The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [75]
"You said Giogi had a burro," Steele said.
"Yes," Julia replied. "A vicious little creature that I would rather not run into again." She looked around the interior of the carriage house nervously.
The feeling is mutual, I'm sure, Olive thought.
"I need to find that burro," Steele said.
Olive backed deeper into the shadows. She didn't especially want to be found by a known torturer of kobolds. If only Julia would move away from that door, Olive thought.
"What's so special about the burro?" Julia asked, leaning wearily against the door.
"It cost me a small fortune," Steele told her, "but I paid the priest at the church of Waukeen to perform a divination for me. I asked where the spur was. He told me: 'In the little ass's pocket.'"
"If it's in Giogi's pocket, why are we out here?" Julia complained.
"It's not in Giogi's pocket," Steele replied with exasperation. "It's in the little ass's pocket." Very slowly, as if talking to a child, he explained to his sister, "A burro is a little ass."
Wherever I go, Olive whined silently, people are always blaming me when something goes missing. It's not fair. I've never even laid eyes on this stupid spur. Besides-
"Asses don't have pockets," Julia snapped.
Took the words right out of my mouth, Olive thought.
"Obviously it's some sort of riddle," Steele said. Feigning patience, Steele continued to explain to Julia in a slow, steady voice, "The spur could be in the burro's saddlebags, or maybe Giogi made it a little jacket-that's the sort of fool thing he's always doing. Maybe the spur is inside the burro. Then I'll have to skin it."
Olive's heart thudded in her chest as she looked around for some place safer to hide than the shadows. This isn't fair, she thought again. I haven't got the spur in my pocket. Unless- unless it's in Jade's magic purse, she realized.
Steele stepped into the stall that had been Olive's. "Waukeen's wits," he snarled, "what a mess."
"What is it?" Julia asked, too nervous to stray from her post by the door.
"Looks like there's been a fire in here," Steele said. "Maybe Giogi had an accident with a lamp."
"Look at his carriage," Julia said. "He told Aunt Dorath last night that there was nothing wrong with it."
Steele stepped out of the burro's stall. "Something snapped the wheel in two. I've never seen a break like that before." He shook his head and turned to continue his search. "Maybe he keeps the burro with the mare," Steele muttered. He opened the door to Daisyeye's stall.
Olive's stomach suddenly felt very queasy. Lady of Luck, don't let it be the oats, she prayed silently.
Daisyeye nickered.
"Easy, girl," Steele whispered, handing the horse a handful of oats. "You have any company in here? No."
Olive held her breath and tried to keep herself from lowing in pain. Unable to double over, her first instinct was to lie down. You can't do that, Olive-girl! she berated herself, that's the worst thing you can do. You need to walk around. Fear of discovery by the spur hunters, though, kept Olive frozen in place.
"Aren't you a beauty," Steele said to Daisyeye. "Giogi always has the best horses," he bemoaned, "and then names them all the same idiot name."
"Maybe the burro's out in the garden," Julia suggested.
"In weather like this?" Steele shook his head. "Giogi's too softhearted to leave an animal out in the cold and wet."
"Maybe he rented it or boards it out."
"I checked all the other stables in town. I found four mules, but no asses anywhere. No, it has to be here somewhere. Do you think he was stupid enough to leave it tied to his carriage?"
He's going to search this side of the carriage house! Olive thought with panic. She hugged herself nervously in the darkness. I'll never be able to fend off both of them. What should I do? Think, Olive-girl, she ordered herself, massaging her temples with her fingers.
Olive's eyes widened with the sudden realization of what she was doing. She brought her fingers down in front of her and wiggled them in disbelief. I have fingers! Arms! I have arms! Olive looked down at her body. She was a halfling once