Page 31 of Rapunzel's Gambit (All That Glitters)
“And you trust their answer over mine? I thought we were friends.”
“You haven’t given me an answer,” I pointed out. “You only said you hadn’teatenany.”
“Would it matter if I had?”
“Yes! It matters a great deal to me.”
Pollox looked at me a long time. “No,” he finally responded. “I’ve never killed any humans.”
Far from making me feel better, the sinking feeling in my stomach grew. Either Pollox or Griffin was lying, or else Griffin had been misinformed. Who was right? And how was I supposed to tell the difference?
“I don’t kill humans,” Pollox told me, as gently as possible.
“Have other dragons?”
“Yes.”
A tiny flame of hope held out. Griffin could have heard about another dragon and assumed it was Pollox. Pollox had never lied to me before that I knew of, but neither had Griffin.
“This troubles you?”
“Of course. I don’t want humans to be killed.”
“Humans have killed dragons before. Should I believe the worst of you because of what other humans have done?”
I pressed my hands against the sides of my head. It was exhausting to try to work out who was right and who was wrong. But then again, who was I to judge when I was swindling everyone I met?
“Want to come with me to put the ransom away?”
“All right.” I followed Pollox, arms crossed tightly across my chest. Pollox placed the ransom into the treasure room and I stared around at everything. No matter how many ransoms we were paid, the hoard never overfilled.
“Where is that necklace with pink gemstones?” I asked suddenly. “I don’t see it.” In one of the previous sacks of treasure, I’d found a set of jewelry I particularly liked, but now, it seemed to have vanished.
“I moved it.”
“To where?”
“To my collection.”
“You mean it’s in the room you won’t show anyone?”
“Sort of.”
“What do you mean,sort of?”
Pollox’s tail twitched, flicking from side to side like a cat. “Do you consider me part of your hoard?”
“Yes. Just as I’m part of yours.”
“So I can trust you with my secrets?”
I hesitated. What sort of secrets was he talking about? “Yes, you can. We’re friends, aren’t we? Friends tell each other everything. I was interrogated when I was at the castle, but I made sure to protect you and not to divulge anything important.”
“Then follow me. I think you’ve proven yourself worthy to know.”
About to burst with curiosity, I followed. At the very end of the hall, Pollox pressed his muzzle against the last door. The moment it swung open, I looked inside, prepared to see fabulous treasures beyond my imagination. Instead, the room was dim and filled not with gold or gemstones, but with an odd assortment of everyday items—a farmer’s hat, a pair of shoes, some worn books, and a crocheted blanket.
“I don’t understand.”
