an accord.
"I have not ignored the Dragon Temple for lack of interest. There is nothing inside to tempt me to risk all, yet there are a few items I would like. Precious figurines. A set kept together. A dragon worked in red stone. A snow giant crafted from white marble. And a jade chimera. There are two other pieces to the set--an onyx tower and an agate leviathan. Bring those as well. Yes, bring all five figurines, and perhaps you will glimpse my generous side."
Seth tried not to let his dismay show. "Won't the dragons be furious if we steal those things?"
Thronis waved an impatient hand. "They'll be furious you enter the temple at all. Taking only these few figurines will not incite them to significantly greater rage. The gauntlets are another matter. Leave the gauntlets where they lie."
Trask raised his voice. "If we vow to bring you the figurines, you will let us go?"
The giant held up a finger. "I will do more than let you go. In preparation for the endeavor, I will feed you, equip you, and have my griffins fly you to the entrance of the Dragon Temple. But one problem remains. I am unable to lie. You should not be able to deceive me, either. While fruitlessly studying how to relieve myself of my collar, I learned how to devise a similar choker. I will make one for each of you to wear. Should you bring back the figurines, I will remove the collars and provide you with safe conduct to the gate of Wyrmroost. Should you play me false, you will all strangle."
"What will you give us?" Seth asked. "You know, to equip us?"
"If I am to surrender my pie, I want some hope of a return on my investment. I can give you a dose or two of precious dragonsbane. Maybe a sword edged with adamant, or a spear tipped with the same. Rare items that I would rather not lose, to be sure, but what good is a hoard of objects never used?"
"This sounds better than being baked in a pie," Seth confessed.
Thronis regarded Trask. "What say you, Sir Leader? This is the only bargain I intend to offer. Remember, I do not lie. You will not receive a second chance. These terms strike me as absurdly generous. Those of you who do not accept have reached the end of your lives."
Trask conferred briefly with the others in a quiet huddle. "You offer us a better alternative than certain death," Trask acknowledged. "We accept."
Thronis slapped a hand down on the table. Seth staggered and fell to his knees, ears ringing. "Let us adjourn to my treasury and get you outfitted," the giant enthused. "I will place chokers on you to make sure the story the boy shared was true. Nothing will save you if he was fibbing about your purposes. As long as the tale proves to be true, tonight I will feast with my tiny champions, and in the morning, you shall sally forth to win whatever glory chance will allow!"
Chapter 22 Raxtus
Bubda sat on the splintery barrel, ankles crossed, arms folded, wearing a grouchy expression. "Bubda think about it," he said. "Ask again next week."
"We need you to try now," Kendra insisted. "If those griffins come back, they'll kick us out of here. You'll lose your home."
"Kick you out. No find Bubda."
"We found you," Warren pointed out. Bubda waved a dismissive hand. "You cheat. Knew Bubda was here. Poke Bubda with rake."
"If they take us, we'll tell them about you," Kendra threatened.
The hermit troll scowled. "Where Seth? Bubda miss Seth! Seth speak Duggish. Seth play Yahtzee."
Kendra tried hard to keep her tone sincere and sweet instead of frustrated and angry. "If you want to see Seth again, we need you to try to move the knapsack out of the little cave."
Bubda hopped down from the barrel. "No! Bubda hate sky! Bubda no leave! Bubda hide." He squatted, curled up his arms, tucked his head, and suddenly looked like a shabby wooden cask.
"How about a game of Yahtzee to decide?" Warren proposed.
Bubda raised his head. "Yahtzee?"
"The three of us," Warren continued. "If Kendra or I win, you try to move the knapsack."
"If Bubda win?"
"You get to play us again," Kendra said cheerily.
Bubda scrunched his face. "Bubda no fool. Bubda win, you nag no more."
"Fair enough," Warren conceded.
Bubda brightened. "You no win. Bubda Yahtzee champion." He waddled over to the Yahtzee box.
Kendra had learned to play Yahtzee with her Grandma and Grandpa Larsen. She could remember nights around the kitchen table with her parents, grandparents, and Seth, eating chocolate-covered pretzels, drinking root beer, and playing round after round. Grandma Larsen had always seemed to win more than anybody, but Kendra knew that, aside from adhering to a few basic strategies, the outcome of the game was based on chance.
As long as either she or Warren won, Bubda would have to try to get the knapsack out of the crevice. It was disheartening to put their safety into the custody of a plastic barrel of dice, but at least they had a two-against-one advantage.
In the end, nobody got a Yahtzee, and chasing five of a kind ruined Bubda. He missed his upper-section bonus, missed his large straight, and penciled in a low four of a kind. Both Kendra and Warren ended up with higher scores through more conservative play.