Sorcerer's Secret by Scott Mebus Page B

lose!”
    â€œThat is not your concern, Rory,” Soka said, not looking at him. She focused on the Fortune Teller. “My magic has become hard to control and I need to know what I can do. My people need a strong pau wau to stand beside my mother in the days ahead and I will risk anything for that.”
    â€œI need to know how to save my city,” Nicholas announced, stepping forward as well. “No price is too great for that.”
    â€œWhat can I do to help both Rory and my home?” Fritz spoke up. “I know how to play gin rummy, by the way.”
    Rory watched the Fortune Teller’s eyes light up as his friends offered to play her games. He didn’t trust her, not one bit. It wasn’t fair that he would get a free answer to his question while his friends risked so much for theirs. He felt like there was a larger game being played here and he couldn’t just blindly go along with it. When the Fortune Teller looked at his friends, he saw greed and hunger in her eyes. But when she looked at him . . . he caught a glimpse of hope. He realized the Fortune Teller wasn’t quite as impartial as she seemed. And that gave him an idea.
    â€œYou said the more random the game the higher the stakes, right?” Rory asked. “So what is the most random game?”
    â€œThere is no need for your friends to take such chances,” the Fortune Teller answered, her tone light but her eyes sharp. “I have plenty of games. I believe I even have Boggle lying around here somewhere.”
    â€œHow about flipping a coin?” Rory asked, pulling a quarter out of his pocket. “It doesn’t get any more random than that, does it?”
    â€œNo, it doesn’t,” the Fortune Teller replied warily.
    â€œWhat would I lose if I called for heads and it came up tails?” Rory asked, tossing the coin in the air and catching it.
    â€œYour life,” the Fortune Teller whispered, worry crossing her face.
    â€œThose are pretty high stakes,” Rory said nonchalantly. “So you would have to wager a lot on your end as well, am I right? Say an answer to each of our questions? That seems fair if I win the coin toss, doesn’t it?”
    â€œRory!” Fritz cut in, nervous. “There is no need to be foolish.”
    â€œI will flip the coin!” Soka cried. “You won’t do it for me!”
    â€œRory, don’t you do it!” Bridget yelled at him, reaching for his arm. He pulled away, his eyes on the woman in red.
    â€œYou don’t have to flip it at all,” the Fortune Teller said, frowning. “Your way has been paid. Let the others play their games and earn their answers on their own.”
    â€œNo, I think this is the best wager I can make,” Rory said, ignoring the cries of his friends. He tossed the coin into the air and caught it, slapping it against his wrist but not revealing which side was up. “Shall I call it? Or will you?”
    A hush fell over the room as the Fortune Teller stared at him. A low moan slipped out of Bridget’s lips as she looked up at her brother in anguish. The tension crackled as everyone waited on the woman in red. Finally, a rueful smile flashed across her face. “All right, Rory Hennessy. You win. Put away the coin. I will answer their questions.”
    â€œWhat?” Bridget asked, confused. “But nobody called it.”
    â€œRory was too valuable to risk,” Fritz said, snapping his fingers as the truth dawned. “He bet that you wouldn’t let him bet his own life!”
    â€œAnd he was right,” the Fortune Teller replied, a bit testily.
    â€œBut why?” Bridget asked, still lost.
    â€œBecause someone else is interested in Rory’s mission,” the Fortune Teller said. She held up her hand before Rory could speak. “There is no wager that can get me to reveal who that is. You will have to discover their identity on your own. But they need you to