Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“But I don’t know how to barter!” Penny protested.
“You didn’t know how to pick a pocket either before you met me, but you picked that up quick enough.” V’rex grinned at her. “We have a little time before the dinner hour. Come with me and I’ll give you some pointers…”
Chapter 101
The royal Fox’ens’ private residence was a cavern located far from the main part of the city. As they approached, walking through a twisty tunnel which was lighted with golden, glowing moss that grew on the walls and ceiling, Penny tried to remember everything V’rex had taught her about bartering…
The big Hybrid had given her one of the stinky meat balls he’d offered to the guards and told her to trade for something—anything that she thought was of equal or slightly higher value.
Penny had done her best, but she only ended up trading the meat ball for one of the sausage links tied with red string. Which, to be honest, smelled even less appetizing than the meat ball itself had.
“All right, not a bad start,” V’rex had said. “Now watch this.”
He took one of the meatballs himself and approached a merchant who was selling gold and silver jewelry.
“Excuse me,” he said to the merchant, cupping the meat ball in the palm of his hand as though it was something precious. “I’m new here and I’m looking for a good place to barter this rare Midlothian bullock testicle. Would you happen to know of any merchants who have wares worthy of such a trade?”
The merchant, who was a rather portly Fox’en with reddish fur, puffed himself up importantly.
“Actually, I have wares that are unparralled anywhere in the city!”
“Do you?” V’rex had eyed the display of jewelry with apparent distain. “I see nothing here that could equal the value of the sublime taste and meaty texture of my rare bullock ball. Why, I brought it all the way from the Poopoola System. The bull it came from was a holy animal—sacrificed on the altar of Genwa, She Who Devours.”
“She sounds like a most savage goddess,” the merchant remarked, eyeing the meat ball avariciously. “But I assure you, my wares are worthy, even of such splendor. Only observe the fine links of this tail chain—the gold so beautifully crafted that it runs like silk through the fingers…”
They haggled back and forth like that for some time as Penny watched with wide eyes. In the end, V’rex traded the single, stinky meat ball for a solid gold bracelet with a little fox face charm dangling from it.
As the merchant popped the meat ball in his mouth and savored its delicate flavor, V’rex and Penny walked off.
“And that’s how it’s done,” the big Hybrid said, grinning at her.
Penny shook her head.
“You amaze me, V’rex. Where did you learn to do that?”
“Same place I learned to pick a pocket, sweetheart—on the streets.” He shrugged. “It’s amazing the skills you pick up when you’re trying to survive.”
Penny didn’t know what to say. She felt bad, as always, when he talked about his rough childhood. It made her wish she could go back in time and rescue him somehow, though of course that was impossible.
“V’rex—” she began but he cut her off.
“Here, give me your hand.”
“Why?” Penny asked, holding it out.
“So you can wear this.” V’rex put it on her and smiled as she admired it. “There, sweetheart. That’ll give you something to remember me by after we part ways.”
Penny felt her heart sink at the idea of them splitting up, but she tried to smile and keep her voice light.
“Now I have to trade for something to give to you, so you can remember me too,” she’d said.
V’rex had stopped walking and turned to face her. Tilting her chin up, he looked into her eyes.
“Sweetheart,” he said softly. “I could never forget you. I’ve got your name carved over my heart—remember?”
In that moment, Penny had wished desperately to hug him, to feel those strong arms wrapped around her again.
“Oh, V’rex,” she’d whispered, looking up at him. “I…I just…”
But just as she was working up the nerve to say she wanted them to be together, the big Hybrid had changed the subject.
“Well, we’d better continue your lesson,” he said. “Come on, we’re going to the other end of the marketplace and I’m giving you another meat ball. And this time, you need to barter it for something better.”
Now, as they stood in front of the carved double doors, gilded with gold, that were the entrance to the Fox’en Chieftain’s private residence, Penny hoped she could barter as well with Lady Bright Coat as she had with her second meat ball.
She had wound up with one of the little colorful boxes which put out puffs of blue smoke when you lit the bright blue rocks inside. Apparently you were supposed to breathe in the smoke and happy visions would appear in your mind. Penny hadn’t tried it yet—and wasn’t sure if she would. But it was certainly worth more than a meat ball and V’rex had been proud of her.