Read Tricked for Free Online Page B

rock though, heh heh. «
    I shot Coyote a glare while Granuaile coughed to hide a laugh. Darren and Sophie confined themselves to smiles, but Frank Chischilly chuckled hoarsely.
    › I think he got your goat, Atticus! And I’ve been meaning to ask you about that expression. When people get your goat, what do they do with it? Do they eat it or hold it for ransom or what? ‹
    See, this is why I enjoy Oberon’s constant commentary. Much of the time it’s a bit distracting and funny enough that I might laugh inappropriately in the face of people who can’t hear what he says. But in this case, it saved me. If he hadn’t been around to point out that I looked irritated, I might have said something stupid and escalated things with Coyote. Instead, I excused myself by saying, » It was nice to meet you all, and I hope to speak with you later. I have some work to do right now though. « I turned and strode up the incline to the base of the mesa, Oberon and Granuaile following in my wake.
    Typically you never get your goat back , I explained to Oberon. So you’re left with two choices. Either you let it go and get another metaphorical goat, or you try to get their goat in a sort of eye-for-an-eye revenge thing. Most people get another goat .
    › Wow. Sounds like a sweet deal for the metaphorical goatherders! Those guys must be livin’ large. ‹
    » That was an interesting encounter, « Granuaile observed, once we were safely out of earshot. I grunted sourly, and my apprentice laughed. » You’re going to build that road tonight out of spite, aren’t you? «
    I grinned, amused that she could read me so easily. » If I can get the elemental to cooperate, I will. Then I want to see our so-called Mr. Benally explain it to Sophie and Darren, because I’m supposed to be a geologist who can’t build shit. «
    » I think it’s funny how he messes with you, « Granuaile said.
    » You do, eh? Well, we’ll see how you like it once he starts playing his tricks on you. They’re not always harmless tricks, you know. There’s a dark side to all tricksters. Coyote laughs at other people’s misfortune more than anything else, and this little name and occupation game of his could be the setup for something bigger down the road. «
    Granuaile’s amusement faded. » We’re protected against him, though, aren’t we? «
    » Protected how? You mean magically? « I snorted. » Coyote doesn’t need magic to trick us. The only thing we can do is try to stay ahead of him. Gotta be smarter than the anthropomorphic canine. «
    › Whoa, did you just talk smack about canines? ‹
    No, I said that Coyote’s a dog in the shape of a man .
    › Oh, yeah, well, I feel sorry for him when he’s like that. He probably can smell hardly at all! This is why we need smelling-nose dogs, Atticus. They’d serve the burgeoning arthro … uh, powerstick canine market. ‹
    Anthropomorphic .
    › Right. That’s totally what I said. You don’t get a point for that. ‹
    » Crap, « Granuaile said. » Now I’m going to be paranoid about him pulling something on me. «
    » Ehhhxcellent! « I said, steepling my fingers together like Mr. Burns on The Simpsons who’s always talking to Smithers. Then I switched genres. My voice took on the high nasal tones that comic-book villains tend to have when adapted for the Saturday-morning cartoons. » You should cultivate paranoia, because they really are out to get you! « I dropped my hands and resumed walking and talking normally. » He’ll notice that, by the way. He’ll smell your anxiety and fear, so you need to relax without appearing to be consciously relaxing. «
    » Right, sure. Now that we’re talking about it I won’t be able to. «
    » Insidious, isn’t it? But you can do it. It’s a Druid thing. «
    » Whatever, sensei. «
    » I’m being semi-serious. Once you’re bound to the earth and you can see in the magical spectrum, you’ll be dealing with two different sets of stimuli. I showed you what