“Let the other girl do it. Take a pound fromher for every riddle she gets wrong,” another of them said.
“No!” Concern for Erin made my voice shrillerthan I’d anticipated.
“What will it be then?” the one peering at measked.
“I’ll be the only one answering,” I said.“The others will stay here.”
Kobal’s fingers dug into my waist as hischest vibrated with the low growl he emitted. He may not choose tofight these things, but if I messed this up, he would tear thisentire bar apart even if they were his allies. He’d never allowthem to take a pound of my flesh. I had to get this right,otherwise I’d cause a rift in Kobal’s forces, but I really was badat riddles. I couldn’t recall one I’d ever gotten right.
“I’m going with you, no matter what,” Erinsaid. “I came this far; Iwillseeit through.”
“So will I,” Vargas said.
“Me too,” Hawk said.
I turned toward them. “You don’t have to dothis. You can stay here where it’s safe and your skin remains whereit should.”
“So will it be all of you answering, or onlyone?” someone from the bar inquired, completely ignoring mywords.
“Only one,” Erin said. “Me.”
“Erin, no,” I protested.
“We’ll each be answering our own question,”Vargas insisted.
The skellein before me raised his bonyfingers and rubbed his chin. I found myself staring into the emptyplace where his nose should have been and at the back of his skull.“I’ll make it more interesting. If only one of you answersthreeriddles correctly, allfourof you can pass. If they getone wrong, then all four of you will lose a pound.”
CHAPTER 44
River
My flesh had never felt so cold before. Icouldn’t resist rubbing my hands over my arms as I struggled not tolose my meager lunch.
“Is that allowable?” one of the skelleinscalled out. “Aren’t they all supposed to prove their merit?”
“What of the laws?” others called out.
The skellein with the cane peered at usbefore turning to face the occupants of the bar. “I think it willbe proving their merit if they all stick together on this. The lawsstate that we decide if someone is worthy or not to pass throughour tests. However, we’ve never come across something like thisbefore, so we shall put it to a vote. Those who are willing toallow one to answer three questions for all of them, raise yourhands.”
They exchanged looks before every hand in thebar shot up. “It seems we all agree it shall be fun to trysomething new!” the skellein with the cane declared before turningback to us.
“I will not allow this to happen,” Kobalgrated through his teeth.
“I can do this,” Erin insisted. Her oceanblue eyes burned intensely when she turned to face us. “I really amgood at riddles. Icandothis.”
“You can walk away,” I said.
“You said you sucked at this, and I can doit, so let me.”
“You owe menothingfor what happened with the canaghs.”
“I know that. I’m doing this for my friendand because I’ve never backed away from a challenge. I’m also verycurious as to what this gate looks like.”
“We all are,” Hawk said, and Vargas noddedbeside him.
A lump formed in my throat. More objectionsswelled within me, but I held them back. I would stand by theirdecision even if I didn’t like it. Kobal’s eyes had become apiercing amber when I focused on him again.
I rested my hand on his arm, drawing hisattention away from the skelleins to me. “We have no other choice.Erin can do this.”
