The Quest for the Trilogy: Boneslicer; Seaspray; Deathwhisper by Mel Odom Page A

feeds on human flesh.”
    â€œYou mean they’re symbiotic?”
    Hallekk glanced at him for a moment. “’Course I do. How could I mean anything else? Once a goldengreed bites ye, they deposit a weevil what’s about to lay eggs—”
    â€œYou mean she’s gravid,” Wick said automatically.
    â€œIf ’n ye say so. Anyways, the weevil burrows up in yer skin, then digs in deep an’ tight. After a few days, she ups an’ lays her eggs in ye an’ she dies. Only a short while later, them little weevils hatches an’ eats ye from the inside out.”
    â€œThat’s disgusting,” Wick said. He thought the whole process unnatural and needlessly morbid.
    â€œAye. Goblinkin in these parts use goldengreed as torture sometimes. Stake a prisoner out, then make bets on how much of him gets eaten afore he croaks.” Hallekk looked at Wick with concern in his eyes. “I’ve heard tell that if ’n them newborn weevils are left to their own business, they can eat a man down to skin an’ bones in a few weeks. Usually he dies somewheres in there, but it ain’t an easy way to go.”
    â€œNo,” Wick agreed, his throat tight and dry. And they’re going to put me off in the middle of that ? “So … if I get bitten, what should I do?”
    â€œBurn it out if ’n ye can. Dig it out with a knife.” Hallekk shrugged. “If ’n ye think ye’re still infested an’ ye can live without that part of yerself, if ’n it’s only a finger or a toe—or even a hand or a foot—cut it off.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œIt’s best if ye doesn’t get bitten.”
    â€œI’ll keep that in mind.”
    â€œOh, an’ don’t go to sleep within driftin’ distance of a goldengreed plant. Sometimes them blasted things gets desperate an’ takes their chances by jumpin’ out of the plant in hopes of landin’ on something close by. They get the chance to crawl into yer ear, they’ll do it. Then ye’ll be keepin’ a weevil in mind.” Hallekk showed him a callous grin.

    Never sleep with your ears open . Wick wrote that in his journal and underlined it. In case he forgot. But he didn’t see how that would happen.
    Â 
    Â 
    â€œAre you afraid, Wick?”
    Startled, Wick looked up from his journal. Actually, while he’d been working, he didn’t feel anything at all. But now that the thought of dying was suddenly thrust into his mind again, he was terrified.
    Craugh stood at his side, gazing out at the sea. With the sun setting in the west behind him, Wick could only see the wizard mostly in silhouette. As a result, Craugh looked almost insubstantial, while at the same time shot through with darkness.
    â€œMore than I’ve ever been,” Wick said, hoping that Craugh might relent. He knew if he could get the wizard to change his mind, Cap’n Farok would change his, too.
    â€œWell,” Craugh said, looking out over the Rusting Sea, “it’s always good to be a little afraid, but don’t let that fear rule your thinking. Use it to keep you alive.”
    â€œWhy don’t you go,” Wick asked, “and I’ll stay on the ship and give you advice?”
    â€œDo you think the Cinder Clouds dwarves would talk to a wizard?”
    No. Nobody wants to talk to a wizard . But Wick didn’t say that. Instead, he pointed out, “You don’t have to tell them you’re a wizard.”
    Craugh frowned at Wick. “Do I have to ever tell anyone I’m a wizard?”
    Wick thought long and hard about that, seeking any avenue of escape. No matter where they went, no one made the mistake of thinking Craugh was just an old human. When someone looked at him, they just saw … wizardly .
    â€œNo,” Wick grumped. Then in a lower voice, he mumbled, “But a lot of people think you’re an evil wizard.”
    â€œI