"Oh yes it doth TOO count!" (Patreon)

Typantronn declared angrily.  "Wouldst welsh on a bet?  Fie, sisters, for shame!  Thou wageredst on when the raccoon would wake up, and she awakened.  Nothing was said about whether she would freeze again."

"If thou wakest in the morning and immediately rollest over and goest back to sleep, hast thou truly waked?" another Ixie countered.  "Nay, thou art still asleep."

"We didn't bet on me," Typantronn yelled.  "We bet on the vile little raccoon wench."

"She totally did wake up though," Rebecca interjected.  "Even if it was for only a few seconds.  I think that counts."

"Who asked thee??" Typantronn bellowed.  "Thou hast no stake in this wager."

"Double or nothing!" another Ixie called.

Meanwhile, Burnside's outburst and the Ixies' shrill jabbering had startled me out of my stupor.

"It occurs to me," I muttered thoughtfully, "that Burnside may have been damaged by the Plague of Battles after all.  She seems to freeze up whenever she is sufficiently shocked or horrified.  I've never seen her act like this ... but then again I've never seen her shocked or horrified.  Until today I didn't even think it was possible.  I wonder if I could cure her condition?  I wonder if I should?"

"Hush everyone, HUSH!" Vernier shushed sternly.  "We need to stay on track.  We're not here to place bets on elves having seizures, nor to cure said elves of their affliction.  Not now, anyway.  Our primary objective for the moment is to figure out a way for our lord to communicate with Ash Marten.  You've conjured up a pair of scry orbs, sir."

"So I have," I said, looking down at them in wonder.  "But how?  Does this relate in some way to the theory you said you had?"

"In a way, yes," Vernier explained.  "I conjectured that you are far more powerful than you realize, but you lack focus.  However, with the proper motivation you can do almost anything.  You are holding in your hands the proof.  Our next step is to see if the orbs work, or if they require further enchanting."

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