The Hunchback's Perfect Family ✔

36 FAIR FAIRIES

A club landed in Pest's hand. He'd never held one before. A glance across from him to Fanli's father who paced back and forth with a club of his own had Pest swallowing hard.

The ogre was old. Still able to snatch a human up and swallow him, perhaps, but old. Even the way he moved wasn't as fast as others.

He also had the bigger club. Pest guessed this one he held belonged to Fanli's mother. If the cracks and scratches were any indication, the ogress had used it well in their marriage.

That knowledge would be of little help as Pest tore his eyes away from his opponent and whispered to Lowgli on his right, "He doesn't stand a chance."

Lowgli also eyed Fanli's father. "Correction. You don't stand a chance. He's still a damn good fighter. But he's only got one wife so maybe he's got an injury. But you can't hurt him on it if you find it—it's poor form."

"Poor form?" Pest couldn't believe this absurdity.

"Oh, and remember that place on Fan's neck that you're so fond of, yours is below the stomach—"

"Obviously."

"No. Your spots are below your stomach. Get hit there, and you don't get back up. So don't hit him there. It's the fighting style of a coward—he'll never respect you."

As discretely as Pest could, he shoved some of the loincloth down and ran his hand above his groin. He felt nothing until he reached his belly button. Fanli's spots went from side to side while Pest's traveled down. They were tender. He took less comfort in knowing Lowgli was on his side—in a sense—than knowing he could not only injure, or perhaps kill this aged ogre by mistake, but humiliate him as well.

"You don't have to do this," Lowgli said at length.

It came so uncertain that Pest glanced at him. He also made the mistake of searching the crowd for Nali who wore a look of woe and fear.

"If I don't," Pest said, "you have to. I get it."

"No." Lowgli hesitated. "No. I don't mind the second wife. But Fan would; she doesn't want me. I don't think she even wants an ogre."

His words stunned Pest into shock.

"So survive this," Lowgli told him, meeting his gaze, "then reverse your wish and let her use the treasure to become human."

Pest's lips parted until his mouth hung open. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"But the wish has already been done."

Fanli's father, impatient, advanced.

"This is ogre treasure. Think of it like a cloak. Nothing can tamper with it, but it can be reversed and used again. If they know the original wish."

At this, Pest thought of Nali. "Well, why would you put the treasure in her nose if someone could take it and use it again."

"What?" Lowgli leaned back, insulted. "It means I can protect her. It's just symbolic. She'll take it off after she comes to my home for the first time. The longer she has it in, the greater the danger, so don't drag this out."

A battle cry came with a slow advance. Fanli's father struck true but both Lowgli and Pest jumped apart.

Fanli's father lumbered toward him again. Pest avoided this strike as well. A cheer came from the crowd but by the third time he dodged a possible blow, he noticed a problem.

It was tiring. Fanli's father used all his might with each strike and missing his target not only frustrated him, but wore him out. By the forth dodge, Fanli's father huffing and puffing as he growled, laughter erupted.