The Worst Kobold Chapter 17: Chapter 13- Trying to Sell Fool's Gold

Read chapter 17 of The Worst Kobold by Thalaas on NovelPedia.

Griffon and Fluke, meanwhile, were journeying back to their home in the Jagged Crag. They had been walking in mostly silence once they left their new friend. Griffon briefly had considered riding Fluke the rest of the way back. With his speed, they’d be back in an hour if he went full out. But, she wanted time to think. Ember’s words stuck deep in her soul. The goblin had been right. Fluke needed help and support, though she wasn’t sure how…. “This… Griffon?” Fluke’s powerful timbre broke the silence. He sighed wistfully. “I just wanted to say, what an incredible experience this was. Even just, being out in the open like this. I know it’s dangerous for two lone kobolds.” Griffon had to truly stifle a chuckle, especially since she could see her hatchery brother was opening up to her. Fluke's voice fell a little as he continued. “I… wish I could do this more often.” Griffon continued to walk, not even breaking stride. It had been incredible. Understatement of the era. Her mind had still been racing on the thousands of things she should do with a secret dragon. But then, Ember's voice rang in her ears once more. Do what you think best for Fluke. And with that, she made a decision. “Then, why don't you?” Fluke's head raised a little. Which put his mug a good twenty feet up now. “Wh… what do you want mean? I shouldn’t be out here, it’s dangerous.” Griffon bit back a comment again, with increasing difficulty. “I'm a hauler… barely. I'm supposed to work the mines and…” “Pfftt… that's a complete waste of your skills,” Griffon waved the self deprecating comment off. “You're strong. You're fast. You're tough. What do you think about joining me on long patrol as my protege?” Even as she said it, it felt so ridiculous to her. Asking a dragon to be what was essentially her assistant? To work for her as a mere understudy? On one level she debated if it was comical or insulting to suggest that to him, a dragon lord of all things! But on a deeper level it felt… right. “I'll speak to the claws when we get back.” There was a long pause as Fluke's eyes grew to the size of golden serving platters. Literally. “But… there's so many better kobolds. I can't hold a bow, climb trees, or even hide! I'm the worst,” he lowered his head once more in shame. “Hush now!” Griffon grabbed Fluke by his thick lips and pulled his mouth shut. Well, he let her pull his mouth shut. Her holding his jaw shut was purely theater. “That are the other kobolds talking. The bullies and the cowards. The ones not worth a shed scale off the underside of my tail. I'm the one talking now, and you’re going to listen to me,” she proclaimed with the confidence she once spoke to him, back when she thought he was a kobold like her. “Yeah, you can't ride a dire wolf. So what? You can run twice as fast as one with three times the load on your back.” She let go of his mouth and stepped back so she could look in his eyes. “You managed to drag my unconscious tail out of a battlefield to safety with a sword jammed in your side. As far as I'm concerned you have more than proved yourself qualified to join me on long patrol.” Another long pause. Water began to form on the sides of Fluke's eyes. “You… think I can be… good at being a scout?” There was some wavering hope in his voice. Griffon was tearing up a little as she lifted her left hand high and placed it on his nose. “I've never lied to you, Fluke. I honestly, truly believe you can be great at it. At most anything.” Griffon stepped back and smiled genuinely. She was being truly straight with him after all. They may not end up being the most stealthy pair, but she was quite certain they'd be the most powerful. “We're just going to do it a different way. Your way.” Fluke just stared for a long time, before turning his head away. He was trying hard not to bawl in front of her. He didn’t want to seem even more weak than he was. “Griffon, I…” he choked out, giving a rather loud snort. “Hey, big guy, it’s fine.” Griffon reached up and gave a re