Hermo had missed his last throw. If Seth landed the potato inside the cask, he would win.
“You take too long,” Hermo blurted. “You forfeit.”
“There is a lot riding on this,” Seth said, knowing the tension made the hermit troll crazy. “If this potato goes in, I will be the Champion of the Entire Ocean.”
“You will be lucky,” Hermo said. “Nothing more. But potato will miss, because you no lucky!”
Seth theatrically licked a finger and then held it up to test the air.
“No wind inside fish,” Hermo complained.
Seth plucked a sprout out of one of the potato’s eyes.
Hermo slapped his green hands over his eyes. “Why you waste tasty part?”
“The sprouts are gross,” Seth said.
“You have brains of starfish,” Hermo said.
“Can a starfish do this?” Seth asked, raising the potato like a basketball and shooting it at the slightly swaying mouth of the little barrel. He had missed three of his last five throws, but this one dropped inside with a wet, hollow thump.
“No!” Hermo cried, raising his fists above his head. He spread his arms wide. “Why?”
“Because I’m what happens when luck meets skill,” Seth said, “and they get into a serious relationship.”
“You what happens when tuna barfs,” Hermo said.
“Guess you just lost to tuna puke,” Seth said. “From now on you can call me Champion of the Entire Ocean.”
“I Champion of the Seven Seas at mancala,” Hermo said.
“You got lucky at mancala,” Seth said. “The rematch is coming.”
“Is it time to eat some more potatoes?” Calvin asked. About the size of one of Seth’s fingers, the nipsie stood on the gunwale of Seth’s boat, balancing casually.
“Another raw potato?” Seth asked.
“Eat fish,” Hermo said. “Giant fish swallow plenty fish.”
“I’m not going to eat raw fish,” Seth said. “I’ll get parasites.”
“Hookworms,” Calvin said. “Or worse.”
Hermo waved a disgusted hand at them. “Fish delicious and full of flavor. Parasites have vitamins.”
“The parasites will suck me dry from the inside,” Seth said. “I’m a person. Not a troll.”
“You got that right,” Hermo said.
We approach the desired landmass, a low, slow voice spoke in Seth’s mind. It came from the leviathan.
“Already?” Seth asked.
I went swiftly.
“Is it talking?” Calvin asked. “What’s it saying?”
“Nobody talking,” Hermo said.
“The leviathan says we’re almost to Titan Valley,” Seth said. “How long has it been?”
“Not two days yet,” Calvin said. “It’s a big fish. Must be fast.”
“Can you get us into the sanctuary?” Seth asked the leviathan.
The sanctuary includes a portion of the ocean around the landmass, the leviathan replied. I am allowed into those waters; therefore, you can enter, since you are within me.
“He can get us in,” Seth reported. “Hopefully someplace where we won’t be seen. But not too far from civilization.”
As you wish, the leviathan replied.
“Wait,” Hermo said. “You go Titan Valley? You leave fish?”
“You’ll have your privacy back,” Seth said. “I never meant to live here.”
“What about rematch?” Hermo asked. “With potato?”
“Maybe someday,” Seth said. “For now, I have to retire as the greatest champion the ocean has ever known.”
“Why you say Titan Valley?”
“That’s where the leviathan is dropping us off.”
Hermo stared at him in shock, then laughed. “Titan Valley not for humans. You get eaten.”
“We know it’s a dragon sanctuary,” Seth said.
Hermo shook his head, still laughing. “Titan Valley for trolls. Our queen there.”
“There’s a troll queen?” Seth asked.
“Titan Valley is managed by the Giant Queen,” Calvin said. “She rules over the giants and some of the larger creatures, including trolls.”
“Larger creatures?” Seth exclaimed. “Hermo would need a stool to reach my shoulder.”
Hermo stopped laughing and folded his arms. “Hermo reach plenty.”
“There are different types of trolls,” Calvin said. “Hermit trolls are the smallest.”
“The leviathan called Titan Valley a landmass,” Seth said. “Isn’t Titan Valley an island?”
“Every continent is surrounded by water,” Calvin said. “New Zealand has hundreds of little islands, but two major ones: North Island and South Island. Titan Valley is on the third major island of New Zealand, larger than the others combined. It’s the largest dragon sanctuary. Some have called it the Lost Continent.”
“It’s that big and no regular humans notice it?” Seth asked.
“Distracter spells can be powerful,” Calvin said. “Especially the type that hide a dragon sanctuary and harness the power of all those creatures that mortals do not naturally notice.”
“Titan Valley is bestest most famous place,” Hermo said.
“Well, I’m excited to visit somewhere new,” Seth said. “I don’t have many memories.”
“If you been there before, you no be here,” Hermo said. “You be eaten.”
“I guess we’ll find out if I can survive,” Seth replied.
Hermo gave a start and then cocked his head. “We stop. Why we stop?”
Seth had gotten so used to the subtle motions of the leviathan that the standstill felt unsettling. “This must be where we get off.”
Daylight flooded into the fleshy chamber, showing Seth how accustomed his eyes had become to dim lamplight as he squinted against the new brightness.
“The leviathan opened his mouth,” Calvin said.
We have arrived, the leviathan declared.
“No leave!” Hermo cried.
“You’ve complained about us the whole time,” Seth said.
“Complain when you win,” Hermo said. “Need rematches.”
“Sorry,” Seth said. “Thanks for the games, but we have to go.”
Hermo began to wring his hands. “Where you go in Titan Valley?”
Seth glanced at Calvin, still balancing on the edge of the boat. The nipsie shrugged.
“We’ll figure it out,” Seth said.
“What look for? Hermo know plenty.”
“We’ll need to learn about Humbuggle,” Seth said, not wanting to reveal too much, but curious to see if the hermit troll might have pointers.
Hermo placed a hand over his eyes. “Me should have known. You here for Games. You even dumber than you look.”
“It’s no game,” Seth assured him.
“Humbuggle makes Games,” Hermo said, peeking out from between his fingers. “You not know nothing.”
Seth held out a hand to Calvin, who sprang onto his palm. Seth pocketed the nipsie.
