Modeled after Giovanni Boccaccio's classic from the 14th Century, this collection similarly brought 100+ short stories to Wattpad readers. The original's premise was simple: ten individuals entertained themselves over a span of ten days by telling a...
There are two things you must know about tricksters. First, they are rarely boring, and second, they all get on with one another far better than they would ever let you know.
I suppose you already know this though. And as I study your face, it strikes me that you might not be so innocent as you claim. You were quite insistent on coming here even though I warned you that
You see, it's to their advantage to make you think that they are, for the most part, solitary and separatists. The sort of folk, whether deity, imp, sprite, or man, who understand only their own interests and manipulation of others to advance those interests. And while it's certainly true that they are inclined in such a way, it is far from the truth to suggest that they don't work together when the time comes. And if you think one trickster can make mischief, you can't imagine what they can do when they're on the same side.
But we are both here now to see this great gathering when the tricksters from around the world come together for their own purposes. A gathering which ordinary mortals are barred from except in the most exceptional of circumstances.
Down below, the large pit burns in the center of the room. The flames flare upward, sparks flying, smoke twining. Orange and blue coals pool in the base of the pit, fringed in white ash, so hot I can practically feel it through the orb.
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"Now then," I whisper. "You must remain silent. Don't let them know you're here."
You nod. This is one of the most exciting moments in your life I suppose. I'm not sure whether you'll do as you're told. But I've taken all the necessary precautions. I pray they're enough.
The polished teak benches that surround the pit are slowly filled with dark robed figures. Their sizes vary from one who is no more than two feet tall to another who is more than eight feet, maybe ten feet tall (it's so hard to tell). Another seems to have furry dog-like paws. Coyote. I'm almost certain.
Voices murmur in a low drone of hushed conversation. The air smells of secrets and smoke.
Then a large robed figure materializes above the fire pit and levitates to a hollowed out marble stand that appears at the head of the pit. Its great black sleeves trail against the wind. "All business has been attended to, all matters settled –"
"What business?" you whisper. "I didn't see anything."
I shake my head at you, giving a sharp look. Quiet.
The speaker below continues. "So let the tales begin. Bring forth the first offering. Coyote, come."
Coyote moves forward from the third row of benches. He is an unusual being, seeming at once fully human and fully coyote depending on how the firelight strikes him or how I angle my head. I wonder how you see him.
Coyote takes his place at the podium and unveils a violet tome. He thrusts it out above the flames, but it doesn't fall. It spins slowly, a glow developing from within and shooting out beams into the chamber.
