“How about this particular nickel-and-dime adventure?” Tananda said, breaking the silence. “You know, pulling your tail out of a scrape? Isn’t this a little lowbrow for the kind of legend you’re trying to build?”
The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable, but it didn’t phase Aahz in the least.
“If you’ll ask around, you’ll find out that I didn’t want him along on this jaunt at all. In fact, I knocked him cold trying to keep him out. A top-flight magician shouldn’t have to stoop to bill collecting, especially when the risk is disproportionately high.”
“Well, it all sounds a little cold-blooded for my taste, Aahz,” Chumley put in. “If you extend your logic, our young friend here is only going to work when the danger is astronomically high, and conversely if the advancement to his career is enough, no risk is too great. That sounds to me like a sure-fire way to lose a partner and a friend. Like the Geek says, if you keep bucking the odds, sooner or later they’re going to catch up with you.”
My partner spun to confront the troll nose-to-nose.
“Of course it’s going to be dangerous,” he snarled. “The magic profession isn’t for the faint of heart, and to hit the top he’s going to have to be hair-triggered and mean. There’s no avoiding that, but I can try to be sure he’s ready for it. Why do you think I’ve been so deadset against him having bodyguards? If he starts relying on other people to watch out for him, he’s going to lose the edge himself. That’s when he’s in danger of walking into a swinging door.”