“And that is?”
“Sometimes what we seek most is already in our palm, and we’re too stupid to open our hand and see it.”
Dash let out a bitter laugh at Marthen’s typical babbling riddles. “While I always love these pearls of wisdom you enjoy pelting me with, could you please answer the question I need answered?”
“No.”
Dash was aghast at his flatout refusal. “No?”
“No.”
“Why?”
The wizard grinned. “Because that’s not the question you need answered.”
Was he serious? “It’s not?”
“No.”
Dash looked at Tanis with a peeved, hopeless stare. “Why did I come here?” He turned back to Marthen. “Every time I have a discussion with you, I end up feeling like a dog chasing its tail.”
“Better than one licking his balls. Because sometimes the one chasing the tail actually catches his target.”
Dash smirked at her. “See what I mean?”
She decided to try her hand with the wizard. “Good Marthen, could you point us in the direction of where my brother’s skull might be, and tell us how to reclaim it?”
The wizard’s dark eyes sharpened. “Again, that’s not the right question. Even if I tell you, it’ll do you no good.”
“Why?” she asked desperately.
He didn’t even hesitate with his response. “Why is information ever useless?”
Tanis could only think of one reason. “When it serves no purpose.”
“Exactly.”
At least she was correct, but it made her want to groan out loud. Dash was right. This was extremely frustrating. She looked back at her unicorn. “Is this a wizard thing?”
“It’s a Marthen thing. He lives his life backwards, so he already knows what we need and whether or not we get it. It’s his whim as to whether or not he reveals it to us.”
Marthen winked at Dash. “And you know the future, too, Your Majesty.”
“No,” Dash said, irritably. “I have glimpses. I haven’t lived it like you have. My visions aren’t the same thing as knowing history. Not to mention, my premonitions don’t always come true. Sometimes they’re just warnings that can be averted.”
“How frustrating for you to not know the difference.” Marthen tweaked him on the nose.
Tanis gaped, amazed Dash didn’t slug him for the audacity.
Instead, Dash glared at the wizard. “Not as frustrating as you are at the moment.”
Marthen clicked his tongue. “Then ask me the right question. The one you really want to know. The only one thatreallymatters to you.”
Dash ground his teeth at the game Marthen was playing with him. Why would Marthen do this when the old beast knew exactly what was on the line?
What stunk the most was that if he didn’t ask exactly what the wizard wanted him to, Marthen would continue to play this game until he grew bored and vanished. Then, Dash would never have an answer.
If he asked what he really wanted to know...
